An Unexpected Surprise
Chapter 22
Addison’s POV
I awoke to hear voices all around me. My aunt and uncle were on one side of the bed, and my
grandparents were sitting in the chairs on the other. My cousins were at the end of my
hospital bed, but they all looked scared to death. I tried to smile and asked for some water. My
mouth was parched. My aunt held a straw to my lips and let me get a few sips before I lay
back down.
“Did they say what happened?” I asked.
“No. They will come back now that you are awake,” my aunt replied.
“How long was I out?” I asked. I knew it had to be a little while for them to have time to get
here. I felt terrible that they were all so worried about me.
I haven’t felt well for a little while. Not since I lost my mother, so I attributed it to the
depression I was struggling with. I had just gotten used to it, I wasn’t very hungry and had lost
about ten lbs. since I came to live with my aunt and uncle. I have been incredibly busy, so I
didn’t go to the doctor. I didn’t feel bad enough to go there. My aunt had me come to work with her to design to keep my attention off of my loss. She knew how badly I had been hurt. Garrett,
breaking my heart, had hurt just as much as losing my mother. I was grateful that she was always looking out for me.
“About an hour. I am dealing with the paparazzi now. Evan got their pictures, and we will
officially respond to what happened tonight. It was an emergency, and they kept him from being able to leave in a timely manner. Once they saw you had passed out, they moved. But I am not going to let them get away with it. Even if I have to buy their gossip rags to do it. I am furious that they are looking so hard for a scandal that they are willing to let someone die to do it,” my grandfather’s agitated voice filled the room.
My grandmother rubbed his arm and tried to calm him down. My panicked eyes snapped to
my aunt, who remained calm. “I will deal with it. I’m already on it,” she said to me.
She knew that I was scared that someone would recognize me and then give that video of me topless to the gossip magazines. I cannot imagine how shocked and disappointed my grandparents and cousins would be to see me get exposed like that. My heart rate increased, and I couldn’t calm back down. The beeps from the machine I was hooked up to in the room alerted everyone that I was upset, which didn’t help me calm down. All I could think about was
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that video crossing the country and never being able to show my face again. I just got this family. I didn’t want to lose them.
I could see an unspoken message between my aunt and uncle. He nodded and said, “Let’s all go down to the cafeteria to get a coffee. Addison’s doctor will be here soon to check her out, and I can tell she is anxious,” my uncle Nash said. He squeezed my hand as my grandparents took turns kissing my temple. Before he left the room, he mouthed, “Don’t worry” to me before shutting the door behind him.
“He is right. Don’t worry. I will ensure that if someone tries to sell that video, even if they do, I
will make sure that no one will be brave enough to share it. I will make sure that it is worth
their while to let me know if someone is attempting to share it with them. I have got your
back, Addison. He is going to tell them to give them a heads–up. Because despite all my efforts, it could be exposed,” my aunt told me.
“I understand telling them. I would rather they find out from us than see it themselves. It is
frustrating that Tammy hated me enough to do this. She knew it would ruin me, yet she still
did it. I guess she figured humiliating me was worth it to keep Garrett,” I replied.
I am still furious that she sent that video out like she did. I knew I had shamed her the day
before with my remarks about teaching her how to close the blinds. I didn’t think about doing
it myself because I thought we would just be making out. I had hoped it would go further but
didn’t know if it would. I was honestly hesitant to be naked in front of Garrett. He always
seemed to agree with Tammy when she was laying into me about my weight. I didn’t think he
would find me attractive. Not enough to have s*x with me. I had dreamed of it but had no hope
of it happening. Not while he was still so angry at me, and I still didn’t know why.
I know now that all the passionate and caring comments he made to me while we were
together that night were nothing but lies. He did what he had to do to get what he wanted. He
knew what to say to make me fall even harder for him. All of his sweet talk had been lies. He
could not be trusted, and I had to focus on that. I will not let the thoughts of him break my
heart again. I had to stay strong. I won’t let him hurt me again. Only one tear dropped from the
corner of my eye before my aunt handed me a tissue to wipe my eyes with.
“Oh, honey, none of this was your fault. Don’t cry. If anyone tries to expose that video, there will
be swift punishment. I promise I will go after anyone who dares try to hurt you. I will also
make sure that Tammy will get more charges by extension. Our attorney assured me that he
would deal with her. He has been working on it, as the case is coming up soon. I told him to
go for the jugular on her. I want her to get the maximum sentence for what she did. I plan on making her lose everything, so our attorney also applied for a civil suit against her. You
deserve it for the mental anguish she put you through. Her putting that video out there and
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lying to those two guys was the reason for the assault you suffered. You are important to us. We are going to protect and support you. You can trust us to help you deal with it. You just heard Dad tell you that he would buy out the gossip rag to stop them. What do you think he would do over a greater threat? No matter what happens, we have your back,” my aunt told me, which caused me to cry again. It means a lot to me that she was so loving and protective
of me.
The door to my hospital room opened, and a doctor in his mid–thirties entered the room. “He looked up from my chart and said, “Addison?”
I nodded at him and wiped the tears from my eyes. “Sorry, I’m a little emotional,” I told him.
“It is understandable, Addison. We discovered the reason for your abdominal pain. Your brother told me you were starting a martial arts class and felt the pain after a kick. We suspected what the problem was, but the blood work confirmed that you are pregnant,” He told me, and my world tilted.
“What?” I cried out in a strangled voice. It was foreign to my ears, but I had not expected this. We used protection. I can’t believe this. The tears started flowing again, and my sobs filled the room. I couldn’t even think right now. If he had reached out and slapped me across the face, I would probably have been less surprised than I was at that moment.
The doctor looked at my aunt, seeking guidance on how to proceed. She asked, “Can you give
us a few minutes?”
“Of course, I will return in a little while,” he replied, before leaving the room.
“Addison, I will be right back. I just want to step out and go down to get them. Do you want me to tell them what is going on?” my aunt asked me. I just looked at her, totally lost. I don’t know what to do. I felt my face hot with embarrassment. I was supposed to start college next month. I slept with Garrett over two months ago, so I know exactly how far along I am. My baby will be sharing a birth month with their father if I decide to keep it. I honestly don’t know what I am going to do. I allowed a moment of passion to cause me to have a lifetime reminder
to come with it.
My aunt held my hand, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I didn’t want to see the disappointment I knew would be in her eyes. I just got here and met my family a short time ago. Now, I am causing them public embarrassment. First, the scandal, and now I am a pregnant teen. I don’t know what I can do to top this one. I nodded. I just started bracing for it. I wouldn’t be able to put it off. I knew that this was it. I was about to lose the family that I had just been given. At least I had a house to live in. Oh, wait. No, I don’t. The last thing I needed to do was for me to go back there for the Pearsons to find out that I was pregnant with their grandson.
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At least I already have a job working with my aunt. I also have my inheritance. If they kick me out of the family, which I would totally understand, I will go quietly. I won’t add to the issues I have caused since I arrived. I will probably quietly sell my mother’s home and buy a home here for me and my baby somewhere in a nice suburb. I will raise my baby and go to college as I can. It would take me much longer, but I already knew what I was going to do.
I knew in my heart that I was going to keep it. My hand lay protectively across my stomach. I had already decided I would not tell Garrett about the baby. I don’t want him to lie to me again about wanting us to be a family. Years later, it would crush me to find out that we were his greatest burden. I won’t keep him from achieving his dream.
I can do this. I’ve already figured out what I’m going to do. I could get by on my own. I don’t want to embarrass my family. I know the issues that surround me. The assault, the video, any of that getting out would cause them a great deal of embarrassment. I love and appreciate my family. They have been nothing but supportive. I don’t want them to suffer because I decided to sleep with Garrett. This whole mess was started because of an error in judgment. I refuse to cause my family any more trouble. Once they return to the room, I will let them know my decision. They will always have a special place in our lives. I will protect my family. I need to keep my distance because I won’t let them get hurt because of me.
