Hello Pumpkin

Erica was up on her feet still looking at the result in her hand, she looked at herself in the mirror and inhaled deeply.

“This is what life has to offer me” she scoffed and threw the result into the bin before her then kicked it before she stormed out of the restroom.

Rowan was secretly making a video of her and hid himself where she could not find him.

She didn’t even notice but stormed out and made her way back to get something good to eat.

Rowan walked to the restroom she had just left and could see the pregnancy strip test in the bin. He recorded it also and took it out then put it into a zip bag.

“Mr Aurelio will need to see this, so be safe” he smiled and tucked it into his pocket before he left.

As soon as he left back to the eatery, he spotted Erica on a table with her hands on her head. He then went to grab himself something to eat.

“Chicken and chips” he said to the lady before him.

“Should I add ketchup sir?” she politely asked him and could see him shake his head negatively.

“No please”

“okay then” she replied and went to grab him his tray.

He paid immediately and left to meet Erica, but he didn’t want her to suspect anything so instead, he walked past her and sat by her left side for sometime.

Meanwhile, in the car, Steve, Wilson and Rolph were still seated in the car still waiting and a phone call was heard.

Wilson turned to Steve but it wasn’t coming from him, Steve also turned to Wilson thinking it was from him but it wasn’t and then they both turned to Rolph.

Rolph could hear his phone ring and then he took it out of his pocket and paused seeing the caller.

His mouth went wide open and then he shut it immediately.

“Why you calling now…” he thought and kept his phone back in his pocket.

Wilson raised a brow at him and then he spoke up.

“You have a phone call”

“Are you not going to pick it?” he added and heard Rolph scoff.

“He can wait..” Rolph replied.

Steve turned to Wilson also raising his brows and then they said nothing to him again but that didn’t stop the phone from ringing.

It kept ringing and ringing and then Rolph took his phone out of his pocket stepping out of the car.

None of the guys said anything neither stopped him. “what is wrong with him?” Steve rolled his eyes

“he is acting suspicious” Wilson replied and looked at him walk far from the car, going behind the car before he answered the call.

Rolph answered the call immediately and could hear a loud voice yell at him.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Were you trying to ignore my calls??”

“Why would I… had somethings to settle” he replied

“Anything yet huh?”

Rolph looked around to see if he is being watched but he wasn’t .

“I don’t really know, he’s been stalking a lady lately” he replied

“A LADY? That’s strange… have any idea of who she is”

“no not yet sir” he replied

“Then find out”

Erica raised up her head finally after sometime and Rowan saw that.

“Erica?” he called out like he surprised to see her.

Her eyes popped open seeing him.. “Rowan?” she called out too surprised to see him.

“Hey… what you doing here alone, mind if I join you?” he asked her.

She smiled and gestured him to come over which he did without wasting time.

“How are you doing?” she asked him and sniffed back her tears as she sat up.

“I’m fine thank you, you?” he replied and took a chip into his mouth

“you don’t look good, what’s the problem” he asked her.

“I don’t? Really?” she faked a smile and shook her head.

Should she tell him?

What would he see her as?

“do you stay around?” she asked him instead.

He gave a side smile at her then nodded his head. Maybe he has to lie this time.

“Oh I see, no wonder” she replied.

He looked down at her table and could see there was nothing there

“Are you sure you are okay? You didn’t even place an order” he said to her and saw her inhale deeply.

“Hey.. Erica, you can tell me. We are friends.. definitely I should be able to help” he said as he took her hands into his.

“you can trust me, what’s the problem huh? You look good when you smile.. you should Erica, you have no idea of how you look like now” he replied softly to her.

She looked at his hands for some seconds then looked up at his face after releasing a sigh.

“Please chicken and chips here” he said aloud raising a hand.

“Coming right away sir”

“you want some ketchup?” he asked her.

“No no, I’m okay with that” she replied.

“So what’s the problem?” he asked her as he sat back and paid full attention to her.

“I really don’t know how to say it, I might look stupid to you” she replied and heard him chuckle.

“Off course not” he replied and then she sighed.

“I am pregnant” she whispered lowly.

Rowan paused eating immediately “you are what?” he gasped

“I knew it, I would—” Erica trailed off

“That is a great news Erica!” Rowan smiled cutting her words short immediately.

“I can imagine how cute your kids will be, gosh Erica.. they will he as pretty as you are, and Smart! It’s really good!” he added.

She blinked her eyes rapidly and scratched her neck.

“Off course yeah..but the thing is….” She paused as she bit her lower lips in.

“When did you find out? How.. I thought you’re single” he replied and heard her sigh

“Yeah, I am… I really don’t know how to explain it. After I met you at the hotel that night, I went to serve a client his meal…yes he asked me to stay a little with him. I wanted to because he wasn’t in a good state then so I did stayed with him so he won’t hurt himself, EVEN though he later did” she slapped her forehead and heard Rowan chuckle.

“So…that was how you….?” Rowan asked her and saw her nod her head.

“Honestly speaking Rowan, I don’t know what to do. If I can just see him and let him know..I really feel messed up Right now. I just found out I am pregnant. After that night, I haven’t gone to work” she cried lowly and let her head fall low.

“what? Why??” he replied

“How would I go? I forgot to clean the bed.. they would have found out I just didn’t serve him but threw myself at him. I think my dad is right.. nothing good will ever come out of me” Erica cried

“hey shuush don’t say that” Rowan whispered to her and then her order arrived.

“Thanks” Rowan said to the guy immediately and saw him leave

Erica began to cry lowly “Erica, don’t see it that way, he was wrong about you. Don’t believe that please” he said to her softly

“what do I do Rowan? I can imagine what my dad would react once he finds out I am” she said and slowly raised her head looking at him with tears flowing down her cheeks.

“First of all, you wipe your tears huh?” he replied and took out his handkerchief passing it to her.

Erica took it in and muttered thank you.

“Do you want to keep the baby? Or you abort it?” he asked her.

She looked blankly at him and sighed “I don’t know, I don’t work in a good place to raise money for myself and my kid..” she shook her head and then paused.

“I suggest you think of it. It’s your flesh, your other half growing inside of you Erica, I trust you would be a good mother” Rowan replied

“Wait. No I won’t abort it, I’ve always been living a boring life here. I will keep the baby and live happily with my kid. Definitely I will be a good mother and raise my kid so well, more than my parents did” she replied and wiped her tears

“That’s the spirit Erica! Believe me.. you will laugh it up. And your parents would be appalled. They thought nothing good will come out of you but I can tell you that you and your baby will profit good. I know that for sure.. and about the guy responsible” he said

“Yeah.. about him, I don’t know if I should tell him, I was the one that allowed him to.. I don’t think he would want to take responsibilities” Erica replied

“What do you mean, he will.. as long as it is you Erica, I assure you that hmm?” he replied

“Thanks a lot Rowan, I really appreciate” she said and sniffed back her tears.

“ c’mon don’t mention, that’s why you have me” he smiled at her and slowly a smile appeared on her face.

“Great! Smile and eat okay? You are feeding two people now” he said to her and heard her laugh

“Yeah I am, I should know that!” she laughed lowly and began to eat.

Minutes later.

Erica ate with Rowan and left after minutes, she remembered she hasn’t had a shower yet.

Rowan watched her take a cab home and then he walked back to his car.

Rowan was happy everything worked well as planned, he couldn’t wait to tell Aurelio and see his reaction.

With smiles on his face he stopped as soon as he got to the car seeing Rolph was at the back of the car on a phone call.

He raised his brows and then the window beside him slowly went down.

“he had been on that call since you left” Steve said to him.

“Who could he be speaking with?” Rowan asked no one in particular then called him out.

“Rolph??”

Rolph jerked back immediately hearing his name from Rowan.

“We’ll talk later bro” Rolph said and ended the call then walked to Rowan.

Rowan said nothing but went into the car and Rolph did same too.

“Sir how did it go?” Steve asked him and Rowan smiles again.

“there is progress, Erica is pregnant” he replied

“Seriously? Erica? Who is she?” Rolph asked out of surprise.

“Does that matter? As long as Mr Aurelio has finally gotten a lady pregnant, that’s enough call for celebration” Wilson replied and then Rowan wore his seat belts.

“Heading back to the mansion now” Rowan said to Rolph as he drove away smoothly.

“Who could that be?” Rolph thought

“Is that why they’ve been stalking her?” he thought again.

“looks like there’d be a new plan” he added and sighed.

About 45 minutes later.

The car pulled to a halt in the car parking lot, Rowan stepped out immediately and made his way in through the main entrance.

He had called Aurelio that he was coming already with good news.

Aurelio was more than curious, he sat in his room with his eyes fixed on the door awaiting a knock.

Rolph had excused himself, while the others went to their duty post.

Rowan made his way up to Aurelio’s room and knocked.

“It is right open, come in” Aurelio replied and saw the door go open revealing Rowan.

Rowan stepped in and bowed his head lowly in greetings.

“sir, congratulations.. she is pregnant and isn’t aborting the baby” Rowan said

A broad smile appeared on Aurelio’s face, he stood up from his bed and walked to the couch with Rowan behind him.

Rowan took out her pregnancy strip test result and gave it to Aurelio to see for himself.

He took it in and turned to Rowan.

“good job”

Rowan bowed his head in return “All for you sir” he replied

“You should have seen her face, here’s a video too”

Rowan passed his phone to Aurelio and stood beside him as he watched it all.

“good thing is that you were able to convince her not to abort it”

“The next move now is you. You should go see her because she talked about you..if you would want the baby or not” Rowan replied

“Sure.. I’ll be leaving right away, text me her address okay?” Aurelio replied as he stood up to get changed

“I will do that now” Rowan replied

“ I’ll leave you to dress.. good luck sir!” Rowan smiled and left Aurelio’s room.

Minutes later.

Erica had just arrived home and went into her room immediately to shower. She doesn’t know how to explain the kind of joy she was feeling from within.

She took off her clothes and went to the bathroom to have a cool bath.

While she was in the tub, she kept rubbing her hands on her tummy with a smile on her face.

“Momma loves you, momma will keep you” she said lowly.

After few minutes of bathing and washing well, she stepped out of her room and the first thing she was the sanitary pads she had bought.

She laughed out immediately and shook her head “i don’t think I’ll need you till after 9 months” she smiled and sat before her dressing table.

She applied her body lotion to her skin, brushed her hair and let it fall down her shoulders, she used her body spray all over her body, her roll on, then she stood up to wear something comfy which was a blue ripped bump short on a wine crop top.

Erica made her way out of her room and cat walked to the kitchen.

In no time she made avocado toast, chicken waffles and oat porridge adding slices of strawberries and bananas on it as the toppings.

As soon as she was done, she placed them all in a different tray and smiled at it.

“Let’s eat Erica!” she screamed out happily and then she heard her door bell.

“Huh?” she paused

“I am not expecting visitors” she muttered and walked to the living room to get the door. As soon as she got to the door, she stopped and gasped.

“Could it be Mrs Sandra came to visit me?” she covered her mouth immediately and stepped back.

“No.. even if she did, stand your ground Erica” she said to herself and turned the door knob open.

Erica shut her eyes immediately and joined her hands together “ ma’am I am so sorry I couldn’t come all this days” she said immediately but there was no reply.

Her eyes slowly went open and she gasped at who she saw.

There was Aurelio standing before her, looking as elegant as always.

His brown silky hair was neatly gelled back and part of it was by his right almost covering his right eye.

Erica gulped down as she took a step back immediately, shocked!

A smile appeared on his face, her eyes caught the pink lips she had sucked from that night and again she gulped down.

Is she hallucinating or what!?!

“You….” She whispered lowly

“Hello pumpkin” Aurelio Bertram said to her with a side smile on his face.

“May I come in?”