I thumbed out a reply:Tell her I’ll schedule my contractions around her push present.
My real mother had been quiet in a way that made rooms feel safer. She’d died suddenly when I was sixteen—collapsed in the grocery store between the organic kale and the fair-trade coffee. It wasn't something that I would ever forget.
Two years later, Dad married a woman who smiled with all her teeth and kept steak knives in with her compliments. The back stabbing bitch.
You’re so independent, Charlotte. You don’t need us.
By eighteen, I was unpacking boxes in a dorm room, wondering if my spine would bruise from how fast she’d shoved me out.
If she found out about the sperm donor. She’d throw a brunch. “Poor Charlotte. Always the odd one out.”
The stylus jabbed the BUY NOW button. Swiss wheels. Let the baby roll in style. I grinned until the Jaws theme music blasted from my phone.
I answered the call and put her on speakerphone.
“Hi, Sam, how are you?”
“It is Samantha,” she said sharply. “You know I don't like it when you call me Sam.”
“Sorry, I think I’m getting baby brain.”
“Never mind that. This was Chloe’s big moment. I didn't know that you were seeing anybody,” she said, fishing with the big stick that was usually up her ass.
“I don't share every part of my life on social media, Sam—sorry, Samantha,” I said with a grin.
“Who is he? I am sure your father will want to meet him.”
Nope, he didn't care what I did. He was all about Chloe and kissing Sam’s ass. Sam was just dying to know. I was sure she only kept in touch to torment me. Chloe had a grand wedding last year. My Dad footed the bill, but he deserved to be squeezed since he had no backbone.
“Tsk. You're not even married, Charlotte. How unbecoming. My Chloe—”
My fingers tightened around the phone. The baby kicked hard, as if sensing the venom in her voice. I gritted my teeth and took a few deep breaths, rubbing my belly and thanked God that this viperous bitch wasn't related to us by blood. I let her prattle on until she got it all out of her system.
“I know someone your age won't understand, but we are living in the 21st century.”
There was silence.
“I bet he left you. Men always do. That's why you never told anyone about your pregnancy until last week.”
Oh, the bitch was on fire today. A sly dig about my Dad.
“Wrong again. I wanted a healthy, stress-free pregnancy. I should have let you know after I’d given birth.”
I saw an incoming call from the hospital.
“I have to go, Sam. I've got another call. Tell Chloe I said congratulations,” I said before answering the other call.
“It’s Saman—”
What a shame. I grinned, swiping to answer the new call.
“Hello?”
“Is this Charlotte Hutton?”
“Yes, speaking.”
“We need you to come in tomorrow to review your latest blood and urine samples,” she said. “You have an appointment with Dr Vale at the outpatient section in the maternity ward.”
