Darling Nikki ↠ Charlie Swan

prologue

Prologue

📍MIAMI, FLORIDA
AUGUST 2011

I was sitting in the cold, sterile doctor's office, the smell of antiseptic hanging in the air. My fingers nervously tapped against my leg as I waited for Dr. Johnson to come in. The room was quiet, the kind of silence that presses in on you, making you aware of every little detail and the soft hum of the fluorescent lights overhead, the scrape of my shoe against the tile floor, the sound of my own breathing.

I glanced at the clock. 10:03 AM. Three minutes past my appointment time. Just long enough for me to start thinking about everything that had brought me here. My mind flickered to my recent life like graduation from business school, the stress of juggling work, late nights spent studying, trying to finish my thesis, the constant pressure to succeed. But then there was also that night. That night in the bar. The night I met Joshua.

My head spun a little as I thought about it. It had been nothing, really, just a one-night stand. Well, a really long complicated one-night stand. But now, sitting in this doctor's office, I wasn't so sure about the "nothing" part anymore.

The door opened with a soft click, and Dr. Johnson stepped in, her heels clicking against the tile floor in a rhythmic pattern. She was smiling, as always kind but professional. She glanced at my chart and then up at me.

"Hello, Miss Sagani, how are you today?" Dr. Johnson asked, settling into the chair across from me.

"I'm fine," I answered, giving her a weak smile. I felt the words slip out automatically, but it wasn't the truth. I was anything but fine.

Dr. Johnson looked at me carefully, her eyes soft with concern. "So, Miss Sagani, you haven't gotten your period in a while?"

"That's right," I said, shifting uncomfortably in my chair. "I think it's just... stress. Work has been crazy, and I just graduated with my doctorate in business school."

She nodded, glancing at my chart again. "Congratulations!" she said warmly, and I managed a small smile.

"Thanks," I muttered, feeling a weird mix of pride and anxiety. Yes, I had achieved something big, something I'd worked for years but now, in this moment, none of that seemed to matter.

Dr. Johnson tapped her pen against her chart thoughtfully, her eyes flicking up to mine. "Your husband couldn't be here today with you?"

I blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question. I had never mentioned a husband to her. "No... I'm... single," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Sorry, is there a reason you're asking me about my relationship?"

She smiled sympathetically, setting the pen down. "Well, truth be told, I like to know upfront if the news I'm delivering is good or bad."

My heart rate spiked. The sudden shift in tone, the way she was looking at me now made me nervous. "Just tell me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I needed to know.

Dr. Johnson took a deep breath, then looked me straight in the eyes. "Well, you're pregnant," she said calmly.

I blinked, my stomach twisting. "What?! How?" My voice cracked, and I felt a wave of heat rush to my face.

"I know this comes as quite a shock, but you have options," she said, her tone still kind but matter-of-fact.

"Options?" I repeated, the word sounding foreign. My mind scrambled to process it.

"Yes, options," Dr. Johnson continued. "Did you have sex with anyone recently? It would have been about, oh, roughly ten weeks ago."

I froze, my mind racing back. Ten weeks. The timing hit me like a ton of bricks. My stomach flipped. There was only one person who fit that description.