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One step at a time. Find Jane. Confirm what I already know in my gut. Then face Charlie and whatever comes next.

I square my shoulders, lift my chin, and walk toward the door. The music swells as I pull it open, the world continuing its dance while mine has tilted on its axis. I scan the crowded reception for Jane, steeling myself for the conversation ahead.

I spot Jane near the dessert table, her champagne flute poised midair as she laughs at something Trey is saying. Hereyes lock onto mine across the crowd, and her smile shifts into something softer, a question mark between us.

When I reach her, Jane hands her champagne to Trey without explanation and loops her arm through mine.

"Let's get some air," she says, steering me toward the terrace doors. Trey knows better than to follow.

Outside, the night wraps around us like velvet. The string quartet's notes drift faintly from inside, mingling with the rhythmic crash of waves below. Jane leads me to a quiet corner where potted palms create a natural screen from curious eyes.

"I'm late," I blurt out, the words escaping in a rush. "Five days late, Jane."

Jane's eyes widen, but she doesn't look shocked—more like she's processing information she already suspected.

"And you're never irregular?" she asks, her voice steady.

I shake my head. "Like clockwork. Twenty-eight days, every month since I was fifteen." My fingers twist together. "I forgot my pill. Twice. And now I'm craving horseradish, of all things."

"Like your mom did," Jane says softly, remembering the story I've told her before.

"Yeah." My voice cracks. "What am I going to do?"

She takes my trembling hands in hers, her grip warm and sure. "First, we're going to know for sure. There's a drugstore about ten minutes from here—I saw it on our way in. We'll go right now, get a test, and then we'll know what we're dealing with."

"But Charlie?—"

"Will be fine for thirty minutes. Trey will cover for us." Her tone leaves no room for argument. "Come on. The sooner we know, the sooner you can breathe."

Jane leads me through the reception hall, navigating around dancing couples and waiters with practiced ease. She whisperssomething to Trey as we pass, and he nods, raising his glass slightly in acknowledgment.

Outside, the valet brings Jane's SUV around. The leather seats are cool against my legs as I slide in. Jane cranks the air conditioning and pulls away from the hotel, the tires crunching over gravel before finding smooth pavement.

Jane reaches into the center console and pulls out a bottle of water, handing it to me without taking her eyes off the road.

"Drink," she instructs. "It'll help when we get there."

I crack the seal and take a long sip. The water slides down my throat, a stark contrast to the panic that's been building inside me since my bathroom revelation.

"What if I am?" I ask, my voice small against the hum of the engine. "What will I tell Charlie?"

Jane glances at me, her expression gentle but firm. "The truth. But one step at a time, okay? First the test, then decisions. And Tess?" She reaches over to squeeze my knee. "You're not alone in this. Whatever happens."

The simple promise loosens something tight in my chest. For the first time since looking at my tracking app, I take a full breath.

We pull into the parking lot of a drugstore, its fluorescent sign casting stark shadows across the asphalt. Jane kills the engine and turns to me.

"Ready?"

I nod, though ready is the last thing I feel.

The automatic doors buzz open, releasing a blast of air-conditioned air and the scent of cleaning products. At this hour, the store is nearly empty—just a bored cashier thumbing through their phone and an elderly man studying vitamin bottles with intense concentration.

Jane leads me straight to the family planning aisle, where boxes of condoms sit ironically next to rows of pregnancy tests. I stare at the options, suddenly overwhelmed.

"This one," Jane says decisively, plucking a blue box from the shelf.

I take the box from her, holding it like it might detonate. "I should probably get two, right? To be sure?"