Forced to Be Godmother Chapter 1

On my commute, I saw a forum post titled: "Expecting a boy but overwhelmed with work. How can I get colleagues to help?" The OP shared her excitement about carrying the "family heir" but complained of morning sickness and a heavy workload, asking how to make coworkers more considerate.

The comments tore into her entitlement: "Why work if the baby's so precious?" and "Your husband should step up, not your colleagues." Ignoring the backlash, she liked a manipulative suggestion: "Pick a quiet, young colleague to be the godmother—she won't refuse, and you can boss her around." I reported the post.

Then, at work, my desk neighbor happily announced, "I'm pregnant—two months along!"

Felicia's voice was bright and cheerful, pitched just loud enough for the entire open-plan office to hear.

A chorus of congratulations immediately filled the air.

"Wow, Felicia, you're going to be a mom!"

"Congratulations!"

Amid the well-wishes, Felicia grabbed my hand with an almost cloying warmth.

"Chloe, you and I are the closest here. You're so brilliant, I've always thought of you as a little sister."

"So, I wanted to ask if you would be my baby's godmother. Let him soak up some of your good fortune!"

I froze.

The forum post flashed through my mind, specifically the line about "finding a quiet pushover to be the godmother."

It couldn't be... that much of a coincidence, could it?

I gently pulled my hand back, my smile feeling stiff and unnatural.

"Congratulations, Felicia, that's wonderful news. But... isn't it a bit early to be asking me to be a godmother?"

"I only just graduated. I'm practically still a kid myself."

Linda, a veteran colleague nearing retirement, chimed in with a good-natured laugh. "She's right, Felicia. Chloe doesn't even have a boyfriend yet. It wouldn't be proper for her to be a godmother."

I shot her a grateful look. "Exactly! Linda's right. My mom has warned me about that, too."

Felicia's smile faltered for a split second, a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. But she quickly plastered it back on. "Oh, listen to me, getting carried away with excitement. I wasn't thinking."

She said she wasn't thinking, but she didn't move. She clearly wasn't finished.

After a few seconds of silence, Felicia placed a hand on her still-flat stomach, her voice turning soft and frail.

"Being pregnant is such a blessing, but sigh..."

"It’s just this first trimester. The symptoms are hitting me so hard. I'm dizzy, nauseous, and my back aches if I sit for too long."

"And the subway every day... it's so crowded, and I worry about the radiation from the security scanners. I don't know if it's safe for the baby..."

Her tone shifted. "Chloe, don't you drive to work every day?"

"I was wondering... could I possibly get a ride with you?"

A ride?

We live in completely opposite directions. What she wanted wasn't a ride, it was a free chauffeur.

I laughed coldly to myself but put on a troubled, apologetic expression.

"Oh, Felicia, what terrible timing."

"My car broke down last Friday. The mechanic said they have to order a part from out of state, and it'll take at least a month. See? I had to take the subway this morning, too."

I held up my hands in a gesture of helplessness.

I was suddenly incredibly grateful that I'd been too busy to get gas last weekend. This morning, the car wouldn't even start.

Felicia's expression froze, a mixture of disappointment and disbelief. She looked like she wanted to argue but eventually just squeezed out a dry, "Really? What a coincidence."

At lunchtime, I took out my insulated lunch box.

Today's main course was pan-seared salmon. My mom knew it was my favorite and made a point of waking up early every day to pack me a lunch.

The moment I twisted the lid open, a figure appeared at my side.

Felicia stood over my desk and took a long, deep sniff of my food.

"Wow, Chloe, that smells incredible!"

Then, she clutched her chest as if in discomfort. "My morning sickness has been so bad, the smell of everything makes me sick. I can't keep anything down."

"But the second I smelled your lunch... poof! My appetite is back!"

Felicia stroked her abdomen and sighed dramatically. "This isn't me being greedy. It must be my baby craving it!"