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He smiles, but I didn’t miss the hurt that flashed over his face. It’s gone in seconds, and he leans in and kisses me again, this time on the mouth. It’s over before I want it to be, and he’s walking toward his car saying he’ll see me in a few hours.
Mar from Happy Cow is in the grocery store, chatting up Cecil, and I take way too long hiding in the card section with the box of tests tucked on the bottom shelf just in case anyone else walks by. When I see Mar making gradual movement toward the exit, I grab a box of tampons and a box of condoms just to add to the boxes and make it confusing.
As soon as she’s out, I go to the checkout and when I set the things down and Cecil picks up each box excruciatingly slow, I realize what a stupid idea it was. Now it’s like I have three embarrassing things instead of just one.
Cecil looks at me through his bushy eyebrows. “I once had a lady buy six hundred dollars’ worth of paper products along with her pregnancy tests,” he says, chuckling.
“Wow…intense.” I make a face likehow ridiculous is that?even though we both know I’m just as ridiculous, albeit on the thriftier side.
He hands me the change and puts the receipt in the bag.
“Good luck,” he says.
I blink rapidly, the sudden onslaught of emotion taking me by surprise.
“Thank you.”
I get to the condo, forgetting at first that it’s almost time to pick up Dakota, but when I check my watch and see there’s probably enough time to pull it off, I decide I’m too antsy to wait around any longer than I have to.
I hustle inside, pausing briefly to melt over the flowers Wyatt placed in a vase on the table. And then I’m in the bathroom, washing my hands and doing the test as fast as my shaky hands will allow me.
I set the timer for ten minutes and pace the floor, watching the clock. I need to leave within twelve minutes to get Dakota, and then I’m second-guessing that too. Maybe I should leave in five minutes…traffic was hectic earlier. It’s officially tourist season in Landmark.
It hasn’t even been three minutes when I rush back into the bathroom to check the test and gasp out loud when I see the two lines.
Noooooo.
I slide to the floor of the bathroom, head reeling.
I can’t believe this.
I’m pregnant.
As wonderful as the past few weeks have been, I have no idea how Wyatt will respond to this news. I can’t imagine it being positive.
I put my head in my hands and cry, shocked and embarrassed that this is happening again. Was the first time not enough to get the message across? I should’ve been on birth control along with the condoms…or better yet, I should’ve waited to get involved with Wyatt when, oh, I don’t know, a few years had passed and I could’ve been more prepared for bringing another life into the world.
My alarm goes off, sending me skittering off the floor and hopping around to find my phone. I rush out the door and try my hardest not to cry all the way to Dakota’s friend’s house. When I get there, I pinch my cheeks and get my fakest pageant smile in place.
I’m numb on the ride home, listening to Dakota talk about the party and chiming in with the appropriate responses.
How will she feel about having a baby brother or sister? It’s already not fair that her dad doesn’t want anything to do with her—what’s it going to do to her to have another baby in the house?
Tears roll down my face and I hurriedly wipe them off before we go into the house.
“Where’s Wyatt?” she asks when we walk in. “Ooo, flowers! Pretty.”
“He’s coming to pick us up for dinner at Grinny’s. We should get ready.”
“Will Owen be there?”
“Grinny said he would be, yes.”
She pauses, studying my face. “Did Daddy call?”
“Uh, no, he didn’t.”
“Did Grandma call?”
