little things that seem... off with her.
Later that evening, she triumphantly tells me the doctor is coming the next day. I'm relieved. I tell myself I'm being paranoid. She's not a bad person, she's just doing what she thinks is best for me and the baby.
She does really care about the baby.
Sometimes... almost too much.
We're sitting at the dining table that night and digging into the dinner she's prepared for us. That's when she brings it up.
"I was hoping you could sign something tonight." She takes a sip of her juice and gives me an expectant look.
"Oh? Sign something?"
"It's just a simple will," she waves her hand dismissively.
"A will?" I knit my brows together. "Why on earth would I need a will?"
"What if you die in childbirth?" she contests.
I laugh. "I'm sure I'll be fine."
"These things happen." She shrugs. "All I'm saying is, God forbid something happens, you need to be sure your baby's taken care of. If you died, it would go to the father. You really want this kid growing up with one of those guys? Three perverted fucks, one dead guy—so fuck knows who'd get him then—and one murderer."
"Dex isn't a murderer," I hiss for what feels like the millionth time.
"Sure, P," she rolls her eyes. "You keep telling yourself that..."
"You don't even know him." My voice is dripping with ice. "You've never met Dex."
"So? The facts don't lie."
"He didn't kill Lai."
"Then who did?" She challenges me with her stare, but I hold her gaze defiantly.
"Maybe it was my father," I offer.
"Doubt it."
"What about one of the other guys?"
"They'd never hurt Lai," she huffs.
"You don't know them," I remind her again. "You don't know any of these people."
She just stares at me with that infuriating smile plastered on her face. If she wasn't so hearstoppingly pretty, her face would almost look frightening with that expression.
I throw my paper napkin on the table as I get up and mutter, "I'm going to sleep."
"Don't forget your vitamins, the baby needs them," she yells out after me, and I mutter a not very nice word under my breath, hating myself for letting her get to me. "We'll talk about the papers soon."
But the seeds of doubt have been planted.
And every day I spend in Alli's company, they grow more and more...
"So, to conclude, everything looks just fine." The doctor smiles to reassure me as he slips his gloves off. "It should be a normal, natural birth without complications. Was there a special birth plan you had in mind?"
"Yes," Alli cuts in. Both the doctor and I glance at her. "We'll have a home birth, right here in the house."
"What?" I laugh out loud. "No way. I'm going to the hospital, there's no question about it." I shift my attention back to the doctor. "When should I come to the hospital?"
Alli's hand lands on my shoulder, thin, bony fingers digging into my skin. "I said, we'll be having a home birth."
I count to three in my head before facing her again. "No, we won't."
"Trust me," she winks at me. "I've done all the research."
"But it's not your baby!"
The words come out an octave too high. In moments, the air in the room is constricting and a chill goes down my spine. The doctor clears his throat, putting his things away, and I wipe my belly in frustration and throw the paper towels on the table as I pick myself up.
"I'm sorry, Alli, but I'm going to a hospital. I know Mother had a complicated birth with me, and I need someone there to make sure it's okay."
"He's okay," she corrects me, giving the doctor a sad smile. "See? This is what I'm talking about. She doesn't even acknowledge he's a person in there."
"I didn't want to assume the sex like you are," I hiss, glancing at the doctor.
I rub my stomach as I pull my dress back down.
"We'll be seeing you in a few weeks then, Doctor?" I ask as the guy says his goodbyes.
"We'll see." Alli leads him away from the cottage. "Gotta go now. Dr. Meyer is very busy."
"What about my questions?" I call out after them, but Alli doesn't stop walking. The doc glances over his shoulder, but she quickly shoos him around the corner before he can reply. Defeated, I return to the house.
With guilt, I glance at the maternity books Alli has compiled. I haven't read a single one of them. In fact, I still don't quite believe this is really happening.
That I'm actually going to