Agnes was at a loss for how to comfort Mamie. She wasn't in Mamie's shoes, but empathy came easy to Agnes. She had felt the same tangle of pain and confusion Mamie was going through.
If it wasn't for the final blow dealt by Beatrice Pritchard, she wouldn't have made the resolute decision to leave all those years ago.
During dinner, Mamie's phone was buzzing non-stop. Mamie didn't answer, but she didn't turn it off either.
Agnes urged her, "It's Ivan, isn't it, Mamie? You should come clean with him. You're worried he might have regrets, but you'll never know unless you tell him. And if it turns out to be the disappointing outcome you dread, I swear, I'll help you leave."
Mamie hesitated. But eventually, she picked up the call.
Mamie didn't even greet him, her first words were, "I'm pregnant."
Silence fell on the other end of the line, and then even Agnes heard Ivan's voice, "Where are you right now?"
"At Cloud View, Room No.1, with Agnes."
"Don't go anywhere; I'm on my way." With that, Ivan hung up.
After the call, Mamie forced a wry smile and joked to Agnes with a light-hearted tone, "Talk about a shocker. Did I scare him, you think?"
Ivan's voice had betrayed his shock. But the call had ended so abruptly, Agnes couldn't quite catch his mood and was unsure what to say.
Mamie wanted a drink, but she settled for a soda instead.
Ivan arrived quickly. He nearly burst through the door, as if fearing Mamie would vanish if he was a minute late.
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