FULL CIRCLE

22.

🎶 Now playing: Promises by Cleo Sol.

"Happy birthday dear Reign, happy birthday to youuu!" Lee and Riley sang happily as they brought the pink and white cake towards her.

"Remix time, one, two, three, I wanna say happy birthday to you..."

"To youuu!" Riley's raspy voice boomed quickly after Lee's to finish the song, making Reign erupt in a hearty laugh.

Reign had been complaining about not feeling too well for a while now and insisted it was because of the Antonio situation, which she still hadn't spoken about, so after a well planned spa day just outside of their town, they resorted to resuming their celebration back at her apartment. The girls had some good food, drinks and wine set out to enjoy the rest of the day.

"You know I always call you my first born," Lee teased as she got hold of a fruit kebab. "I'm really proud of the woman you're moulding into, how strong you are with your boundaries and for being one of the only people who accept me for who I am. I pray this new year brings more peace, more success in your schooling and work life and of course more money..." Lee spoke, wiping a fake tear from her eye making Reign pull her into a warm hug.

"I love you, thank you!" Reign said.

Lee and Riley had also been getting along really well, especially because they were older and related through multiple challenges they faced as young women. They had unspeakably formed a trio; a sisterhood of comfort, everything they each needed from one another. Riley had become more of a regular in their town, visiting fortnightly on weekends.

"Reign, in the short space I've known you, I can confidently tell you that you have a heart of pure, solid gold. I can't wait to see where this journey takes us and-"

Lee and Riley were alarmed by a sharp hiss that had escaped Reign's mouth abruptly. She'd been complaining about feeling lightheaded all day and they all thought nothing of it until this moment. You could say Reign had a talent for downplaying her emotions.

It then clicked to Lee that they had discarded the pregnancy topic some weeks ago. Riley got her some water as Lee tried to help her up. "Ri, can you bring the car around, I think we need to take her to the hospital. She needs to get checked out."

The sour note to Reign's birthday resulted in them rushing her to the hospital. Riley and Lee waited patiently on her while she sat quietly in the doctor's office.

"So Ms Toscana, when was your last period?"

Still feeling somewhat disoriented, Reign shrugged plainly, "I don't know. My cycle has never been regular."

"Are you on birthday control?"

"I was... briefly, but not anymore. And doc, before you tell me about pregnancy, I've taken the tests, okay?"

The doctor chuckled lightly as she covered her hands with a fresh pair of white latex gloves, "I think we are going to need more than drug store tests to confirm that. Come, let's run some urine and blood tests on you..."

~

Patience seemed to be upon Lee and Riley but Reign was freaking out. She hadn't spoken to Antonio other than him wishing her a happy birthday in the quick call she was not trying to have this morning, not to mention her declining his gestures to meet or for him to come over.