8. Tyler

I have never felt so scared when I rushed an unconscious Keya to the nearest hospital all by myself.

Shit! I may not know her, she’s a complete stranger but when she approached me last week telling that I got her pregnant my gut says that I should be responsible for her.

To be honest, I planned to go hire a private investigator to go look for her but luckily I accidentally bumped into her in the grocery store a while ago. I indeed insulted her, but it's just really hard for me to trust people right away. I was an asshole when I treated all this thing as a complete joke but when I saw her bleed a while ago it totally freaked me out.

“I’m sorry man, I had an emergency and I’m at the hospital right now. I’ll catch up with you guys tomorrow or maybe the day after tomorrow? I’m still not sure.” I said to Jamie over the phone.

I am supposed to go to Frisco for our two weeks training camp earlier but I wasn’t able to because of what had happened.

“Why? What happened? Who’s at the hospital?” He asked. I have never told anyone about this yet.

Not until I have proven that the child is indeed mine, especially my family. I don’t want them to feel disappointed once again if I am not the father of Keya’s child.

“I’ll tell you when I get there, I promise.” I replied. “Don’t worry I already told Coach Bones that I’m going to be delayed.”

“I’m expecting an explanation once you get here Segs.” Jamie said without bothering for further questions.

“Sure. Now, I have to go.”

Keya is finally conscious when I went back inside the room. She’s clearly concerned about the baby as she asks the OB if the baby is safe. She glared at me when I joined them and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Well, the bleeding you had was caused by sub chorionic haemorrhage. This is just normal during the first trimester.” The OB started explains.“However, you need to be extra careful, since this might lead you to miscarriage. So as much as possible, no stress!”

And with the mention of stress, Keya just looked at me like it’s as if I was the reason of her bleeding a while ago. The physician seems to notice that and she started to look at me and continue from explaining.

“The baby’s formation gets affected by the environment and stress level of the mother. You want a healthy baby right?” The physician asks. “You know, complete hands and complete feet?”

“If I get stressed all the time does that mean my baby will only have two fingers?” Keya started mumbling with a horrified face. “One eye like a Cyclops? One feet like a mermaid? No nose—bullocks! How will the baby breathe?”

Oh my god, this woman is crazy! I mean, where did she get all these scenarios from?

“Well, if the mother’s environment isn’t good for the baby plus the stress level is quite high then, yes!” the physician confirmed.

“Oh my goodness.” The only thing she said as she puts her right palm on her chest right before the physician left us.

“Hey, the doctor just said no stress.” I started when we’re finally alone.

“Why are you still here?” She asked starting to get annoyed by my presence again.

“To look after you obviously.” I answered.

“Really? After insulting and judging me?”

“I didn’t judged you.”

“Oh trust me, you did! Metaphorically.”

“Alright, I apologized for doing it okay?” I said. “I am sorry. Now, let me just look after you because that child might be mine.”

“Yeah! Keep telling yourself that.” She mumbles while rolling her eyes and gets out of the bed.

“You know brushing me off is just bullshit, right?”

“Bullshit? May I remind you that you didn’t believed me the first time I told you?” She challenged. “Seriously though, I’m making you a massive favour here!”

“If I’m really the father of that baby then you will let me look after you, until I proved otherwise that I am not.” I firmly said which silenced her right away. “Now, let me take you home.”

This time, I let her to listen to me. She was just silent the whole time as we hit the road. We stopped on the grocery first and I let her buy the certain food she needed. I even complained on the many bags of gummy worms and ketchup chips she put on the cart because it’s clearly not healthy but she told me that she’s craving for those foods and so I let her.

Later on, I dropped her on her apartment building and since I am way too concerned and curious about what type of environment she lives in, I insisted to walk her on her door, besides she needs help on carrying all the groceries.

“My apartment is on the second floor.” She said as I follow her to the staircase. The place looks old and I’m completely not so sure if this whole building will survive a light earthquake or something.

“Wait. No elevators?” I asked.

“The elevators doesn’t work anymore. So no, just staircase.” She answered.

While we walked on the corridor I heard screaming coming from a room not too far from hers. I also see some old man on cigars filling up the whole corridor with smoke. I can’t believe she lives here.

“You live here?” I dumbly asked.

“Obviously.” She said juggling her keys to the apartment. “It’s the cheapest rent. And it’s only few minutes away from my work place.”

We entered her apartment and I am even surprise about the place. I expected an old vibe but the place is quite okay, it’s small but it gives me a college dorm vibe. The room is a mixture of white and brown tones. There’s small single bed on the corner next to a small dresser, a little night stand filled with books underneath.

A small sofa filled with another bunch of books, there’s a small kitchen with a cupboard filled with only instant noodles and sardines. And then there’s a window with few pots of plants next to a study table filled with a bunch of papers and books facing a board also filled with papers that are pinned on it and few colourful sticky notes.

“Are you some kind of a writer?” I asked as I put the grocery bags on the small dining table that is obviously good for one person.

“No. I’m a college instructor.” She answered.

“You’re an instructor yet you live here?” I asked in disbelief. “Are you thinking of like an upgrade perhaps?”

“I told you it’s the cheapest rent.” She answered. “I’m not some fancy-nancy you think I am just because of my job. Besides, I just got the job last June. I’m planning on moving to another flat once I get my first paycheck. Obviously, I can’t live here when I finally give birth. My neighbours are a bit disturbing.”

Jezz! If I am really the father of her baby then I won’t seriously let her live here. She excused herself to go to the bathroom and change.

While waiting for her, I decided to mingle around her room and read some of the titles on the textbooks she have on the couch. Some of the textbooks are about mythology, European and Greek manuscripts, there are also books written in Spanish and another manuscript of Shakespeare that didn’t make any sense when I tried reading just one paragraph.

“Smarty-pants my ass.” I commented setting all the books down.

“What did you just say?” Keya asked as she emerges from the bathroom.

“Nothing.” I answered. “So I’m guessing you’re from the United Kingdom?” I’m guessing based on her accent.

She nodded. As she settles on the chair at the study table across me. “Scotland, specifically.”

“And how did you exactly found yourself here in Dallas?”

“Well, Dallas U offers a nice and affordable Master’s Degree program so I flew across the country for that since I badly want a graduate school degree. So, here I am.”

“Anyway, why can’t you just move now?” I tried suggesting.

“I can’t. I haven’t saved up much and I want to refrain from spending the money I earn to save up for the baby first.” She answered while busying herself from arranging the grocery supplies on the cupboards.

“And why is that you didn’t saved up much?” I asked. I don’t know what’s up with me but I am literally trying to get to know the mother of my child. I mean, the mother of my possible child.

“Why do you have so many questions?”

“I’m trying to get to know you here.”

“Oh! Right. Well, just so you know. I am also the breadwinner of my family. All of the money I earned from working different jobs just went to my own tuition, my family’s debt and my younger sibling’s education.” She said. “Do you want some coffee or something? Because it looks like you want to stick around for long.”

And just what I thought, I have to leave. “No, I’m actually leaving. Give me your phone.”

“Why?”

“Just give it.” I commanded. She hesitated for a bit right before giving her phone. I took the phone and saved it right away. “Call me when you need anything.”

“When the baby needs anything.” I reminded as I handed her phone back.

“Of course.”