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Kelly’s voice rang through the entire kitchen. I smiled and turned to see her standing in the doorway. She embraced me tightly as if we had been apart for much longer than a week. Kelly and I were the most alike in the group, and I was closest to her after Jenna. While Jenna was like a big sister and best friend to me, Kelly felt more like a kindred spirit.
“Dinner’s ready,” Jenna announced over the din of chatter. “Everyone, grab something.”
We did as she commanded, carrying pots and dishes to the sitting room. Jenna had arranged a low table with blankets and cushions in a rough circle on the floor. I placed my load on the table and settled comfortably near the heater.
Jenna opened another bottle of wine for us, settling down into a stack of cushions with a fruit cocktail. Rachel dished out the food while Kelly refilled wine glasses. Louise was on music duty; her sense of music was far greater than ours combined.
We ate and drank, talked and laughed. Jenna tried dancing a bit, which was a sight for sore eyes. Jenna had also provided several card games, and we played until late into the night. Just before midnight, she handed me a small bag, asking me to pass the contents around to everyone.
I laughed aloud when I saw the contents. Jenna had stashed pregnancy strips into small velvet bags. I passed them around, getting the same reactions from the other girls.
“What type of game is this?” Louise asked.
“I saw it on TV,” Jenna replied, pulling on a pair of medical gloves. She got to her feet with my help. “It’s simple. We all go into a bathroom, use the strip, return it into identical bags, and then mix them all up. It is a pregnancy game. Trust me, it is fun.”
Louise shrugged. “Me first.” She walked into the bathroom and returned shortly after, tossing her test into a bowl Jenna had placed in the middle. We all followed suit, with Jenna throwing her test in last.
We surrounded Jenna as she shuffled and mixed up the bags. Satisfied that the tests were mixed up enough, she reached into the bowl and grabbed a bag. She loosened the thread, spilling the test on the floor. It read positive, and we all whooped excitedly.
“No surprise whose test that is, I suppose,” Kelly said, causing another round of laughter.
Jenna reached into the bowl again and produced another test. This time, it was negative. I booed loudly, to Louise’s amusement. The next two strips also came up negative, and we all lost interest in the game.
“Check the last one,” Rachel said as Jenna cleared out the tests into a trash bag.
Jenna shrugged, and we all turned back to look as she brought out the last test. The two solid lines on the strip shocked us into collective silence. We stared at the strip in Jenna’s hand as if an abomination had happened. Jenna looked up from the strip, moving from face to face.
Then she erupted into laughter. “Well, what do we have here? It looks like one of you is about to become a mother. I wonder who? Now the game becomes interesting.”
I looked at Kelly, who appeared deep in thought. She groaned almost immediately, slapping her forehead. “Could it be?” she asked quietly. “I had a one-night stand several weeks ago. It seemed harmless at the time, and I was on the pill. Could it be me? Oh, God.”
I thought about Michael again. I had also gotten pills at a convenience store near Bologna, and the woman assured me they would work for up to seventy-two hours after unprotected sex. I had not experienced morning sickness since meeting Michael. I felt a small stab of panic, regardless. What would I do if I were pregnant?
I didn’t want to imagine what would happen if my father or brother found out. They would definitely attack whoever was responsible. Still, it was all hypothetical, and there was no reason for me to assume that the test was mine.
I looked around again; even Rachel and Louise looked troubled by the discovery, each deep in thought. Jenna seemed to enjoy herself thoroughly, grinning as she looked from one person to the other. The mood of the gathering soured completely, as was only natural under such unforeseen circumstances.
“Calm yourself, Kelly, you’re spiraling out of control,” Jenna said, taking charge. “That strip may not even be yours, for all you know. Heck, there could have been a mistake, as is common with strips.”
Kelly looked up and nodded as Jenna continued. “One thing is obvious, though. You ladies will have to get tested tomorrow. It should calm your nerves to make sure of your status.”
W echoed our agreement in unison. One by one, we disappeared into our assigned rooms, faces long and filled with uncertainty. Finally, I was left alone with Jenna.
“You don’t seem as shaken as the others,” she said, facing me. “What about your crazy adventure with Michael? Aren’t you worried?”
I thought about it for a moment, wanting to answer as honestly as possible. “I don’t think it’s me. I took precautions afterward. It’s been three months since then, and I have felt no sickness or missed a period. No, I don’t think it’s me. Besides, what good does worrying do?”
Jenna nodded, listening quietly. When I finished speaking, she got up to leave. “Bonne nuit, Alessia. À demain.”
I sat in the darkness a while longer, savoring some wine alone. I enjoyed the emptiness in my mind as I drank straight from the bottle. I did not know how much time had passed, but I dragged myself upstairs during the night, the wine bottle sitting empty in my wake.
I woke up what seemed like an hour later, with Jenna gently shaking me. “Are you trying to sleep through the day?” she demanded.
“I only shut my eyes for an hour,” I protested. “What time is it?”
“Almost noon.”
I jumped out of bed immediately, running to the door. “Shit, how could I sleep so deeply?” I quickly ordered a cab and put myself together as best I could. “Where are the others?” I asked Jenna.
