Jennifer sat by the window, her headphones on, a book resting in her lap. The world outside moved as usual, but inside her heart, she felt like a stranger in her own home. Ever since she married Martin, her life had changed in ways she never expected. She loved him deeply, and he loved her too—but love wasn’t always enough.
Martin had a daughter, Carrie. She had just turned eighteen, but she still acted like a rebellious teenager. From the very beginning, Carrie had disliked Jennifer. No matter how hard Jennifer tried to bond with her, Carrie always pushed her away. It was exhausting, feeling like an outsider in her own marriage.
But reading gave Jennifer an escape. When she was lost in the pages of a book, she could forget about her worries and find a little peace. The house was quiet, except for the soft hum of music in her ears and the rustling of pages as she turned them.
Then, without warning, the peace shattered.
Jennifer looked up and saw Martin standing in front of her. His face was red with anger, his hands clenched into fists. She couldn’t hear what he was saying, but his furious expression sent a chill down her spine. She quickly removed her headphones.
“When were you planning to tell me about this?!” he shouted, his voice shaking with rage.
Jennifer blinked, completely lost. “Tell you about what?” she asked, her voice steady but confused.
“Don’t act like you don’t know!” Martin spat, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Are you really going to sit there and pretend nothing happened?”
Jennifer frowned. “Martin, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Just tell me what’s wrong.”
Martin gave a bitter laugh and held up a pregnancy test. “This!” he yelled. “You think I don’t have a right to know?”
Jennifer’s eyes widened in shock. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
“Where did you find that?” she asked, her mouth suddenly dry.
“In the bathroom trash,” Martin snapped. “And does it even matter where I found it? It’s positive! Were you planning to keep this a secret from me?”
Jennifer felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. “You’re jumping to conclusions, Martin. Please, calm down!”
“Jumping to conclusions?! Jennifer, this is our future child we’re talking about! Were you even planning to tell me? Or were you just going to… handle it on your own?”
His voice broke slightly, his anger barely masking the hurt beneath.
Jennifer took a deep breath. “I wasn’t planning anything because, Martin, it’s not mine.”
Martin froze, his expression shifting from anger to confusion. “What do you mean it’s not yours? If it’s not yours, then whose is it?”
Jennifer hesitated, her mind racing. She sighed and said, “Let’s talk about this tonight. You need to go to work, and I don’t want to have this conversation when you’re this upset.”
Martin exhaled heavily, running a hand through his hair. “Fine,” he muttered. “We’ll talk tonight.”
As he left, Jennifer felt the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She closed her book, the story now forgotten. Her mind kept replaying the argument, her stomach twisting with anxiety. She knew exactly whose test it was.
Jennifer walked down the hallway and stopped in front of Carrie’s door. She knocked softly.
“Carrie? Can I come in?”
There was a long pause before a quiet voice replied, “Yeah.”
Jennifer stepped inside. The room was cluttered with clothes, books, and posters. It looked like the typical bedroom of an eighteen-year-old girl, but what caught Jennifer’s attention was Carrie’s face—pale and guilty. Her hands fidgeted in her lap, and she couldn’t meet Jennifer’s eyes.
Jennifer sat on the edge of the bed and said gently, “Carrie, we need to talk. I need to know what’s going on.”
Carrie swallowed hard. “Thank you for not telling Dad the test was mine,” she whispered.
Jennifer sighed. “You’re welcome. But, Carrie… what are you going to do?”
Carrie’s hands clenched into fists. “I don’t know. I’m scared.”
Jennifer reached out, placing a comforting hand on Carrie’s. “You have to decide quickly, sweetheart. This isn’t something you can ignore.”
Carrie bit her lip. “What’s the point? Dad decides everything for me anyway.”
Jennifer shook her head. “Not this time. But, Carrie, if you’re pregnant, you need to understand how serious this is.”
Carrie’s voice trembled. “I’m not going to be pregnant.”
Jennifer raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because that test says otherwise.”
Carrie hesitated before blurting out, “If you lend me some money… then I can take care of it.”
Jennifer’s heart ached. “Don’t rush into anything. Does the baby’s father know?”
Tears welled up in Carrie’s eyes. “No. And he never will. He dumped me.”
Jennifer’s chest tightened. Without thinking, she pulled Carrie into a hug. “You’re not alone, sweetheart. We’ll figure this out together.”
Carrie clung to Jennifer, her sobs shaking her small frame. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I don’t know what to do, but knowing you’re here helps.”
That evening, Martin returned home to find Jennifer and Carrie sitting at the table, their faces serious.
“What’s going on?” he asked. “Why is Carrie here?”
Jennifer took a deep breath. “Martin, sit down. We need to talk.”
Martin frowned. “Talk about what? Carrie has school. She needs to focus on her studies.”
Carrie’s voice trembled. “Dad… it’s my test.”
Silence fell over the room.
Martin’s face went pale. “What? No. That can’t be true.”
“It is, Martin. Believe her,” Jennifer said firmly.
Martin sank into his chair, his head in his hands. “What about your education, your future?”
Carrie’s frustration boiled over. “Dad, I don’t want to be a doctor! I never did!”
Martin looked stunned. “But… your future—”
“Not anymore,” Jennifer interrupted. “This is her choice, Martin. Have you even asked what she wants?”
Martin’s shoulders slumped. “I just… I wanted her to have a good life.”
Jennifer softened. “Then let her decide how to live it.”
Martin sighed and finally looked at Carrie. “What do you want to do?”
Carrie wiped her tears. “I don’t know yet. But I want to figure it out with your support.”
Martin reached for her hand. “Then we’ll figure it out together.”
Later that week, Jennifer and Carrie met with Billy and his parents. The conversation was difficult, but in the end, both families agreed to support the young couple, no matter what they decided.
It wouldn’t be easy, but one thing was certain—they would face it together, as a family.
