The pregnancy was the first thing that crossed my mind when I woke up this morning. The strips could be incorrect, I needed to visit the hospital. It was possible that I was among the few females the strips didn't work for. After all, I wasn't having morning sickness or mood swings, I felt like a normal person that wasn't pregnant.

I left the bed and went to the bathroom. I took my toothbrush and cleaned my teeth. When I saw the unused strips on the water closet tank, I decided to do another test. It said morning test was the most accurate so I tried again. The two tests I did read positive. I dumped the used strips in the trash and washed my hands. I needed to go to the hospital, that was the only way to actually be a hundred percent certain.

I went to the kitchen and saw the wine from the previous day. What if I'd drank a glass? I was always around alcohol. I didn't know how it was possible that there could be a baby inside me. I hadn't drank at the fashion show because I'd been upset over Chike. Also, that night I was meant to go to the bar but went to see Chike instead, then the dinner with Yah, the wine had repulsed me. I had thought it was because the wine smelt different. Those little coincidences had been my baby's saving grace... if there was indeed a baby.

If the hospital did a test and there was a baby, I'd keep him or her. I didn't care what Chike decided, I was keeping my baby. It was that simple.

I took the peanut butter and chips Amaka brought and went to the living room. I found it interesting to pile peanut butter on the chips before eating them and I thoroughly enjoyed the outcome.

I chickened out and didn't go to the hospital that afternoon when I could. I decided to give Chike a call. His number was switched off, he wasn't making telling him easy. I changed into a black Jalabiya and nude mules then grabbed my car keys. I drove to Chike's house and went to his apartment, his door was wild open and the apartment was empty, there was no single trace of Chike left in the room.

I walked out of the door and looked around. It felt like I was hallucinating so I went back into his apartment and it remained empty. I took my phone from my bag and dialed his number again, it was still off. I looked around the empty room, I went close to the window and stared at the activity going on outside.

My life was officially a nightmare, when I thought it couldn't get any worse it did. I tried not to cry, I was tired of crying. I needed to find Chike. I left the window and noticed a red sim card abandoned at the corner of the room. No wonder his phone was off, he'd changed his number. I picked it from the floor and placed it inside one of the tiny pockets in my bag. I took one last look at the room where so many things had happened and left the apartment. My car was still in the same position I left it when I got outside and I drove home.

I couldn't sleep that night because I kept thinking of how I was going to find Chike. Where could he possibly have gone? I knew it wasn't back to his parents', it had to be somewhere else. I needed to find him and tell him that I could be pregnant with our baby. I rubbed my tummy and turned to my side.

Immediately I got to the office the following day, I sent Agnes a mail. I wrote that I needed her family friend's new contact and address for a business proposal. I warned her not to tell him because it had to be a surprise. I'd thought all through the night and that was the only way I could get Chike's new number or address.

I was restless all through the day and was checking my mail to see if there was a reply from Agnes. When I didn't hear from her, I went to my car and retrieved the business card of the mechanic shop Chike's said he sometimes worked at. Even if he wasn't at work or quitted, they should have his forwarding address.

I dialed the number on the card when I got back to my office and waited as it rang. Someone with a croaky voice picked, and I told him I was looking for one of his workers after I introduced myself. I got no help from him because he said Chike quitted a long time ago and gave me the same number I had that was switched off. I thanked him and got off the phone.

"Dave, I need your help," I said when he walked in with a rack holding some outfits I needed to choose from for a campaign shoot.

Dave abandoned the rack and sat in the chair. "What do you need?" he asked.

"I need to find Chike. He has changed his phone number, and he has also moved out of his apartment."

"I'll see what I can find." Dave stood from his chair. He was extremely good at finding things, and I didn't know how he did it.

"I need it badly. I think I might be pregnant." I looked away as I spoke, I didn't need to see Dave's judgement.

"Oh, shit!" Dave said and sat again.

I nodded and tried to keep my expression stoic. I was the only one that needed to know how scared I was.

"Are you keeping it?"

"Of course. I'm not sure yet, I used those pregnancy strips and they aren't that accurate. I still need to go to the hospital, I think it's flu."

"Really?"

"Yes, I've been very tired of late. You know I was exposed to you when you were sick so I could have gotten whatever you had."

"I wasn't sick though," Dave said.

I frowned. "What do you mean? You were sneezing and taking drugs."

Dave looked embarrassed and he kept his face on the floor. "I broke up with Phillip. I didn't want to tell anyone about it so I said it was cold and I sneezed to make it seem real."

"Why?"

His eyes remained on the floor. "I cheated."

My stomach dropped. "Why would you do that? When did this happen?"

"After the ball, that was the reason I got back late." Dave rubbed his neck and finally looked at me. "I know you're disgusted by me."

"I'm not. I'm just surprised, you love him so why then would you cheat?"

"It wasn't working anymore. We kind of grew apart because he was always at one conference or the other."

"You wanted him to stop his work for you?"

Dave stood and sniffed. "I knew you wouldn't understand."

"Dave, sit back."

I left my seat and went to him when he just stood there crying silently. I hugged him and cried with him. I wasn't crying for his situation, I was crying for mine. If it wasn't flu then I was a hundred percent pregnant. We were both a mess and I had no right judging him. I wiped his tears with my hands as more streamed down from my face.

"I just couldn't anymore." He sniffed.

"I know, I know." I got tissues from my desk and cleaned my eyes.

Dave sat back in the chair and I sat beside him. I held his hand and he squeezed tightly.

"It was so hard. I didn't mean to do it, but I needed to feel something. It's been so long since I ever felt anything." He was touching his chest emphatically as he spoke.

"I know."

Dave looked at me and asked, "Why did you cheat on nobody?"

"I didn't, the relationship with Yah isn't real. I did it because the clothing line was failing, Ben said it'd be good for both of us and it has been."

"You sacrificed your soul mate for the business?"

"I was going to end the fling before that and he's not my soul mate."

"What if he is?"

"I don't know, Dave. I just need him to know there could be a baby."

"I'll get his location for you."

"Thanks."

Dave squeezed my hand before leaving to his desk. I went back to my chair and saw a message from Agnes in my mail. I wrote down the address she sent on a sheet and left my office. I was glad she didn't ask questions because I didn't know how else to convince her. I stopped at Dave's desk on my way out.

"I've gotten it."

Dave looked up from his computer screen. "From whom?"

"Agnes."

He leaned into the chair and moved his head to the side. "Agnes?"

"Yes, she's Chike's family friend."

"Wait. Chike is a family friend to the governor's daughter?"

"Yes, his parents are very rich."

"Oh. And the plot thickens."

"I need to be on my way."

"Yes, good luck. I'll call you later to know how everything went."

"Thanks, Dave," I said.