All Too Late

Kathleen was having a fitful sleep when she was awoken by a bitingly cold presence.

Her gaze landed on Samuel, who was standing by her bed.

She was overcome with nerves and disbelief that he had actually returned.

Samuel regarded the squeamish Kathleen in an icily condescending manner. “You’re pregnant?”

“No. Who told you that? Do you deny the lab test results?” Kathleen bit back as she worried her bottom lip.

“Then what is it that you’re looking at?” retorted Samuel as he pointed at the tablet.

Kathleen pursed her lips. “I had promised to help Gemma out tomorrow by volunteering at a charity home advocating for autistic children. Do you find fault in me doing some background research beforehand?”

That managed to convince Samuel.

“What time will you be leaving tomorrow?” asked Samuel dispassionately.

“I plan to reach by ten o’clock.”

Kathleen secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

That was a close call. Her pregnancy was almost revealed.

“Are you certain you’re not pregnant?” Samuel reiterated.

“Of course. When have I skipped my birth control pills?” deadpanned Kathleen.

“That trip to the hot springs two months prior.” Samuel could still recall it vividly.

Well, that was true indeed.

Kathleen had decided to head to the hot springs on a whim while Samuel had been there on a job inspection. Neither she nor Samuel had an inkling that either party would be present, yet both had met out of sheer coincidence.

It had only taken Samuel one look at Kathleen, enticingly flushed and bundled up in a bathrobe, for him to ravish her completely in his room.

In the heat of the moment, Samuel had forgotten to bring along his condoms.

He rarely used them, as a matter of fact, and relied on Kathleen’s regular intake of morning-after pills.

After their night together, he had urged Kathleen to take her pills on time and hastily left for work.

Kathleen was so wrung out after the night’s exertions that she failed to act on it immediately.

She had brushed off the reminder since she wasn’t ovulating and promptly forgotten all about it.

had worn a condom the subsequent few times they slept together.

a seed had been planted in her womb, and a

when I was taking my plan B pills the last time,” explained Kathleen coolly. “I’ll

to retrieve a box of morning-after

I trust you. You haven’t been feeling

hope the future men I meet won’t let me suffer through this, unlike

Samuel was incensed.

I truly act irresponsibly? Still, it is true that

you prefer to be as fecund as

truly love me, he would

No man

full of yourself that your opinions are skewed. I swear I’ll prove it to you by finding a good man for

I say that such men are a

bad about me anyway? Kathleen is given ample money to spend. Besides, her needs and wants, both in bed and in day-to-day life are well taken care

believe my poor luck

fated then,”

uttered self-mockingly, “As if! Curse my rotten luck. I must have been utterly

to have pined after him for ten

Samuel huffed in displeasure.

sensed that

inexplicably

on her research, however, it could be that her mood swings were

pinched the space between her eyebrows, deflated. “Whatever, I’m going to

flop onto the bed, pull

Samuel grimaced.

my anger then promptly snooze off like nobody’s business. She would not have dared to do

quick wit in switching the birth control pills to

have proposed to take them right before Samuel

off and succumbed

was pinned on

it. How am I not

was defined by his actions in not allowing her to consume birth-control pills, then so

condom from this day

Samuel lay in bed and turned to his

as fresh peach and slept

drawn to her. Especially Christopher. The way he

thought of that did not sit well with Samuel, and he was compelled to wrap Kathleen

scum!” Kathleen shrieked as

dismay at the commotion,

love you. I’m going to find someone else whom I deserve,” Kathleen whimpered