AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hi. I’m so incredibly sorry, but the stomach bug has gotten worse. I don’t think I should come in today, and I’d be so sad if I got you sick too. Please give Elijah a big hug for me. I’ll keep you posted about tomorrow if this bug doesn’t back off.
It’s a few seconds before I hit the send button, reading it over and over to myself. But I do; I hit send, and Noah comes back with a reply almost immediately.
I’m so sorry, Liv. I know you haven’t been feeling well, and I’m sure running into Natasha didn’t help. Take all the time you need.
Tears blur my vision as I try to breathe around the clawing pain in my throat. He’s so understanding, and Noah doesn’t even know what’s really going on.
The sobs worsen, and I run to the bathroom as nausea finally turns from just annoying to problematic.
I still don’t throw up, but I’m too scared to leave the toilet. I’m not sure how long I sit there waiting for it to stop, but when it does, I get up and go back to my phone.
I can’t talk with my dad about what’s going on, and oddly enough, my one and only confidant has already figured out some of this, so I text her.
Hey, Becca. Can you meet to talk? I need my best friend…and some advice.
Waiting long enough to think Becca might not be available or is maybe mad at me or something, I start pacing the room.
When the ding cuts through the silence, I practically launch myself at my phone to check the message.
Of course. I close tonight, so let’s have coffee at the Smug Bean. Okay?
I type up a quick response.
Yes. Thank you. I’ll be there in like 20 minutes.
Getting ready is a pain in the ass as the nausea seems to come and go willy-nilly, and I actually wind up looking up my symptoms on the “What To Expect” website.
Apparently, nausea through the first trimester is very normal, and can both come with or without actual vomiting. Oh, joy.
It can also last the entire pregnancy, which of course, has me dreading everything that much more.
I’m not even sure how I can go through with this, and looking up the symptoms is not helping, so I close everything out of my phone and get dressed.
* * *
When I get to the Smug Bean, Becca is already there and stands up from her table to give me a hug.
“So, I’m guessing the breakup didn’t go well.”
She sits back down, and I sit across from her, trying desperately not to be sick at the smell of food around me.
“Actually, Noah has been very respectful of my decision. The past few days have been great.”
A waiter comes by and stops at our table.
“Can I get you anything, miss?”
“Um, a hazelnut latte, please.” He starts to leave before I call out, “Decaf! Sorry. Decaf, please.”
The guy just laughs. “Sure thing.”
I turn back to Becca, who’s eyeing me like I just grew a second head.
“What?”
“Decaf? You never order decaf. In fact, I’m pretty sure you own a shirt that states ‘death before decaf.’”
I smile to hide the grimace. The woman doesn’t miss a beat.
