Sassy Angel’s Secret Sin

Chapter 34

Chapter 34 – Sky in Heaven Avenue (Anj‘s POV)

Pregnant.

One word. It is either a presumption based on nothing but experience, or it could be found on the fact that the pregnancy kit could provide proof. “Dear Angela, are you pregnant?” asked Sister Grace, who could hardly move from the doorway.

I met her eyes and made sure I did not blink or breathe. “If I will not use my immaculate joke, then how can I be pregnant?” We all turned to Mr. Simon, who suddenly laughed, looking at us. “Why are you so surprised if Anj is pregnant? She‘s young! Be shocked if Antonetta here tells everyone she‘s pregnant.” I smiled but twitched my lips when Anya glared at me. “Fine,” I mouthed and raised my hands. I raised my head, looked at everyone inside the family room, and smiled. “Yes, I‘m pregnant!” And then I screamed in delight, making sure I sounded happy. “Anya, you‘re gonna be an

aunt.”

Dylan raised his eyebrows but chuckled, shaking his head at me, thinking it was one of my jokes.

Anya sneered at me. “Don‘t you dare scare us again, Anj!” she rolled her eyes at me as she sat beside me on the couch. “You almost gave Sister Grace a heart attack,” she said, getting another cone. It always works that when they insist on something, and I deny it, they all think it is true, but when I admit something with excitement, they all ignore me and think it is impossible.

“How can she be pregnant when she has no boyfriend?” Dylan murmured but enough for everyone to hear. “What?” Mr. Simon turned to us again. “You don‘t have a boyfriend?” He smacked Dylan in the arm. “I thought you already told her your feelings.” I rose to my feet, tapping old Mr. Simon on his shoulder. “You‘re wrong, Sir.” “Hmm?” He glanced at Dylan, scratching his head and blushing. “You didn’t tell her you like her?”

“He already did,” I moved my head closer to his ears. “He relative zoned me.” “Huh?” He creased his forehead, thinking hard about what I meant, and he realized it was a joke when I laughed. “Not friendzone, Mr. Simon. Relative zone because he thought of me as his sister,“I explained, winking at Dylan and smiling as he crossed his arms to his chest and frowned at me. Anya laughed hard, but before she could say something, the sound of the doorbell caught our attention. As she walked to see our visitor at the main door, I took it as my chance to get another scoop of ice cream and squeeze lemon fruit in it. Mrs. Antonetta could only roll her eyes at me, wanting to tell me she was right about me.

I glanced at Sister Grace, still looking at me with worry, but I ignored her. She may not be my biological mother, but she knew me very well, and she could feel my stress and anxiety about something by just looking at me. “Good afternoon!” Father Jesse greeted, walking to the family room with delivery men following him. “Mr. Simon, I brought you a new TV,” he announced cheerily, gesturing for the men to put the box carefully on the floor. “Where did you get the TV?” Sister Grace asked his brother as she peeked at the big box. Like an excited child, I jumped to my feet, dashing to the 50 inches brand new television.

“Woah!” The older man stood up, pulling the waist belt of his pants to join me in examining the new appliance. “I can finally see clearly what I‘m watching,” he said with a smile on his lips. “Where did you get that?” Sister Grace walked in our direction. “Sky Mars went to every church and temple here in heaven avenue last week, asking what we need. I told the young man we didn‘t need any, but here in the nursing home, you needed a new TV for the residents, so his secretary had it delivered yesterday,” he exclaimed.

I hiccupped, causing them to glance at me. “Sorry,” I murmured, turning my back on them to get a glass of water from the table.

“Why?” asked Sister Grace, which was my exact question. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Why?

He shrugged his shoulders. “He only said he was looking for something...” his voice trailed off, squinting his eyes as he thought. “Or someone, but I don‘t know. I didn‘t ask him.”

“That Sky Mars on the TV?” Mr. Simon asked. When my uncle priest nodded, he briefly looked at me. “Angela, make this Sky Mars your boyfriend. I heard he‘s wealthy.”

“I think winning the lottery is possible rather than making him my boyfriend,” I murmured, causing him to laugh.

“Father Jesse,” Mrs. Antonetta called him. “I think Angela is pregnant,” she told him.

I rolled my eyes, thinking the conversation about me was over, but apparently, it was not finished yet.

“We‘re practicing the Birth of Jesus play,” I looked up and whispered, and Father Jesse nodded, understanding what I meant. “Argh!” The older woman groaned. “Why does no one believe me? Her weirdness of eating ice cream and squeezing it with lemon is one proof. Who does that?” “I do,” Father Jesse said, winking at me. “Maybe my niece got it from me, Mrs. Antonetta.”

I smiled and enjoyed licking my ice cream. My satisfaction with what I was eating did not end there. I took the ladle beside the pitcher, scooped all the lemons, and started munching them while watching the delivery men set up the new TV.

When Father Jesse glanced at me, I smiled but breathed out nervously. We all cheered after the new television was set up, finally quieting Mrs. Antonetta as she got entertained with the clarity of the screen and the immersive sound from its speaker.

Our eyes were fixed on the drama on TV when Father Jesse took a white envelope from his pocket, looking like a letter from the university.

“Can I talk to you for a minute,” he smiled at me gently.

I nodded, leaving them as they enjoyed watching our favorite drama. Sister Grace narrowed her eyes because he would usually talk to us in her office, but Father Jesse went to the prayer room this time.

He was lighting the votive candles when I came in, and even when he knew I was inside the prayer room, he waited until I was seated before walking in my direction.

Father Jesse sat beside me and prodded me gently on the head.

“Did I do something wrong, uncle?” I asked him, calling him uncle, his preferred way of me calling him. I twitched my lips and fidgeted with my hands as I nervously waited for his answer.

“Just wondering,” he smiled. “You usually go to the church and make weekly confessions, but you haven‘t done it for two months already.” “I was busy,” I lied, puffing out air, feeling guilty for lying to him.

He nodded and looked at me. “You know that I can keep your secret, right?”

I nodded as tears started welling in my eyes. “Do you know what Sky Mars is doing in Heaven Avenue?” He asked me again, but his eyes were on the big cross at the altar.

I shook my head. “He was looking for a woman named Angela.” He tilted his head to look at my face, but I lowered my head, trying my best to hide my tears. “He was looking for his wife.” I gulped and then puffed air before talking. “He must be in the wrong place, Uncle Jesse,” I inhaled, putting much air into my lungs as I uttered another lie. He opened the envelope and took the picture, showing it to me. It was not clear, but enough for me to recognize myself or anyone I knew who would see the image.

“I am here talking to you as a family. You have nothing to be afraid of,” he said, turning his head, nodding at Sister Grace. She sat beside me, and though I had not said anything yet, her eyes were already brimming with tears. I got nervous, suddenly blurting out words. “It was... it was a mistake,” I wrapped my

arms around Sister Grace‘s waist, leaning my head on her chest as I cried. “I went to the wrong party, got drunk, and when I woke up, I was married to Sky,” I confessed, making Sister Grace gasp, and like me, her tears rolled down endlessly to her cheeks.

Father Jesse could only sigh deeply as he heard the truth from me.

“Stop crying now,” Sister Grace embraces me tightly, and I can feel her kissing the top of my head, although I know nothing can bring peace to my heart unless I tell them what is making me scared right now.

I moved away from her. “Mom,” I swallowed hard as I opened my mouth, but it took a while