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“Well, that boy sure has taken good care of you,” she says.
I smile to myself. He really has. Ethan has been the best.
“While I was there, I got the doctor to do an STD test,” I say quietly. I cover my eyes with my palm when I say it.
“A what?”
“A test for sexually transmitted diseases.”
“They called it VD in my day. Nobody wanted a dreaded venereal disease.” She gets quiet. Then she finally says, “I’m glad you got tested. I don’t think you have anything to worry about, but you never know, not with what Charles did.”
“I’d rather know than not know.” Ever since Gran brought it up, I’ve worried that something dark and dangerous is lurking inside me, just waiting to take over as soon as I test positive.
“How long until you find out?” I can hear her eating on the other end of the phone. “I’m out of black jelly beans. You’re going to have to pay me a visit, so I have an excuse to buy a new bag.”
I snort, but it makes my head hurt. I lay my palm across my forehead and hold it there, trying to will the headache away.
“I also got a job application while I was there. I’m going to send them my resume as soon as I feel better. They’re hiring.”
“Well, that sounds like a fine idea.” She chews slowly. Apparently, the absence of black jelly beans has not slowed her down. “So you’re thinking about staying, huh?”
“I need a job and they have an opening. I wouldn’t be opposed to staying for a while. Besides, I don’t like being the topic of conversation back there. I know they’re all talking about me.”
Gran makes a tsking sound with her teeth. If she does that too much, they’ll fall right out of her mouth. I’ve seen it happen. “They’re too busy talking about Charles and Sandra to talk about you. Apparently, Charles went to where Sandra works to raise a little hell when she refused to accept his calls. They’ve put her on administrative leave at the hospital.”
If I felt better, I’d do a little Snoopy dance. Instead, I settle for a small fist pump and plaintive silence. “Is that so?”
“And word has it that after she got put on leave at the hospital, she went by his office and raised Cain and he got sent home for the rest of the day and a formal warning.”
No matter how that made my heart feel like things were a little better in line, I still felt somewhat bad for them. And even more for that unborn child. Babies don’t ask to be born into drama-prone families that start the way theirs did. I desperately hope they can get their shit together, if only for the child’s sake.
“Well, that’s just awful,” I finally reply.
Gran snickers. “I can tell you’re all tore up about it.” She chews loudly for a minute. “So, tell me about Ethan.” She waits, not even breathing into the phone.
“What do you want to know?”
“You found out what happened? Where he has been?”
“Yes. He told me. It was a tragic accident.”
“Yes, it was,” she says quietly.
“And he has paid for it.”
“Has he?”
“He served his time. Isn’t that enough? You should have seen the people in town, Gran. They were like mice picking at a wheel of cheddar. And he was about as defenseless. It was sad to watch.”
“Sometimes, Abigail, we have more than one demon to fight. Sometimes it’s the past, sometimes it’s the present, and quite often it’s ourselves.”
“He’s pretty great, Gran,” I say. I yawn into the phone. “Oops. Sorry.”
“I’ll let you get back to sleep. Just wanted to check on you.”
“Thanks, Gran.” I yawn again. I disconnect the call and let the phone drop heavily to the bed. My arm hits just as hard, weak and tired from holding up the phone.
“Still not feeling well?” Ethan asks. I didn’t even hear him walk in.
