Chapter 3 - The Doctor's Bombshell and a Family's Embrace

Chapter 3 - The Doctor's Bombshell and a Family's Embrace

Hazel's POV

"I can't believe you kept this," I said, taking the bottle of expensive perfume from Chloe's hands. It was the same scent I'd worn to the masquerade ball two weeks ago.

"Of course I kept it. You smelled amazing that night." Chloe plopped down on my bed. "And apparently, Mr. Mystery Man thought so too."

I groaned, burying my face in my pillow. "Stop bringing him up."

"Why? He gave you the best sex of your life!" Chloe nudged me playfully.

"And possibly an STD," I muttered, sitting up. "My doctor's appointment is in an hour."

Chloe's teasing smile faded. "Hey, don't catastrophize. You're probably fine."

"Probably isn't definitely," I countered. "What kind of responsible person has unprotected sex with a stranger? I've never done anything like that before."

"The kind who needed to break free after being cheated on by her boyfriend of three years with her own cousin," Chloe replied firmly. "Besides, I'm going with you to the appointment."

"You don't have to do that."

"Shut up. I'm going." She squeezed my hand. "That's what best friends are for."

Three weeks after my doctor's visit, I sat in the same sterile room with Chloe beside me, waiting for my test results. My leg bounced nervously as I checked my watch for the fifth time in two minutes.

"Relax," Chloe whispered. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it."

Before I could respond, Dr. Evans walked in with a folder in hand and a neutral expression that revealed nothing.

"Hazel," she greeted me warmly, taking a seat across from us. "How are you feeling today?"

"Anxious," I admitted. "Just tell me straight – do I have something?"

Dr. Evans smiled reassuringly. "Your STD panel came back completely negative. You're perfectly healthy."

Relief flooded through me. I hadn't realized how tense I'd been until that moment. "Thank God."

"However," she continued, her tone shifting slightly, "we did find something else in your bloodwork."

My stomach dropped. "What is it?"

"Congratulations, Hazel. You're pregnant."

The words hit me like a physical blow. The room seemed to tilt sideways as blood rushed from my face.

"That's impossible," I whispered, though I knew it wasn't. "We only... it was just one time."

"That's all it takes," Dr. Evans said gently. "Based on your hormone levels, I'd estimate you're about five weeks along."

Chloe grabbed my hand, squeezing it so hard it hurt. "Are you sure?" she asked the doctor.

Dr. Evans nodded. "The blood test is quite accurate. We can do an ultrasound today if you'd like confirmation."

My mind raced wildly. Pregnant. With a stranger's baby. A man whose name I didn't know. A man with striking violet-blue eyes who had disappeared into the night.

"My parents are going to kill me," I choked out, tears welling up. "I'm only twenty-three. I'm still in college."

"Breathe, Hazel," Dr. Evans instructed calmly. "You have options, and you have time to consider them all."

"I can't have a baby," I whispered, panic rising in my chest. "I don't even know who the father is. How am I supposed to tell my parents that?"

Chloe wrapped an arm around me. "One step at a time, Hazel."

Dr. Evans spent the next thirty minutes walking me through my options. Termination. Adoption. Keeping the baby. Each possibility made my head spin more than the last.

"Whatever you decide, don't do it alone," Dr. Evans advised as our appointment wrapped up. "Talk to your parents, your friends. Get support."

I nodded numbly, still in shock as Chloe guided me out of the office.

"Eat something," Chloe urged, pushing a plate of fries toward me in the diner where we'd met Noah after my appointment. "For the baby."

"The baby," I repeated, the words still foreign on my tongue. "I'm having a baby."

Noah reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "We're here for you, Hazel. Whatever you need."

I looked between them, these two people who had stood by me through everything. "I don't know what to do."

"What does your gut tell you?" Chloe asked softly.

I placed a hand on my still-flat stomach. Despite the fear coursing through me, I couldn't imagine terminating the pregnancy. "I think... I think I want to keep it."

Tears spilled down my cheeks as I said the words aloud for the first time. "But I'm so scared."

"You'd be crazy not to be," Noah said. "But you're not alone in this."

A watery laugh escaped me. "You guys are my rocks, you know that? Will you..." I hesitated, then pushed forward. "Will you be the baby's godparents?"

Chloe's eyes widened before she burst into tears and threw her arms around me. "Yes! A million times yes!"

Noah smiled, his own eyes suspiciously bright. "We'd be honored."

For the first time since hearing the news, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could make this work.

That night, I sat on my parents' couch, hands trembling as I waited for them to join me. Chloe sat beside me, a solid presence of support.

"What's this about, honey?" my mother asked as she and my father settled across from us. "You sounded upset on the phone."

I took a deep breath, fighting back tears. "Mom, Dad... I have something to tell you."

The concern in their eyes only made this harder. My father leaned forward. "Whatever it is, you can tell us."

"I'm pregnant," I blurted out, the words hanging heavy in the suddenly silent room.

My mother's hand flew to her mouth. My father went completely still.

"It happened at that masquerade ball," I continued, words tumbling out. "I was stupid and reckless, and I don't even know his name. I'm so, so sorry to disappoint you both."

My mother recovered first. "Oh, Hazel," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

"How could you be so irresponsible?" My father's voice was tight with disappointment. "We raised you better than this."

Each word was like a knife to my heart. "I know," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "I messed up."

"What are you planning to do?" my mother asked carefully.

"I want to keep it," I said quietly. "I know it won't be easy, but this baby is part of me, and I already love it."

My father stood abruptly and walked to the window, his back to us. The silence stretched painfully.

"Dad, please say something," I begged.

He turned slowly, and I braced myself for his anger. Instead, I saw his eyes were wet with tears.

"You'll stay here," he said firmly. "We'll convert the office into a nursery."

"What?" I gasped.

"You heard me." He crossed the room and knelt before me, taking my hands in his. "You're our daughter, Hazel. This isn't how we imagined things would go, but that baby is our grandchild. We're not going to kick you out."

Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks. "I thought you'd be so angry."

"We're disappointed," my mother admitted, moving to sit beside me. "But we love you, and we'll help you through this."

"You need to finish college," my father insisted. "That's non-negotiable. That baby will need a mother who can provide for it."

"I will," I promised. "I'll work harder than ever."

My father pulled me into a fierce hug. "I know you will, sweetheart. You've always made us proud, even when you make mistakes."

As my parents embraced me, with Chloe smiling tearfully from the side, I felt the crushing weight of fear begin to lift. With this much love surrounding us, maybe my baby and I would be okay after all.

The months that followed weren't easy. Word spread quickly around campus, and the whispers followed me everywhere. Ethan and Jessica were the worst, spreading cruel rumors about who the father might be.

But for every cruel word, there was a moment of grace. My professors worked with me to ensure I could complete my degree. Chloe and Noah came to every doctor's appointment. My parents transformed their home office into a beautiful nursery painted in soft yellows and greens.

When my son was born on a crisp autumn morning, the first thing everyone noticed was his eyes—an extraordinary violet-blue that immediately took me back to that night at the masquerade ball. I named him Leonardo Arthur Vance—Leo for short—after my grandfather and father.

As I held my perfect baby boy, surrounded by my parents, Chloe, and Noah, I knew that despite the unconventional start, we were going to be okay.

The next three years flew by in a blur of sleepless nights, diaper changes, and college papers written during nap times. My parents were my salvation, watching Leo while I attended classes and worked part-time. Chloe and Noah doted on their godson, spoiling him with love and too many toys.

Despite the challenges, I graduated on time, standing proudly in my cap and gown with three-year-old Leo perched on my hip. As I accepted my diploma, I made a silent promise to my beautiful boy with the striking eyes—he would never lack for anything, not if I had anything to say about it.