The call went through, but no one picked up.
Jasmine didn’t hang up immediately. She waited until the answering machine said, “The number you’ve
dialled is unavailable. Please try again later.”
Jasmine kept her phone away and gazed into space at the staircase. She blamed herself for it. It was
her ignorant that caused what happened today.
Sadness filled Jasmine’s heart, and her eyes went red.
Jasmine didn’t notice how long she had been sitting on the stairs. Her phone buzzed in her hand.
Jasmine looked down and saw that it was Boyce. She had so many things to tell him at first, but now,
she didn’t know how to tell him what happened.
Jasmine sniffled and tried to adjust her emotions. Then, she took the call. Boyce asked, “What’s taking
so long?”
Jasmine remained silent.
Boyce reacted quickly. He asked, “Are you mad because I didn’t pick up your call? My phone was in
the office, and I went out for a meeting. I immediately call you back when I saw your missed call.”
“I wasn’t mad at you. I’m mad at myself,” Jasmine looked down, “What time are you coming home
today?”
“I might come home late tonight. I won’t be back for dinner. I’m having a gathering with my colleagues
tonight,” Boyce got promoted. So, his colleagues wanted to treat him to a meal.
Boyce can’t refuse their offer.
“I’ll wait for you,” Jasmine pouted, “I’ve something to tell you tonight.”
Boyce said, “Alright.”
“Go back to work. I’m hanging up,” Jasmine hung up the phone after that.
Jasmine got herself together and left the hospital.
Jasmine waited for Boyce to come home since six o’clock in the evening, and Boyce only got back
home at eleven o’clock at night. Boyce was wearing a shirt, and his uniform was on his shoulder. He
pushed open the door.
Jasmine was sitting on the couch and curled up. She turned around when she heard the door opened.
Jasmine could see Boyce’s face was flushing red under the dim lights. She walked over in slipper and
got nearer to Boyce. Jasmine could smell the smell of alcohol on Boyce.
Jasmine frowned, “You had drinks?”
“A little. My colleagues insisted. I had to,” said Boyce.
Jasmine helped Boyce to hang his uniform. Then, she helped him to get to the couch. Boyce said, “I’m
not drunk. Didn’t you have something to tell me?”
Jasmine handed Boyce a glass of water.
Boyce took a sip and placed the glass on the table. He asked, “What did you want to tell me?”
Jasmine stared at him.
Boyce held Jasmine’s hand and told her, “Jasmine, I got promoted.”
Jasmine would usually hug Boyce, looked at him in an adoring look and tell him, “Congratulations.”
But Jasmine couldn’t do that now.
“What’s wrong?” Jasmine used to be lively. Boyce felt uneasy with the sudden attitude change, “You’re
mad because I came home late?”
Boyce would check and see if he did anything wrong when he saw Jasmine unhappy.
Boyce kept thinking, and coming home late was the only possible answer to why Jasmine looked
unhappy.
Jasmine shook her head, “No.”
“Then it’s because I had a few drinks? It’s my colleagues…”
“Boyce,” Jasmine stopped Boyce, “I…I…”
It should be happy news, but Jasmine ruined it.
“What’s wrong?” Boyce reached out his hand and hugged Jasmine.
Jasmine stayed in Boyce’s arms and asked him in a hoarse voice, “Will you forgive me if I did anything
wrong?”
“Sure,” Boyce kissed Jasmine’s forehead.
“I…I’m pregnant,” Jasmine got up her nerves to tell Boyce what happened.
Boyce wasn’t really paying attention, “Pregnant with what?”
Jasmine grasped Boyce’s shirt and bit her lips, “I’m pregnant with your child.”
Boyce was stunned by the surprise. Boyce didn’t have the time to think about what he heard, and he
couldn’t even start to describe how he felt now.
Boyce asked carefully and softly, “When did it happen?”
Then, Boyce hugged Jasmine tightly. He seemed overwhelmed, “You’re pregnant! I’m going to be a
father!”
It was a piece of surprising news. Boyce couldn’t control his emotions, “Jasmine, I’m so happy.”
Boyce didn’t know how to start describing his happiness.
Jasmine suddenly started crying in his arms.
Boyce was startle, “Why are you crying?”
Then, Boyce started wiping off Jasmine’s tears.
Jasmine cried even harder. She choked with sobs, “I’ve taken some medicines.”
Boyce was confused, “What medicine?”
Jasmine looked at Boyce with her teary eyes, “I…I didn’t know I was pregnant. I wasn’t feeling well, so I
went to a clinic. The doctor said I had Gastroenteritis, and he gave me some medicines. I’ve taken
them, but it didn’t get any better after a day. So, I went to the hospital the next day. The doctor told me
that I’m pregnant after some check-ups. But the medicines I’ve taken…”
Boyce took a few deep breaths and tried to calm himself down, “Why didn’t you go to the hospital in the
first place?”
“It was troublesome…”
Suddenly, Boyce stood up. The good news and the bad news came too quickly. He needed some time
to digest them. Boyce was usually quiet and calm, but he was pacing back and forth in front of the
couch now. Jasmine thought Boyce was angry. She can’t help but kept crying.
Jasmine was shaking. She kept sobbing, “It’s all my fault.”
Boyce looked at Jasmine, and Jasmine was heartbroken. He sat back on the couch and hugged her in
his arms, “It’s alright. It’s going to be fine. It’s not your fault.”
Jasmine was young. She didn’t mean for this to happen.
“It is,” Jasmine blamed herself.
“We’ll go to the hospital tomorrow and see what the doctor’s going to say,” Boyce wiped away
Jasmine’s tears, “Don’t cry.”
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