Instead of answering, she walked past me into the condo. "Is Bruno here?"
The way she looked around my place I knew she wanted privacy. "He's taking a shower, but I can get rid of him."
"No. That's OK. I just need to talk."
I noticed her hand shaking. "Mei, what's wrong? Tell me."
Either she didn't hear or needed more time to say the words, but Mei just kept walking ahead until she stopped, mid-stride, in front of the wine and two glasses I set out. Her frown confused me.
"Figured that might come in handy," I said and lowered myself onto the couch, patting beside me.
Mei didn't come over.
"You'll have to drink it all by yourself."
Something was off. However, I felt I shouldn't push her and kept my mouth closed, giving her the chance to say whatever she came to say.
Unsure what to do next, I filled my glass. As soon as the cold rim touched my lips, Mei spoke. "I'm pregnant."
Silence.
We stared at each other, and her eyes filled with fear while my whole face froze in shock.
Mei finally lowered herself beside me. "Yes, you heard correctly. Yes, I'm sure. I'm pregnant."
Her words weren't cheerful; in fact, the quiver of her lips told me she was about to cry. I wrapped an arm around my friend. For a few seconds, I wasn't sure what to say. Mei was the most ambitious person in our group. She didn't just plan to be a doctor, she had big dreams, and never once did she say that one of them was having a child.
"I can't believe I got myself into this situation. I'm too smart to get myself get knocked up."
"Breathe," I said, then slowly inhaled through my nose, held it for a few seconds, then let it out through my mouth, hoping she'd follow my lead.
When Mei rolled her eyes, I took a different approach. "You have options."
She shook her head. "I can't do that."
In truth I knew she'd probably say that, but I just wanted her to feel less trapped. "Mei, you already have an undergraduate degree. You can do this."
My best friend shot me a look like I'd lost my mind, then jumped to her feet. "Alex. I'm pregnant, and the man is married. I'm here to become a doctor and make a better life for my parents back home in China. All of that is now ruined."
"Whoa, whoa. Calm down," I said and pulled her back down. "You don't have to give up on your dream because of a baby."
"Be serious, how am I supposed to be a full-time student and a mother?"
Realizing I needed a moment to collect my thoughts before I argued some sense into Mei, I took a sip.
Then I had it. "You always told me your parents would live with you once you got married and started a family, which I'd kill myself before allowing mine to do, but couldn't they come and do that now?"
Shit! The tears rolling down Mei's face told me that suggestion was terrible.
"My parents don't even think I've ever had a boyfriend, much less."
I stared at her with mouth hanging open. "Are you kidding me. They are floating around China thinking you are a virgin at your age?"
"They're old-fashioned," Mei said in a dejected voice, then mumbled, "How do I tell Jeffrey this?"
"Easy. Hey, Jeffrey, you're going to be a father."
The corner of her mouth twisted into a smile. "Maybe I'll tell my parents he died; they'd forgive me for a dead fiancé more than accepting I've been fucking the parts of New York you left uncharted."
