NovelEnglish“What?” Kenneth had barely settled into his seat when he shot up like a rocket.
“Kenneth, my mom and dad don’t know yet. Can you please not tell them just yet?” Karen shrank back, instinctively seeking refuge closer to Jeffrey.
Seeing his girl rattled like that, Jeffrey frowned with displeasure, “Hey, don’t scare her, alright?” “I haven't even started on you! Your thing, put a pin in it.” Kenneth couldn't believe it; on his birthday of all days, he walked into the diner and got hit with this bombshell! “Karen, do you even realize what you're doing?” “I was already going to get engaged to Jeffrey, so I didn’t...” Seeing Kenneth's face turning thunderous, Dorothy quickly tugged at his shirt, “Come on, let's all calm down and talk this through.” Kenneth took a deep breath at her intervention and sat down again. “An unplanned pregnancy is a big deal, Karen. You have to talk to your mom and dad before anything else; you can't just wing it.” “But | don’t know how to bring it up with them.” If Kenneth was this shocked and disappointed, how could she face her parents? “I'll be with you,” Kenneth said, squeezing her hand.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtKaren shook her head. It wasn’t about who was with her; it was... It was about her own fear of facing the truth! She had hoped to plead with Kenneth today to have him speak on her behalf when the time came. After all, Kenneth held weight in the eyes of Derek and Serena; his words might make a difference.
But now, it seemed that hope was shattered.
“Let's just eat! We can talk over the meal; I'm starving,” Dorothy said, trying to dissipate the awkward tension.
“Yeah, right... let's eat,” Karen said, gratefully looking at Dorothy.
But as soon as the comfort food started arriving, Karen’s morning sickness kicked in hard.
Unable to hold it back, she bolted for the restroom.
Jeffrey, worried, followed swiftly, leaving Kenneth and Dorothy alone in the booth.
Feeling the awkwardness intensify, Dorothy made her leave, but Kenneth called out to her.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Dorothy, did you know about Karen being pregnant?” “Ah... yes, | did,” Dorothy confessed, looking down, feeling a bit guilty.
“You should've told me sooner.” “I'm sorry. | just didn’t know how to bring it up. | thought Karen would tell you herself, and if | did, what would that make me?” After all, Kenneth had the right to intervene; they were relatives, and he had looked out for Karen like a true brother all her life.
But Dorothy was an outsider.
“Alas, forget it. | shouldn't have snapped at you. Sorry, Dorothy, | wasn't thinking straight.” “It's okay! | totally get where you're coming from.” Dorothy had been just as stunned when she first heard the news.
In the diner’s restroom, Jeffrey worried he couldn't enter the ladies’ room, so he just paid the owner to clear out the place, especially the restrooms.
Inside, Karen was drained from vomiting and, compounded by her emotional state, she began to tear up.
Jeffrey, heartbroken and flustered, clumsily wiped her tears.
“Please, don't cry! If it's really too much, maybe we could—" Karen didn’t want to hear any of it and grabbed his hand, looking up at him, “Jeffrey, if we want my parents to accept this baby, the easiest path is through Kenneth. We need him on our side.”
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