My Hockey Alpha

Chapter 0471

The bathroom door swung closed behind me with a resounding thud, its finality echoing through the tight space. I looked at Lori and Jessica, who stared back at me with an intense scrutiny in their eyes.

*Alright, alright, go ahead," I groaned, leaning against the bathroom sink and folding my arms across my chest." Go on and scold me for the millionth time tonight.*

Lori and Jessica paused to shoot each other a glance before Jessica sighed and placed her hand on my arm. *Nina, we're just worried about you. That's all," she said gently.

I wasn't sure why, but for some reason I felt a bit defensive. Maybe a little more harshly than I intended, I pulled my arm away and turned to face the mirror. "I'm fine," I declared, meeting their gazes in the reflection. "You two are getting too worried about this."

Clearly annoyed by my defensiveness, Lori stepped up behind me and grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to turn around to face her. Even at her petite height, she had a commanding air about her. It had always been one of her more prominent traits.

*Nina Harper-or should I say, Nina Rivers-you're acting like an idiot. Do you want to start off your marriage with a nice little handful of lies, or do you want to be truthful with your husband?"Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Before I could answer, Jessica chimed in, folding her thin arms across her chest. "Seriously, Nina. You and Enzo have been through so much together. And let's not forget that you have a history of keeping things from him-*

*I'm not keeping anything from him!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in the air in an exasperated manner. "I don't even know if I'm pregnant or not. At least give me time to figure it out on my own before you start accusing me of lying to my husband."

A tense silence fell over the room. Lori and Jessica's unwavering gazes never left my face, eventually causing my resolve to crumble ever so slightly.

I sighed, feeling my shoulders slump a little as my hands began nervously picking at a stray thread on my jeans." Look. It's complicated, okay? There's more to it than you think."

"Well, either way, you should be open with Enzo," Lori insisted, her eyes not leaving mine. "He's your husband, Nina. Secrets don't make for a good marriage."

The weight of their words sank in, but also tightened the knot in my stomach. "I can't," I finally admitted, the words barely more than a whisper. "At least, not yet. If it turns out I am... well, pregnant, Enzo won't want to leave. He'll give up his dreams for me. And I can't be the reason he doesn't go after what he wants. Not after everything he's been through."

*So what's your plan then?" Jessica prodded, her voice filled with a combination of annoyance and disbelief. "To keep it a secret and deal with it on your own?"

I looked down at the cold tile floor, contemplating my options. I had dreams too; medical school was just around the corner. Could I manage all that with a baby?

*Maybe," I mumbled, almost too low to hear. "I've thought about...well, not keeping it. Having an abortion."

The silence that followed was heavy, almost suffocating. I could feel both of their stares, now filled with a mixture of confusion and concern.

*And would you keep that a secret too?" Lori finally broke the silence, her tone softer now.

"From Enzo? Maybe," I said, looking up to meet their eyes. "We can always have a family later, right? He goes off to pursue his dream, I go to medical school, and then we can think about a family once we're really ready."