Page 7 of Sin Wagon

The phone beeping drags me from my thoughts, and I look at Derek, take a deep breath, and pick up the stick.

“Ohhhh, holy shit.”

Derek’s eyes widen. “What? What does it say?”

As I stare at the test, a feeling of disbelief washes over me. “It says pregnant.”

“Are you sure? Maybe you read it wrong.” He grabs the stick from me, his eyes scanning the tiny screen. “Yup, it says pregnant. Oh my god, Delilah.”

I slump forward on the toilet, my head in my hands. “What the hell am I going to do?”

Sliding off the counter, Derek’s arms find their way around me, pulling me closer. “You’re not alone in this.”

My eyes fill with tears and I try to blink them away. “I can’t believe this is happening. How could I be so stupid?”

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up. We’ll get through this.” He holds me tighter, and I let myself lean into his comforting presence.

Later, we sit on the couch, a dozen pregnancy tests lying on the coffee table like a ticking time bomb.

Derek hands me a glass of water. “You need to stay hydrated.”

I smile weakly. “Thanks, Dr. Derek.”

He laughs. “Anytime. So, what’s the plan?”

I inhale deeply, hoping to calm my racing heart. “First, I need to see a doctor. Confirm this is real and figure out my options.”

Derek nods. “Good idea. I can go with you if you want.”

“Yeah, I’d like that.” I sip the water, my mind still whirling. “I need to figure out what to do about Hidden Gems. I can’t exactly be dancing on stage with a baby bump.

“Maybe you can do something else? Behind the scenes, or find a different job?”

I groan. “It’s not that easy, Derek. This is how I make extra money and I like what I do. Let’s not even talk about how I’m going to tell Claudia.”

“Yeah, I don’t wish that on even my enemy. But you already know she’s going to be a raging cunt about it, and that’s the same as every day.”

I snort. “You know her so well.”

“She’ll get over it. It’s not like you even see her so she can fuck off.”

I look at him, grateful for his unwavering support. “Thank you, Derek. For being here.”

“Always. Now, let’s figure out what we’re going to do next.”

Chapter 5

DELILAH

“Fuck, this sucks,” I groan, wiping my mouth as Derek holds my hair and ties it back into a bun on top of my head.

“You’re so lucky I love you, babe.”

“Why do they call it morning sickness if it happens well into the afternoon?” I lean my head on the seat of the toilet in my apartment.

“I don’t know. Why do they call it Plan B if there is no C?” Derek laughs, but stops and looks slightly guilty when he sees me glaring at him.

I’m pregnant; seven weeks, to be exact. I went to the doctor the following week after I took the test with Derek and sure enough, I’m having a stranger’s baby.