Jennifer sat by the window, lost in the world of her book, with soft music playing in her ears through her headphones. This had become her favorite escape—a way to forget the struggles of her new married life, even if just for a little while.
Ever since she married Martin, things had changed drastically. She loved him, and he loved her, but there was always something—or rather, someone—standing between them: his daughter, Carrie.
Carrie had disliked Jennifer from the moment she stepped into their lives. At eighteen, she was stubborn, rebellious, and made it painfully clear that Jennifer would never be her mother. No matter how hard Jennifer tried, she always felt like an outsider in their small family.
She sighed, flipping another page in her book, letting herself get lost in the story. The house was quiet, and the warm sunlight streaming through the window made her feel safe. But the peace didn’t last long.
Suddenly, she sensed someone standing in front of her. Looking up, she saw Martin—his face flushed red with anger, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. She quickly removed her headphones, startled by his furious expression.
“When were you planning to tell me about this?!” he shouted, his voice shaking with rage.
Jennifer blinked, confused. “Tell you about what?”
Martin scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, don’t play dumb, Jennifer. Nothing happened? Are you sure?”
She sat up straighter, her heart starting to race. “Martin, I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. Please, just tell me what’s wrong.”
With a bitter laugh, Martin reached into his pocket and pulled out something. When Jennifer saw what it was, her breath caught in her throat.
A pregnancy test. A positive one.
“This!” he bellowed, shaking the test in front of her. “You think I don’t have a right to know about this?”
Jennifer’s eyes widened in shock. “Where did you find that?”
“In the bathroom trash. Does it even matter where I found it? It’s positive! Were you planning on telling me, or were you just going to pretend like nothing happened?”
Jennifer felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. Her mind raced.
“Martin, you’re jumping to conclusions. Please, just calm down!” she pleaded, trying to steady her voice.
“Jumping to conclusions? Jennifer, this is our child we’re talking about! Were you planning to—” He cut himself off, his voice breaking with emotion. He exhaled sharply, rubbing his face with both hands. “I don’t even want to think about it.”
Jennifer swallowed hard, knowing she had to put an end to this misunderstanding before it spiraled even further. “I wasn’t planning anything, Martin. But right now, you need to go to work. Let’s sit and talk about this tonight when you’re calm.”
Martin clenched his jaw, staring at her for a long moment before shaking his head. “Fine. We’ll talk tonight.”
As he stormed out of the house, Jennifer sat frozen, gripping the armrest of the chair. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to think clearly. She knew exactly what she had to do next.
She stood up and walked toward Carrie’s room, her heart pounding. She knocked softly on the door.
“Can I come in?” she asked.
After a brief silence, she heard a faint, “Yes.”
Jennifer opened the door and stepped inside. The room was messy—clothes scattered everywhere, books and posters covering every available surface. But what caught Jennifer’s attention was Carrie’s face.
She looked guilty.
Jennifer sighed and leaned against the wall. “Carrie, we need to talk.”
Carrie swallowed hard and nodded, tears welling in her eyes. “Thank you for not telling Dad the test was mine,” she whispered.
Jennifer crossed her arms. “You’re welcome. But now, you need to tell me—what are you going to do?”
Carrie let out a shaky breath, her voice trembling. “I don’t know… I’m scared.”
Jennifer sat down beside her on the bed. “You don’t have much time to decide. This isn’t like choosing a major, though you didn’t handle that well either,” she said with a small, teasing smile, trying to lighten the mood.
Carrie gave a bitter laugh. “What’s the point of choosing when Dad decides everything for me anyway?”
Jennifer’s expression softened. “Carrie, if you’re pregnant, you won’t be able to continue medical school.”
“I’m not going to be pregnant,” Carrie said quickly, desperation creeping into her voice.
Jennifer raised an eyebrow and held up the test. “This says otherwise.”
Carrie hesitated before murmuring, “If you lend me some money… then…”
Jennifer sighed. “Don’t rush into a decision. What about the father? Does he know?”
Tears spilled over Carrie’s cheeks. “He won’t find out.”
Jennifer’s heart ached. “Why not? He’s your boyfriend. He deserves to know.”
Carrie shook her head. “He dumped me.”
Jennifer’s expression softened. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around Carrie and held her close. “You’re not alone. We’ll figure this out. No matter what happens, Martin and I will support you.”
Carrie sniffled. “Thank you… I don’t know what to do, but knowing you’re here helps.”
Jennifer pulled back and looked into her eyes. “We’ll take this one step at a time. First, we’ll talk to Martin. Then, we’ll figure out what’s best for you and the baby.”
That night, Martin came home exhausted. When he walked into the kitchen and saw both Jennifer and Carrie sitting at the table, his stomach tightened.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice wary.
Jennifer took a deep breath. “Martin, sit down. Carrie has something to tell you.”
Martin’s eyes darted between them, his expression hardening. “She doesn’t need to be part of this. She should be focusing on her studies.”
Carrie’s voice trembled. “Dad… it’s my test. I’m the one who’s pregnant.”
The color drained from Martin’s face. “No… That can’t be true.”
“It is, Martin,” Jennifer said gently. “She needs our support now.”
Martin sank into a chair, rubbing his forehead. “What about your education? Your future?”
Carrie’s eyes flashed with frustration. “You only care about school! I never even wanted to be a doctor!”
“What? That’s ridiculous!” Martin snapped. “You’re too young to be a mother.”
Jennifer placed a hand on his. “Martin, have you even asked her what she wants?”
Martin swallowed hard, his shoulders slumping. For the first time, he truly looked at Carrie—the fear, the uncertainty, the need for support. He let out a deep sigh. “What do you want to do, Carrie?”
Carrie wiped her tears and whispered, “I want to keep the baby.”
Jennifer nodded. “Then we’ll support you.”
That night, they sat together, discussing what came next. It wouldn’t be easy, but as a family, they would face the future together.
And for the first time in a long while, Jennifer felt like she truly belonged.
