Chapter 4Unfamous but Cherished

“Ms. Evans, your condition has worsened.”

I nodded calmly. I’d been expecting it.

That day, after I’d locked myself in the bathroom, I had just picked up that first fallen lock of hair when another one drifted down to the floor. A primal fear seized me. I tentatively touched my scalp, and another clump came away in my hand.

The hair loss became relentless. I started vomiting constantly. In just a few days, I had become gaunt and frail.

I looked so hideous. I rented a small apartment and moved out without telling Ethan or Ava, avoiding them completely.

“Ms. Evans, are you sure you want to continue with palliative care only? Chemotherapy might slow the progression.” The doctor’s voice was gentle, but anyone could see the ashen color of my skin.

I adjusted my wig, surprised I could still manage a smile.

“Yes. I’m not a fan of pain. Let’s not add to it. Just some painkillers will be fine.”

After picking up my prescription from the pharmacy window, I turned and bumped right into someone.

“I’m so sorry.”

I apologized immediately, only realizing as the words left my mouth that the other person’s voice was achingly familiar.

I looked up and met Ethan’s shocked eyes.

“Cathy? What are you doing at the hospital?”

Before I could even think of a lie, the pharmacist called Ethan’s name.

“Dydrogesterone, twice a day, one tablet. Make sure the expectant mother stays calm, no emotional distress.”

Ethan took the bag, his movements jerky. “It’s, uh, for my sister.”

“Oh, I see…”

My voice trailed off as another one cut in.

“Ethan, the doctor said I need to be careful in the first trimester. You have to stop stressing me out like this.”

The tone was soft, almost a playful pout. It took me a second to even recognize it as Ava’s voice.

“Cathy! What are you doing here?”

And in that moment, the subtle tension between them finally clicked into place. They were so in sync now, even their shock was perfectly mirrored.

“Ava, you’re pregnant? When did you even get a boyfriend? Why didn’t I know?”

Ava’s pupils contracted. Her fingers twisted the hem of her shirt, her knuckles turning white.

“Cathy, I…”

Ethan cut her off, looking me straight in the eye.

“I’m her boyfriend,” he said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. “And the baby is mine.”