Turning Of The Tide (Natalie and Trevon)

Chapter 80 In the early hours of the following day, at 3:30 AM.

they both struggled to find restful sleep, consumed by their anxieties over their delayed menstrual cycles. Restless and anxious, they stood in the bathroom, clad in their sleepwear, taking turns to test the pregnancy strips.

Sherri was growing increasingly frantic, urging Natalie, who had been inside for five minutes, “Natalie, are you finished? Why is it taking so long for you to urinate?” Natalie's voice echoed from inside, “Just a moment, I'm not done yet.” “You should come out first. The test strip must be left for 5-10 minutes to obtain accurate results. Waiting inside won’t make any difference.” The door swung open, and Natalie emerged, clutching the test strip. It displayed a single line. “I see. I'll use the restroom first. It's your turn now.” After four minutes, piercing screams reverberated from the bathroom, “Ah...” Natalie pushed the door open and entered, glancing around. “What's going on?” Sherri’s face was stunned as she opened her mouth, gesturing toward the two test strips on the bathroom counter.

Natalie's gaze followed Sherri’s gesture, and her eyes widened in disbelief. Mechanically, she turned back to Sherri, who seemed lost in thought.

The two stood there, staring at each other dumbfoundedly for a few minutes. Then, in perfect synchronization, they both exclaimed, “It’s positive.” There was a brief pause, and they simultaneously repeated, “What should we do?” Without skipping a beat, they said. “Stay calm.” Both of them sighed deeply, leaning against opposite sides of the door frame. In perfect unison, they sighed, “Well...” Natalie snapped back to reality, realizing the irreversible situation they were facing. It was like hitting the jackpot, except this time, it was different. “Let's go. We won't find any answers in the bathroom. Staring at this test strip won't miraculously change the result. You don’t possess any magical powers.” Sherri followed with a gloomy expression as they exited the restroom. Both of them took their seats on opposite ends of the couch. Sherri crossed her legs and slumped, “Natalie, what do you plan to do? You just got divorced. Perhaps... you should consider...” She wanted to suggest that Natalie consider terminating the pregnancy, but as an obstetrician-gynecologist, those words proved challenging to utter.

Natalie, too, felt the weight of exhaustion. She crossed her legs and leaned against the couch, tilting her head backward. “I honestly don’t know.” From that point on, silence filled the room. The living room was engulfed in a calm stillness, punctuated only by the distant howl of the wind and the rhythmic rustling of leaves.

After contemplating for a moment. Sherri suddenly struck upon a thought. “Natalie, where did you buy your last batch of contraceptive pills? Could they have expired or been counterfeit? It's perplexing how even imported pills couldn't prevent this.

Are their little warriors really that resilient, defying all attempts at contraception?” Could their tenacity extend even to evading the effects of birth control pills? This remark jolted Natalie out of her confusion, her gaze evasive. “Ahem, perhaps we didn’t take them early enough. Those little critters tend to form alliances with our bodies too quickly.” Sherri was on the verge of using her expertise to counter, about to say, “That's not...” But Natalie quickly changed the subject, cutting her off. “What's your plan then? You're not married yet, and if Edward were to find out...

This effectively diverted the discussion from the topic of birth control pill efficacy.

Sherri shrugged her shoulders, letting out a sigh. “I don’t know what to do. If Edward finds out, he'll probably tear me apart.” Natalie contemplated momentarily, then slapped her thigh and released a deep breath “I want to keep it.” Sherri’s eyes widened as she stared at her in disbelief. “Are you insane? Weren't you planning to go abroad after the New Year? Will the university even accommodate pregnant students?” “They should, shouldn't they? It's not like I'm in my first or second year. The training programs at the university have students of all ages, some with several children already. | don’t think they would restrict me from being pregnant.” Sherri was about to say something, but Natalie quickly interjected, anticipating her thoughts. “I know what you're going to say.

This chuld is his biological child, but we're already divorced. This child is mine. Please, don't let it slip. If you do, our friendship will come to an end. | want to have a family of me ausn Sherri's eyes welled up with tears as she understood Natalie's intentions. Since her grandfather's passing, she had no blood relatives with whom she shared a true kinship. Despite the biological connection with that scumbag dad, having no ties at all felt better. She longed to have a genuine family member in this world.

However, she knew the days ahead would be filled with challenges and hardships...

Sherri spoke in a determined tone, “l want to keep the baby too | can’t bring myself to terminate its life because it's Hackett's ofspring. You know, after being a doctor for so many years. I've never performed an abortion. | couldn't bear to endure such a procedure now that | am in this situation. If | were to carry it out, I'd likely be haunted by nightmares for the rest of my life. We will share in both the blessings and the hardships together” Sherri’s steadfast refusal to perform abortions was widely known throughout the obstetrics and gynecology department. While others might question it, she knew it was a deeply personal choice. However, Sherri’s unmarried status posed a dilemma, how would she navigate marriage with a child in tow? Her mother, Juana, would not let her off easily either.

Natalie voiced her concerns with worry. “Sherri, have you thought this through? This is a serious matter, not something to be taken lightly. If you decide to proceed with the pregnancy, you'll be a single mother, which may affect your chances of finding a partner in the future.” Sherri countered with a question, “And what about you?” Natalie's resolve remained unwavering as she responded, her voice filled with conviction. Tve given it a lot of thought. I've realized that one doesn’t necessarily need to be bound to a man for a lifetime. | can still cherish over 20 years of companionship and joy if | have a son. And if | have a daughter, she can grow up to be a lifelong friend with whom | can share a special bond.

Whether or not | choose to marry becomes inconsequential” Sherri nodded in understanding. “Yes, that’s exactly how | feel. lve made up my mind. | will choose to keep the baby. If, in the future, | happen to meet someone | genuinely love and who loves me in return, someone who can accept and embrace the child, then we ¢ can build a life together. But if that doesn’t happen, we can still lead fulfilling lives as independent women. We can enjoy our time together, strolling hand in hand as two wise old souls.” Sherri tidied things up and teased, “Natalie, let's have a little fun tonight and play baby matchmaking. If | have a girl and you have a boy, we'll pair them up. Or we can still make it work if you have a girl and | have a boy.” Natalie shot her a playful glare. “You've been watching too many romantic s, haven’t you? What are you even thinking? It's the 21st century. We don’t do baby matchmaking anymore.” Sherri felt dissatisfied. “So you're not up for it, huh? Don’t you feel sad that your godmother doesn’t want you as her child?” Natalie sighed, lost for words.

“Sherri, what's growing in your belly is an embryo. It's a bit too early for prenatal education.” Sherri persisted, ‘Well, will you consider it or not?” “Alright, let's go ahead with it. Now, think about your next move carefully. Tl leave the country shortly after New Year so that it will have little impact. The child can be born abroad, but what about your situation? It's bound to be discovered if you stay in Athana.” A sudden idea flashed in Sherri’s mind. “How about | go with you? I'll have Edward help me with the arrangements.” Natalie had a gut feeling that Edward wouldn't agree with the plan, “Edward... he probably won't agree. Maybe you should be honest with him.” Sherri stepped back in fear, “Oh no. I'd be in big trouble if Edward found out. He’d probably drag me along and chop me into pieces.

“Well, what do we do then?” Sherri shifted her posture, propping her head up with one hand. “Tomorrow, I'm going to chat with the director, maybe share a heartwarming story to tug at their heartstrings, and show them how much I desire to pursue further studies.” Once the plan was settled, Sherri suggested, “Tomorrow, let's head to the ultrasound room and get a scan done. I'll do it for you, and you can do it for me.” “Alright, but can you get hold of the keys?” “Borrowing the keys might raise suspicion. Just say you're experiencing discomfort in the gynecological area and feel shy about it. I'll examine you. | doubt anyone will suspect a thing.” Natalie found the idea feasible and nodded in agreement.

But why did it have to involve gynecological issues? For a moment, Natalie felt like she was indeed going insane. How could she even consider such an absurd course of action? Yet, Sherri was even more reckless in her thinking.

Natalie was used to being a lone wolf, indifferent to the opinions of others. However, Sherri's circumstances differed, and they had to proceed cautiously.

Every path led to the destination, eventually reaching its desired endpoint, no matter how challenging the journey.