The Heartbreak Factor - Part Four

“And I love you.”

Josh smiled before walking down the corridor, closing the door behind him, leaving me and Chloe in the hospital room in complete silence - awkward silence. 

"Thank-you for being here for him," Chloe said as a few moments of silence dragged by.

"I'm not just here for him," I smiled. "I didn't want any of this to happen. I'm sorry for.."

Chloe interrupted me with a smile on her face. "Don't worry about it, Sammy. We both did things we didn't mean and shouldn't have said. I should have listened to you and you should have listened to me. We're neither perfect but you're my best friend and I love you and nothing will ever change that."

"No," I shook my head. "I'm gonna say it anyway. I'm sorry for not being there for you. These past few weeks have been so lonely and I needed my best friend more than ever. I should have listened to you and supported your decision as you've stood by me through everything, regardless of whether you agreed with my decisions or not. I didn't mean for any of this to happen and I really am sorry for being a shit friend to you."

"Sammy."

I interrupted her again. "I'm sorry for ignoring your calls."

"Sammy."

"I'm just sorry for everything."

"I didn't have an abortion," Chloe blurted out. 

I looked at her in shock. "I thought that's what you wanted," I said. 

"That's how the crash happened. I thought I wanted an abortion. I went to the clinic and went through all the consultation - I even got ready for it all to begin and the doctor had even got the pills out for me to take but I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill this baby. You were right - Josh deserves to know. It's his baby too and who am I to take that right away from him? It's his baby as much as it is mine. As I was sat in the doctor's consultation office, all I could think about was your face when you had the miscarriage. You didn't want the baby but as soon as you lost it, you were devastated. I couldn't do that to Josh, but I couldn't do that to myself. You know me better than anybody knows me, better than I know myself most of the time. I know I should have listened to you. I couldn't go through with it so I walked out of the clinic, got into my car and cried for ages. I guess I crashed because I couldn't think straight and I couldn't concentrate on the road."

I sunk back into the chair, trying to take it all in as I listened to what she was telling me. 

"The nurse has told me the baby's fine."

I looked at her and smiled. "That's great news."

"But how can I tell Josh?" Chloe asked me, looking at me for help. "I can't lie to him about everything."

"You don't have to lie," I paused. "You just don't have to tell him everything that happened."

"Will you help me?" Chloe asked. 

I looked at her. "You know I'll help you," I grinned. "You helped me so I think it's time that I repaid the favour, since that's what best friends do."

Chloe smiled at me as the nurse walked back into the room. 

"Ready to go get this scan done?" the nurse asked Chloe. “We can’t give you an x-ray due to your condition but you’ll need a scan on your leg to see if it is broken.”

"Can I just have ten minutes?" Chloe asked. "Please."

The nurse looked at Chloe and then looked at me with a facial expression that showed she was considering whether or not to give Chloe an extra ten minutes. "Fine," she sighed followed by a small laugh. "I'll be back to get you in ten minutes though. No arguments." 

"You're gonna do it now?" I asked Chloe as the nurse shut the door behind her. 

Chloe nodded with a nervous smile across her face. "There's not gonna be a better time, is there?" she asked. 

"Well, there couldn't be a worse time," I joked, looking at the cuts on her face and the wires attached to her. "Could there?"

"I suppose not," Chloe laughed, holding onto her ribs as they caused her discomfort. 

Just as I was about to say something to her, Josh walked into the room, carrying a bouquet of flowers. "Some guy just dropped these off with me for you," Josh winked. 

"Was his name Josh Cuthbert by any chance?" Chloe grinned.

"Oh, you two are too cute," I giggled. 

Josh smiled at me as he placed the flowers down on the table at the end of Chloe's bed. "They're beautiful," Chloe beamed. "Thank-you."

"Chloe," I said, looking at her to get her to say something before she changed her mind and chickened out from telling Josh at all. 

"Oh, yeah," Chloe sighed. "Josh, I gotta talk to you."

"What?" Josh asked, looking worried. "What is it? Are you okay?"

Chloe looked at me before looking back at Josh with a smile across her face. "I'm okay. Well, as good as can be considering I crashed my car," she laughed. "I just have something to tell you and I don't know how you'll react because when I found out, I.." I coughed to stop her from saying anything that would lead to Josh asking questions. "I freaked out," Chloe continued, smiling at me. 

"What is it?" Josh asked, looking at me and Chloe in confusion. "You're really freaking me out now. Just tell me."

"Josh, I'm pregnant."

*

Sat in the car on the way back home with George, I smiled a smile that I hadn’t smiled in a few weeks – a genuine smile. 

“Can you believe they’re gonna be having a baby?” George asked, grinning at me as he indicated into our driveway. 

I shook my head. “They’re gonna be so happy.”