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I flinch when Rachel touches my cheek and nearly smack her hand away when she touches my forehead. “What are you doing?”
“Checking to see if you have a fever.” She tilts her head to the side, looking contemplative. “Surprisingly, you’re not warm.”
I don’t think I like where this is going. “Must have been something wrong with my breakfast,” I say, my gaze moving to the tiled floor. I wrinkle my nose at the dirty cracks and the yellow stained tile a foot away from me. Must make sure I don’t put my hand there when I stand.
“Could be,” Lauren says absentmindedly. “But I don’t think it’s that.”
“What could it possibly be?” I snap, immediately regretting it. I shouldn’t be mean to her. She’s the one checking on me, making sure I’m alright. It’s not her fault I’m still suffering from morning sickness.
“Well, if I’m to use my amazing detective skills, I have observed your breast size going up, and the baggy cardigans and clothes seem a bit suspicious, especially when it’s so warm out, and you and I both know you love caffeinated coffee. Yet, somehow, recently, you’ve been ordering decaf.” She raises an eyebrow at me. “Do you want me to say it out loud, or do you want to come clean and tell me?”
I grimace, not wanting to say the words aloud for fear Charlie or someone we know will somehow overhear and tell the whole campus, but I might as well say it. She’s already figured it out.
“I’m pregnant,” I whisper as softly as I can muster.
Lauren nods and I am thankful she’s not making me repeat it louder. “Alright. So why haven’t you told us? Charlie and I aren’t the type to demand you choose a bro to marry.”
“Because I haven’t told the bros, yet.”
Lauren’s mouth gapes open and her eyes widen with both shock and horror. “What? Why haven’t you told them?”
“Well, at first I wasn’t sure about keeping the little bun.”
Lauren nods. “Sure. Understandable.”
“But then, I decided I really wanted them, but the timing to tell the bros was all wrong, because Seth and Alex were at camp and Hunter and Lucas have been so busy.”
Lauren purses her lips and gives me a look that says I thought wrong. “I understand wanting to wait to tell all of them at once, but saying ‘the bros were busy’ is a little bit of a copout, Rachel.”
“I know,” I groan. “I should have told them when Alex and Seth returned, but they didn’t get into the Olympics and Seth can be so-so-so—”
“Well, fuck Seth!” Lauren shouts. “You don’t need him if he’s not going to be supportive. But I think you are fussing over this for nothing. The bros love you. Sure, the timing isn’t the greatest, but it rarely ever is. You should tell them. Like tonight.”
“You promise not to tell anyone?”
Lauren nods. “Cross my heart and hope to die,” she says while making an X over her chest.
“Stick a need in your eye?”
Lauren holds up a hand. “We’re not going that far.”
I take her outstretched hand and she helps me off the floor. “Thank you,” I say as I follow her out of the bathroom stall.
“Let’s just get your things and get you home. What time is Hunter picking you up today?”
“In about five hours. I have work in an hour.”
Lauren whirls around and plants her hands on her hips. “Oh, no you don’t. You should call in sick and get some rest. You don’t need any extra stress.”
“Yeah, but I need money. Babies, so I’ve heard, are expensive.”
“And stress can lead to illness which leads to medical fees, which I’ve also heard, are expensive.”
I raise an eyebrow at her. She does have a point, but if I call in sick, Lucas will wonder what’s going on. However, going home, changing into pajamas and crawling into bed sounds so nice right now.
“Fine,” I relent. “I will call off work.”
“Promise?”
