“All right, but I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” I say as he leaves, disappearing around the corner.
I remain rooted to the spot, struggling to process our conversation and still half expecting this to be an elaborate prank. But when I finally get up and check the hallway, it’s empty, confirming that Dr. Hansen was dead serious about me taking the test and reporting back with the results.
My heart hammers in my chest as I go into the bathroom and shut the door.
I carefully unwrap the kit and scan the instructions. It seems straightforward enough—I pee on the stick and wait for the result—but it’s my first time taking a pregnancy test, and I don’t want to leave room for error.
The seconds tick by in slow motion as I follow the steps, relieved I downed a bottle of water on the drive here and didn’t have a chance to use the restroom before my appointment. Otherwise, my nerves would have made this a lot harder.
When I’m finished, I wash my hands and place the pregnancy test on the counter.
I set a five-minute timer on my phone. The instructions say to wait three, but a couple of extra minutes can’t hurt. I’malmostcertain it will be negative, but now that Dr. Hansen’s planted the idea in my head, I have to be sure.
I start pacing the small space, eyes glued to the timer, until a text snaps me out of my hyper-focused daze.
Backroads & Bad Decisions Group Chat
Wren sent a photo
It’s Lottie with her hands on her hips, grinning to show off a space where her two front teeth should be.
Birdie: OMG, that gap is adorable!
Briar: How is she losing teeth already? I swear it was just yesterday when you were sending videos of her learning to walk!
Wren: Right? I can’t believe my little girl is almost seven.
Charlie: Two teeth in one day? That calls for a jackpot from the tooth fairy.
Wren: Rumor is that funds are low, so she’s accepting donations. *wink emoji
I can’t help but wonder if there’s more truth to that statement than she wants us to believe.
The four of us have been friends since kindergarten and were inseparable through high school. I figured we’d all stay in Bluebell forever until Wren dropped the bombshell that she was moving to Florida with Cole, her boyfriend. They had Lottie shortly after, and I knew she wasn’t coming back. It’s a good thing we have our group chats to keep us connected through blurry photos, chaotic message threads, and way too many unhinged voice notes at ungodly hours.
Birdie: Hypothetically, would Lottie consider a puppy a fair trade for her teeth?
Briar: Birdie rescued a litter of beagles and has already guilt-tripped the barista at Lasso & Latte and the crossing guard at the elementary school into becoming dog parents.
Birdie is an animal activist who takes in every abandoned animal she finds and constantly tries to rope us all into adopting. I’m the only one who’s managed to resist her persuasion, but I have a feeling it’s only a matter of time before I cave too.
Charlie: As Lottie’s self-appointed godmother, I’m putting my fullsupport behind her getting a puppy.
Birdie: We could turn it into a cross-country delivery.
Charlie: I call shotgun!
Wren: As much as Lottie would love your plan, Cole isn’t a fan of dogs.
Charlie: I knew something was wrong with him.
Wren: Be nice.
Charlie: What? Anyone who doesn’t like puppies can’t be trusted.
Birdie: Says the person who hates cats.
Charlie: I’m allergic! If I go near one, my eyes puff up like balloons.
