Truly Strange
**Enrico**
Only two visits were authorized to see Rachel, and it was no surprise that she chose Joseph and Lindsay. However, it wasn't pleasant to be left out, especially when initially Rachel had said I was the father of the babies. Or, more precisely, her babies. I quickly corrected my mistake, feeling a strange chill in my stomach.
This information caught everyone off guard, adding to the apprehension of waiting for news. I was so nervous about the baby - up until that moment, everyone believed it was just one baby - that I ended up referring to it as "mine" in front of everyone in the waiting room. It wasn't the smartest or most sensible thing to do.
There was no doubt my statement would raise questions, but the reactions were even quicker than I expected. As soon as my father and Lindsay left the waiting room to see Rachel, Ryan made a sarcastic comment.
"So, you're the father of Rachel's babies," he said ironically.
Maíra was even more direct than her brother.
"Why didn't you tell us about this when you were at our house, Enrico?" she asked.
I didn't like how they were jumping to conclusions and responded firmly.
"We're not jumping to any conclusions," Ryan retorted. "You yourself asserted just a few minutes ago that Rachel's child is yours. You called it 'our child,' in fact."
I sighed, not wanting to deal with the situation at that moment but realizing it was the right time to clarify everything once and for all.
"Rachel and I had some moments together, but the child..."
"The children," Maíra corrected me immediately.
"Okay, then," I reluctantly agreed. "The children she's expecting have no chance of being mine."
"How can you be so sure about that? No contraceptive method is one hundred percent foolproof, and you should know that perfectly well, Enrico," Maíra countered again.
"I had a vasectomy two years ago, Maíra. I can't be the father of Rachel's babies," I defended my point.
At that moment, an uncomfortable silence hung between us, with everyone staring as if they were doubting what I had just said. However, they didn't seem inclined to insist on the possibility of me being the father of Rachel's twins.
Here's the translation into American English:
"And so, do you understand now why I'm so certain?" I asked the brothers, who still seemed skeptical of my words.
Ryan, somewhat brusquely, replied, "Actually, no. If you research a bit more on the subject, you'll find that even vasectomy isn't one hundred percent guaranteed."
"What do you mean by that?" I asked, irritation growing at their persistence.
Lindsay tried to explain, "What Ryan means is that, even after a vasectomy, there's a possibility you could have impregnated Rachel and the babies could be yours, Enrico."
I quickly reflected on the absurd possibility they were presenting, all to shift responsibility for Rachel and the babies onto me. It genuinely angered me. "I'm not the father of these babies!" I said louder than intended. “I had said that in front of the nurse in a moment of emotion, genuinely concerned for Rachel and her child. But that was all.”
At that moment, the man who had been talking to Rachel when I arrived at Joseph's house approached us. It seemed he had stepped out and was now returning. I was so caught up in the situation and frustrated with my slip-up that I had completely forgotten about him. He had been in the waiting room with us the whole time, apparently also waiting for news, which only added to my frustration.
I decided to get some coffee and calm down a bit while Lindsay and Joseph returned with news about Rachel. As for the babies, only as the hours passed could we get a clearer idea of how they were doing and whether her pregnancy was progressing well. When I returned to the waiting room, my father and Lindsay were already back. According to the information they had received directly from the doctor, which had also been mentioned by the nurse when they were with Rachel, she would be kept under observation until the next day, when a new examination would be conducted. Based on that result, she would either be discharged or not.
"I hope everything will be okay with Rachel and the babies," the stranger commented.
"Let's have faith that everything will turn out fine, Mr. Thompson," Lindsay said, her voice filled with uncertainty. "She sent word that as soon as she's able, she'll contact you to discuss her situation at the company."
"Company? Which company were they talking about? And who is this Mr. Thompson? There were several unanswered questions that I would soon seek to uncover. After all, Rachel lives at my father's house, and I need to know who she's involved with."
"Of course, let's have faith," he reinforced Lindsay's words.
There was something about that man that didn't sit right with me; it was as if there was something about him that put me on the defensive. During the hours we all spent in that waiting room, I never attempted any approach or dialogue. I also noticed that Ryan and Maíra acted similarly.
In reality, the only person who showed any interest in him was Lindsay, but she's incredibly naive and trusting, qualities I noticed from the moment I saw her interacting with Rachel. Any other person wouldn't have trusted her, as she always seeks to stand out above others, trying to gain advantages at any cost.
The biggest proof that Rachel hadn't changed at all was her pregnancy, once again trying to take full advantage of the situation. However, I wouldn't be foolish enough to fall for a scheme as old as time. I wouldn't be the one to give a name to those children.
"It doesn't make sense for us to stay here," Lindsay commented, her gaze directed at all of us. "Rachel herself asked that each of us go home. Tomorrow, I'll come back to visit her and I can keep you informed about the test results."
"I never thought I'd say this, but I have to agree with Rachel," Ryan tried to joke.
Despite his light tone and clear intent to lighten the mood, the atmosphere was far from allowing that at the moment. I noticed Lindsay gave him a piercing look, and he responded with a casual shrug.
"I'm not trying to offend your friend, Lindsay," he said in his defense. "I'm as concerned as you are, but as you said yourself, each of us needs to get back to our normal lives. Tomorrow, we'll have more information on how we can help Rachel."
Ryan was right, of course, but to be honest with myself, I also didn't like the seemingly carefree way he was dealing with the matter, considering that lives were at stake.
I didn't say anything, though. I just called Lindsay and Joseph to leave, and Ryan left with Maíra, heading in the same direction as us. But something that made me quite uncomfortable was the fact that Thompson didn't accompany us to leave, which was strange.
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