Chapter Thirteen: Sophia

I didn’t believe the diagnosis from the doctor because I was given it only after two weeks and according to Google you can’t really tell if you’re pregnant after two weeks. I fretted and conducted my own version of tests from my last period.

You only slept with him once, you can’t be that fertile. I reckoned with myself back and forth but when I did the at-home pregnancy test, courtesy of the Walgreens drugstore, it confirmed what the doctor told me as I was leaving the jail. I’m having a criminal’s baby. I still didn’t want to believe it and the pressure of Dr. Perri telling me to abort didn’t help matters either.

I must have looked at the stick a hundred times wanting to change the result, but still the stick displayed a faint pink line down the middle of it. Racing back into the bathroom, I took a second test, deluding myself with the fact the line was faint, and it was too early of a detection to tell if I was pregnant.

For the next four weeks, I pretended to act normal at law school, hiding my secret from most of the world, including Ava, who I knew would tell me to do the exact same thing the doctor had and that was to get an abortion.

Now here I am with blue jelly on my tummy hearing the heartbeat of Andrei’s baby, not knowing if I want to keep it. Biting down on my lower lip, I gasp as I see the tiny fingers on the screen moving, incredulously wondering how the baby’s moving inside me. When I see it, deep emotions scale through me like a rushing river. Maybe I could keep it and not tell him. Maybe I have to move states or something and then I can keep it.

“Look! Can you see the head?” my doctor asks, pointing to the screen excitedly, but he quickly dials it down, remembering I haven’t decided about keeping the baby yet.

“Yeah, I can see it,” I say slowly, my response delayed due to my awe. “Is that thumping the heartbeat of the baby?” I ask.

“Yes. It’s a strong one, I’ll give you that,” the doctor mentions as I stare heartsick at the screen.

“Wow. I can’t believe that’s growing inside me,” I murmur quietly, even more confused about what to do.

“Speaking of which, have you thought any more about whether you want to keep the baby or not? Not to pressure you about the decision as it is an important one to consider, but you have up to twenty-three weeks in which to make a choice.”

Fuck. Twenty-three weeks. It all sounds so final. I know I can’t wait that late to have a baby growing inside me for twenty-three weeks and then make a choice. I’m going to have to make it sooner rather than later. The doctor rubs the gel further over my stomach. I’m not showing much, and if I didn’t have a pregnancy test, nobody would know I’m pregnant.

Seeing more of the baby only causes more internal conflict, so I turn my head away staring at the ceiling. “I haven’t made a decision yet, but I have all the pamphlets about my options and the best clinic to go to,” I reassure him.

“Good. Take a good hard think about your future, because once you do it, there’s no turning back,” he advises, causing a vague panic to set in.

“Thanks. I know. Is that all today? I think I’ve heard enough of the heartbeat. Everything healthy?” I snap, scared out of my wits.

“Yes. You’re in good health, and I’m going to give you a sheet of prenatal vitamins to take. I think they’ll really help you.”

“Brilliant. Thanks, doctor.” He wipes the gel off, the show over as I sit up and listen to more information about my next appointments.

“I will see you in a few weeks for your next appointment, and we can discuss your options then,” he concludes, the finality of my abortion decision looming for my next appointment date.

Leaving the clinic facing a blank canvas of uncertainty for my future, I head to my car. I’m meeting Christopher at a café, and it’s still mind-blowing that he wants to speak with me in the first place.

As I enter the bustling café, I search for him. He’s tall enough to stand out from everybody else, and I find a handsome man standing waving to me from behind a potted plant. The café is light and airy with more of a relaxed bohemian vibe, and instantly I find myself calming down a little.

Don’t stuff this up. It’s the only good thing you have going for you right now.

Drumming up a stiff smile, I hold out my hand to Chris. “Hi, sorry if I’m late. I’m coming from another appointment.”

“Oh, no problem. And don’t apologize, you’re not late. You look great by the way,” he chips in, boosting my self-esteem.

“Thanks. You too,” I reply, not sure of the polite compliment, but excited by the possibility of what he’s offering.

“Take a seat. Take a seat. We can order and chat about things,” he offers, the light from the window shining on his face. So far, he seems more excited than I am. “I’m glad that our schedules could finally match up. I know it’s been a few weeks since we talked about getting together,” he mentions.

I was taken aback when he approached me at the car after seeing Dr. Perri. She’d given me a lot to think about that day. “I know. I’m glad to be here.” Settling in, I feel flutters in my stomach.

“Great. Should we order?”

“Sounds good.” I order a burger and fries, careful to remember what foods I should and shouldn’t be eating. Even if I haven’t planned anything, I still have to look after the baby in my own way.

We make small talk until our food comes out. “I wanted to talk to you about the internship program for the summer. I know I mentioned it a few weeks back, but I am looking for a couple of them.”

“Wow. It would be amazing to be considered,” I tell him, a glimmer of hope shining through.

“Well, you don’t have to be amazed. I am considering you already. Especially since you’re working with my sister. Elena told me you’re a bright student, so I trust her judgment.”

“Thank you. It’s been such an honor to work with her. I’ve been following her papers for years, and the strides she’s made are incredible. She had a hand in getting laws changed in the state. She’s my hero,” I gush, truly meaning it. And working with her brother would be another feather in my cap.

Christopher grins with a nod. “I have to hand it to her. She’s almost as good as me,” he adds with a cocky laugh.

“So anyway, let me tell you more about the internship program.” I stuff a fry in my mouth and listen intently. “This is a real opportunity to see the inner workings of the legal system in Chicago. We deal with some of the most high-profile criminal cases in the country. You really have a chance to bolster your resume and your reputation by working with us.” Chris smiles, the promise making my heart skip a beat.

“Wow. Do you have high-profile cases on the table right now?” I ask him, the next fry in my hand drooping as I listen in awe.

He nods his head. “We sure do. I’m not sure if you’ve seen the McAllister case in the news lately?”

“Oh my God! Your firm has that case? The two kids and the mother in the lake?” I am floored by what he just told me.

He nods. “Yep. There you go, you’ve got a peek at inside information. I trust you to keep that to yourself. So, if you were selected to come on board, then you would be reviewing tapes, paperwork, phone logs, matching up credit card statements, all the hands-on type of stuff we do for criminal cases. We are known for being sticklers, and we have a 99 percent record in gaining justice for our clients,” Chris advises proudly.

“Yes, I know,” I say quickly as he grins, tucking into his burger.

“Oh, so you’ve studied our work?”

“Yep. I sure have. Sorry, I just mean, I know that you have a great program and reputation for being a defense law firm.”

“Again, don’t be sorry. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, and you’ve done your research. I like that, and the initiative you showed in approaching my sister to be her research assistant shows how hungry you are, and that’s the type of hunger that puts the right people behind bars where they belong.”

The more Chris mentions, the more I’m torn about what to do with the baby. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I can’t stuff it up. “I love it. Always have,” I confess.

“Perfect. The internship will last for the summer, but with all going well, it can lead to an invite back for the next summer and beyond. Many of my internship graduates have gone on to become great defense lawyers, making a ton of money and winning their cases. That could be you.”

His sales pitch is getting loftier and loftier, but I’m buying into most of it. Although my reason for pursuing law has changed moralistically since the death of my parents. “Wow. So cool. What other cases are on the board?” I ask, excited about it all. Chomping on my fries, Chris smirks, his dimples on display. He’s a good-looking guy, I must admit.

“You’ll have to apply to find out. Do you have any other recommendations for students who might fit what I’m looking for?”

“Ava Knight,” I blurt out. “She’s amazing and has brilliant grades.” An internship at a top defense law firm with my best friend? Hell yeah. Sounds like a great summer plan.

Chris’s eyes twinkle, holding my gaze a little too tightly. I’ve seen this look before, and I’m not stupid. He’s got the hots for me, and this opportunity is one I’m going to have to play very carefully because, if I don’t, it might come back to bite me.

What if I reject him? Will he offer it to someone else?

“Ava Knight. I’ll have a look into speaking to her.” Chris takes another bite of his burger, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “Are you enjoying Chicago Law School? I went to school in Boston and the vibe is a lot different.”

“Ah yeah. I guess I don’t have anything to compare it to. I like it fine,” I tell him, thinking I might have misread the situation.

“Huh. Guess so. So, what do you do for fun when you’re not at college? His playful grin lets me know I had read the situation just right.

“Um, normal stuff. Go out to the movies with friends, watch law TV shows.” I chuckle, not sure how much I want to divulge.

Chris stares at my mouth making me self-conscious. “Right, right.”

Oh, he is into me. Shit. I didn’t want this to go this way. “And you?” I say, humoring him.

“Jet-skiing when and where I can. My parents have a place in Lake Tahoe, but unfortunately, I don’t get a lot of time to do that with running a law firm.”

“I can imagine,” I say, finishing up the rest of my burger, hopeful that he won’t take the personal questions any further.

Tightening up, Chris’s smile broadens as he plays with a fry, frowning at me and then looking down at it again. He scoffs, shaking his head. “Umm…,” he says. “Nah, might be the wrong timing,” he adds, confusing me.

“What is it?”

“There’s this event I have to go to, and I wondered if you would like to attend with me.”

With my suspicions confirmed, I take a long look at Chris, sure I’m skating on thin ice. “What’s the event?”

“It’s a big charity gala event in New York.”

“Wow! It’s in New York, that’s so cool.” It’s hard not to get wrapped up in the whirlwind of what he’s offering. A charity gala event in New York, attending with the head of a top Chicago law firm will have me rubbing shoulders with all the right people. But at what cost?

Chris grins, but immediately places a caveat in place. “There’s no obligation to attend the event either. I promise you, it’s not going to hurt your chances if you don’t want to go.”

Twisting my mouth in thought, I think about how nice it would be to get out of the city and clear my head. Maybe it will help me make this difficult decision easier. And if I can advance my career at the same time, it’s a bonus.

He might be claiming it’s not going to have any impact on whether I receive the internship, but what’s to stop him saying I found somebody else who’s a better fit for the job?

“When is the event and what’s it called?” I ask, wanting to know more.

“It’s official title is the Phantom Charity Gala. And that’s because there are a lot of blind auctions of valuable goods being offered up to raise funds for charity.”

Frowning, I take a sip of my drink, not wanting to screw things up. “What type of charities? Can I find them online?”

“You sure can. I like that you’re not just taking things at face value and questioning. I can see why you’re going to make a great lawyer. Here’s the site. It’s legitimate.”

Chris slides his phone in front of me showing me the website, and as I thumb through the gallery, I notice five to ten big power players of New York, including the mayor, politicians I’ve seen in the news, media personalities, New York celebrities, businessmen, and beautiful glamorous people. The charities they support seem to change each year, but I can see mainly it’s for impoverished communities, small business funds, collegiate funds, and animal shelters. Impressed, I slide the phone back to him.

“It does look amazing, and I’ve never been to New York.”

“There you go. You get to mingle with some of New York’s finest, and I can put you in their path. It’s important to have your name mentioned in the right rooms when you need them to be.”

As I roll my shoulders back, summing up my decision, I feel as if I’m carrying a heavy backpack that I can’t put down. Seeing Andrei, the pregnancy… the decision—it’s all too much for me. A getaway to New York won’t hurt.

Smiling, I put my hand out across the table. “I accept your offer. I’ll come with you to New York,” I tell him. He didn’t force you to go. It’s going to be a fun time.

Chris beams, shaking my hand, but doesn’t hold on too long. “We have a deal. Let’s go to New York, baby, and show them what you’ve got.”