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Hayley groaned. "Isabella Abbott. You're truly unbelievable. I've met many scatterbrained people, but you top them all. You beat them by miles. How can you forget where you put a PREGNANCY TEST when you don't even know the result yet?"
I shrugged. What could I say? If I knew the answer to that question, I wouldn't have misplaced the test.
"Alright, I'll help you look." Hayley determinedly took a stack of towels from the rack and began unfolding them and then refolding them.
"I'm sure I didn't put the test there," I growled. Of course, I wouldn't admit it, but I was a bit angry with myself. Why couldn't I just get a handle on my absentmindedness?
"You certainly didn't do it on purpose. But as lost in thought as you were... who knows." Hayley looked at me lovingly. "This is quite an uncertain moment for you. It's easy to put something somewhere and then forget you did it." Hayley folded the last towel. "And I'm excited too." She shook her head. "There's nothing here."
In the meantime, I had searched through the individual compartments of the medicine cabinet. Although I was sure I hadn't put the test there, I wanted to check every possible place.
Hayley opened the trash can. But there was only the empty box. No test stick.
"This is pointless." Hayley shook her head. "I'll quickly run to the pharmacy and get you a new test. You'll need it anyway, whether we find the stick now or not."
"Why do I need it anyway? If we find the stick now, everything's fine, right?" I looked at Hayley, confused.
"Didn't you read the instructions? After some time, the test result becomes invalid. You can't let the urine react for too long."
"Yes. I read that." I had. And immediately forgotten it.
"I'll be right back." With these words, Hayley left the bathroom. Shortly after, I heard the door slam behind her.
I took a deep breath. With all the searching, I had completely pushed aside the real question.
What would I do if I was pregnant?
I had never thought about having a child.
Pondering, I stared at my reflection. A pregnancy would turn my whole life upside down. I would have to take care of not just myself, but also a child. And that meant...
... that I would need a job even more urgently.
I wouldn't find one in New York. But maybe somewhere else. Definitely somewhere else. San Francisco was supposed to be nice. Or maybe Seattle? Or...? A bold thought shot through my head.
Hawaii?
Isabella Abbott! You havenomoney to buy a plane ticket to Hawaii. You owe your best friend your share of the rent! So stop these nonsensical dreams and make more realistic plans.
At that moment, a new wave of nausea came over me. I felt a sour taste in my mouth and got dizzy. Searching for support, I reached out. In doing so, I knocked over the large laundry basket.
Isabella. Can't you be careful JUST ONCE?
I took some long, deep breaths. The nausea disappeared as quickly as it had come, and my vision cleared again. I took a step back from the sink.
CRACK.
Plastic splintered under my foot.
I looked down.
The test stick.
I had stepped on the damn thing.
Hadn't we looked on the floor when we were searching for the test?
As I bent down to pick up the broken test stick, I bumped into the lid of the laundry basket, which was now on the floor. Various pieces of clothing were scattered around me. Had I put the test on top of the basket? And then it had fallen in and now resurfaced when I knocked over the basket?