Page 30 of His to Mate

14

“I’m sorry,I must have missed a step somewhere. From your own calculations, we should have something more conclusive than this. Let me work on it for a few more days and see if I’ve missed something.” Meg looked crushed and Ann didn’t want to make her feel worse about the failure of the test.

“So, do you think I am?” Ann had to ask, despite what Meg said.

“From what you’ve said, I think it’s likely. I wouldn’t swear on it though, Ann. Not without proof.” Meg bent back down to the computer she was on and began to type into it again. “I just don’t know what I could have gotten wrong.”

“Thanks, Meg. I’ll come back in a few days then.” She picked up her bag and glanced over at Skye. “Do you want to come back to the house with me?”

Ann really wanted her friend to join her. She was crushed by the news that the test hadn’t worked. She’d wanted the answer so badly!

“Yes, I’d like that. Come on, let’s get you home.”

“Thanks. See you, Meg,” she called out as they left the lab.

“Bye, ladies. Have a good day.”

“She’ll be lost on that thing until she finds an answer,” Skye said and they loped out of the hospital together.

By the time Ann set the transporter down in her driveway, she was boiling with curiosity. Skye followed along behind her, silent until Ann closed the door to the bathroom just off the bedroom. “I’ll wait here, shall I?”

“Sorry, yes please.” Ann dropped the bag down and opened it. She saved two for the morning and opened the other five. She found a collection cup in each box and sat down to get what she needed. When the cup was filled, she cleaned up, and followed the instructions for the digital tests. One didn’t come on at all, the others all lit up.

“Ann, I have to tell you, those can give you false negatives or false positives now. They’re out of date,” Skye called through the door and Ann grimaced.

“I know, but I have to try.”

“Stubborn ass,” Skye muttered with a laugh. “Just like me. Has to know.”

“Want to come in and wait with me?” Ann opened the door and the other woman walked in. Ann sat down on the toilet and Skye on the rim of the bathtub.

“How long have you got left?” Skye asked.

“A few more minutes. Not long.” She sighed and crossed her arms over her breasts but that only made her wince, so she put her arms back down. They hurt so much and felt like two rocks on her chest. But, again, it was a common sign of her period.

“The pregnancy books have all kinds of symptoms listed when you’re first pregnant, but those can be hard to go by. Especially if your body is just fucking with you.”

“Right? I think I might be, but it’s hard to tell. Half of it might be stress, we’ve been through a lot in the last few months, and that might be causing all of my symptoms. Who knows?” Ann knew she was babbling but didn’t care. She just wanted the time to pass.

“Will they beep or something?” Skye glanced at the tests on the counter where Ann placed them.

“I think so. I didn’t read the rest, just the instructions on how to do the test part.” Ann picked up the box and looked at it. She felt like she’d been waiting for results for hours now, and it only made it worse to know that these tests would probably give her false results. But she had to see what happened. “Yeah, they’ll beep.”

At last, she heard five beeps, one after the other. Skye took her hand and they looked down at the tests. All five were positive. “What does that mean?”

“Unfortunately, nothing. They could be right, or they could be wrong.” Skye sighed and hugged her close. “I’m sorry but that’s the truth of it. You’re no closer to knowing than when you started this morning.”

“I hate not knowing!” Ann’s frustrated tears fell, and she pulled away from Skye to wipe them away.

“And I hate it for you.” Skye opened the door and walked out to the bedroom. “I’m going to get you something to drink and maybe something to eat. What do you want?”

“Just a sandwich or something,” she replied miserably. “I’m sorry I’m not very good company today.”

“It’s fine, girl, don’t worry.” Skye made the call and went out to sit on the balcony. Ann followed her and sat down with her. “Look, I’ll bring you some of those pregnancy books I found in the clinic, just in case, and you can prepare yourself, just in case.”

“Thanks, that would be good. I don’t know a lot about it, only what I had to learn in school and from other women I know.” Ann thought about her mom, and decided asking her about pregnancy right now wasn’t a good idea. Mary had her own troubles to deal with having Rex in her household. “I’m glad you’re here with me.”

“I’m glad too. It’s nice having someone to talk to.” Skye settled back into her chair and looked out, but Ann knew she wasn’t really seeing the landscape. She had something on her mind. “Are you sure you want those tests lying around like that?”