Page 14

CHAPTER 14

MIRIAM

“What box do you want this in?” I ask Susanna, holding up a coffee cup. I would have put it in the kitchen stuff, but it’s from a place she and the guys went to for their first group date, so it should be considered a collectible.

She looks around, then holds out a hand for it. “This one.”

There’s a smaller tote container at her feet and a stack of newspaper in her lap. Standing up to hand it over, I start dancing, realizing I need to use the bathroom. From the moment I woke up and heard Susanna already elbows deep in packing, I skipped everything I usually do to get ready in the morning to come help.

“I’ll be right back. I have to pee so bad.”

Waving me off, she delicately sets the now wrapped date mug into the container and I rush to my bathroom. After quickly taking care of my business, I move to the sink to wash my hands and notice another spot of what looks like hand soap in my sink.

Frustrated, I turn on the water and rinse it down the drain, then pick up my bottle and inspect the pump to see where it’s leaking from. Turning it over in my hand, I don’t see any marks where it’s dripping out, but toss it. It’s almost empty anyway.

Bending over, I cup my stomach at the bloated feeling there when I’m bent over and rummage around underneath my sink to look for a new hand soap. Shoving aside cleaning supplies and my box of tampons, I dig until I find one toward the back.

Holding it up, I grin. “Got you!” I set it on the counter, then just before I use the edge to balance myself as I stand, my eyes fall back to my box of tampons. My unopened box of tampons.

An uneasy feeling crawls over me, but I can’t put my finger on what’s causing it. Taking the box out, I carry it into the living room and stand next to my chair, chewing on my lip. I need to ask the question, but I don’t want to.

Susanna keeps working until she eventually notices me as I stand unmoving, holding tampons. “What’s go?—”

“How long has it been?” I blurt out, interrupting her.

She sets aside the pile she’s organizing into a new box. “What?”

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and ask again. “It’s been seven weeks, right? Since I went to the cabin. Or has it been six?”

The door opens to our apartment and Susanna’s boyfriend, Vance, strolls in. “Morning. I’m here to help.” He stops when he realizes she and I are just staring at each other with wide eyes. “What’s happening right now?” His head bounces back and forth, studying both of us.

“Fuck,” Susanna mutters, then stands up. “Hold on.”

Rushing to the kitchen, Vance follows. “Hey. I can get what you need. You’re still recovering.”

She just blows past him and grabs the calendar stuck to the front of our refrigerator. “Shit, we threw it away. Vance, can you pull up your calendar on the phone? What day did I leave the hospital?”

Confused, his lip quirks up as his hair falls into his eyes. “You’ve been home for six weeks and four days.”

“Of course you’d know that off the top of your head,” I tease, then laugh when he gives me the most serious of looks.

“Why wouldn’t I? Why, though?” Standing on her toes, she presses a kiss to his cheek.

My stomach sinks and that heavy, bloated feeling rears its ugly head once again, but now I know it’s for a totally different reason. “ Fuck! ” I shout, making both of them jump.

Throwing his arms out, Vance begins to panic. “You’re worrying me. Wha?—”

“Tampons, Vance! Fucking tampons! ” My heart starts pounding and I feel as if I’m going to throw up. I bend over and brace myself on my knees and inhale through my nose, blowing it out through my mouth. “I’m going to puke, and it’s probably because I have fucking morning sickness. Fucking hell, Susu! What in the actual fuck? ”

We both ignore Vance’s mumbled, “But what’s going on with the tampons?”

“Store. I’ll go.” Susanna rushes around, picking up mismatched dirty socks from the floor and tugs them over her feet.

“Now wait, I can go. What do you guys need?”

I’m doing my best to hold back a sob, gritting out, “A pregnancy test, Vance. A motherfucking pregnancy test.” Glancing at the sympathetic look on Susanna’s face, I whisper, “ Estoy jodida .” I’m fucked.

His mouth falls open in shock. “Holy shit. Yeah, okay. Does it matter what kind? Or should I get?—”

Whipping my head back sharply, I choke out a cry. “Anything. Let me grab my wallet.” Refusing to let any tears fall, I wipe at my eyes and search out my purse.

I’m going to school to be a fucking nurse, and I can’t pay attention to the fact that I’m over two weeks late to get my period?

That thought pulls me up short. “Wait. How the fuck could I be pregnant? I’m on birth control! No, this is just stress or something. No way I’m pregnant.”

What the hell will I tell my father? Fuuuuuuuckkk… I’d have to tell my family .

“You have been napping. A lot.”

Susanna’s simple statement has my head snapping up. “I’ll go to the store,” Vance says softly before slipping out of our apartment, leaving us alone.

Instead of answering her, I sink to my knees, drop my face into my hands, and start crying. My best friend sits on the ground facing me, crossing her legs. We aren’t huggers, so I appreciate the comfort she’s offering. Silently sitting with me.

I allow myself the twenty minutes before Vance returns to dissolve and panic. Everything in me wants to scream there’s no way I could be pregnant, but deep down, I know I am. For the life of me, I can’t wrap my head around it. Birth control for years and only having sex for a few days? It’s like something out of a damn movie.

We both hear Vance opening the door, but before he joins us, I reach out and grab Susanna’s hand, squeezing gently. “ No puedo hacer esto sola. ”

I don’t translate, knowing she doesn’t understand. I can’t do this alone . But I can’t put that on her, not when she’s taking charge of her life and moving forward. My fuck-ups aren’t her responsibility, and if I start panicking now, she’ll refuse to move, insisting she stay to help me.

With that in mind, I lift my shirt and dry my face, then give her a forced smile as Vance joins us, immediately sitting next to us on the floor. As odd as he is socially, he’s really a thoughtful guy.

“Okay, just need needed to get that out. Now, I’m going to go in there, piss on a stick to confirm what we already know, then I’ll make an appointment with my doctor.”

Vance simply hands me the bag, which I have to force myself to take, then gives me a little smile in support. Susanna still seems shocked, probably more than I am if I’m being honest, so I leave them to shut myself in my bathroom.

Quickly reading the instructions, I wash my hands again, then follow the steps. As soon as I’m finished, I set it on the counter and plant my butt on the edge of my tub to wait. I’d prefer not to go back out there, not when I can hear Vance’s poor attempt to whisper and Susanna shushing him a few times.

One thing I do know, I shouldn’t have blocked everyone from that weekend. I’ll have to figure out a way to get in contact with someone once I have confirmation from my doctor. I know what Tatum and Ezra do for jobs, but I don’t know where they work, so finding them will prove to be difficult. Honestly, my best bet would be either Kevin Cooper or Richard Leigh. Kevin would be easier. I just hate the idea of calling the police station to tell the captain, “Hey! So, remember me? Oh good, because I’m having your baby, maybe. Or one of the other three men you’re friends with.”

I shudder as I think about delivering that same message to Richard, the ass. As much as I’d rather not, it’s the right thing to do. He has the right to decide what path he takes, and I won’t push him. Honestly, chances are this potential baby is his or Tatum’s, well, or Ezra’s, but Richard was the one who insisted on not pulling out. Ever .

The alarm startles me, dread sinking into my heart. Turbulent feelings overwhelm me as I stand and wipe my sweaty palms over my leggings. I don’t want to be pregnant because I’m not in a place to do this right now, not with all my plans for my future. But a tiny part of me feels full with the idea of growing a precious little life. A piece of me and who will be all mine to love.

Quickly wiping away a tear that falls from my eye, I sniff and pick up the test.

Positive .

Shuddering in a deep breath, I straighten my clothes and check myself over in the mirror. I do look tired, and now I know why. My work and school schedule have never affected me before. I’m used to long hours and hard work.

I won’t let this slow me down until it’s absolutely necessary. Slipping my test back into the wrapper, I drop it into my trash and roll my neck from side to side to ease the tension in my muscles. With one more look at myself in the mirror, I nod my head and turn away to head back out to Vance and Susanna who are waiting for me.

“Positive,” I tell her the moment I’m back in the living room. To signal I’m not keen on talking about it more, I bend over and pick up my friend’s discarded clothes on the floor and start folding them. “Do you have a box for your clothes already, or should I get one going?”

I snap a sweatshirt to straighten it, then fold it a bit more aggressively than I need to. Susanna clears her throat and points to a box near where she was sitting early.

“Well, that’s unexpected,” Vance mutters unhelpfully.

Flicking my eyes toward him, I catch Susanna lightly smacking his arm. “Very,” I clip out. “Turns out, that’s what happens when you have sex.”

“Miri,” Susanna calls and I shake my head at her to signal not now . She nods and asks Vance to grab some packing materials from his car. As soon as he’s gone, she asks, “Do you want me to not do this? I can stay here with you.”

“Absolutely not. You will not upend your life because my body decided it was going to defy medical odds and knock me up after diligently taking my birth control. Women across the world have babies all the time. I’ll be fine.”

She’s silent for a moment before finally asking, “Are you going to tell them?”

“Yes,” I whisper. “I’m not sure who I’ll talk to first, but I’ll let them know.”

Thankfully, she doesn’t ask or say anything else, and we work in silence for another hour before my emotions completely drain the rest of my energy. Her other two boyfriends have arrived, but neither Chester nor Theo mention the news to me. I assume Vance or Susanna gave them a head’s up, which I appreciate.

“Are you okay if I take a little break?” I ask, feeling completely deflated and defeated. “I need to lie down,” I add, then don’t wait for permission before dragging my heavy feet to my room.

Shutting the door behind me, I lay on my side to stare out my window until exhaustion eventually forces my lids to fall shut.