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Kara frowns over her to-go coffee cup. “I take it someone’s feeling better.”
She trudges over to her station, and her keys clank when she plops them onto the counter. She opens the cabinet and stuffs her pocketbook inside, and I hum along to the song as I turn the computer on at the register.
“No morning sickness?” Her gaze flits to my wrists, and yes, they still sport black bands.
“Feeling great.” I beam at her.
She sips her coffee, eyes narrowed, gaze traveling up and down me.
Repulsive coffee odor clouds my nostrils. “Do you mind, maybe, drinking that a little farther back?”
Her face immediately relaxes. “I thought you must’ve miscarried. So, did the nausea just go away?”
“Ian consulted a friend, and he called in a prescription. I feel like a new person.”
“You look it. I’m glad you’re feeling better.” She follows me back to my treatment room and leans against the doorframe, watching as I prep for my first client.
“Ian?” she asks cautiously. “Did you guys work things out?”
I fist my hands and bounce a little on my heels. “We did. We’re together. Well, I mean, we’re going to try.”
I let out a squeal, and she grabs my hands, and we jump up and down like someone asked me to prom. Her coffee spills, and the sight of that brown liquid on my hand has us parting mighty quick. So strange. Before I was pregnant, I couldn’t get a day started without coffee.
“So, he’s not a rat bastard?” she asks as she bends on the ground to wipe up her spill.
“No, he’s not. I think we just…well, we didn’t do a good job of communicating. Talking to each other, you know? But he said he loves me.” She looks up at me and I let out another girly squeal.
“And that’s why he wants to be a part of the baby’s life.” I nod. “He should’ve just started with that.”
“I know, right?” I could tell her that I’m probably just as guilty because of how I acted and all my bullshit, but I like having someone in my corner, so I leave all that out.
“How was your weekend?”
“Fine. Uneventful.” She leans against the doorway again, keeping her coffee far away from me and my desk and my highly sensitive nose.
“I heard Oliver Duke got engaged.”
“He did!” This is feel-good gossip, so I eagerly tell her all about the puppy and Kate’s excitement. She’d already heard about the puppy proposal—which, of course she did, because that’s life in a small town, baby. Plus, he put it on Facebook. So, there’s that.
“And you like this Kate?”
“I really do. She’s fantastic for Oliver.”
“I should be angry at you.” She narrows her eyes, but there’s enough of a smile that I know she’s teasing.
“Why?”
“Because I would’ve loved to go out with him. And now he’s off the market. I suppose all the Dukes are off the market.”
“Well, for now.” I give her a smile, because I’m basically walking on air. But, at my age, I’ve had more than one relationship high, only to crash with time. And there’s a part of me, a part I’m attempting to ignore, that reminds me pre-pregnancy he didn’t want a relationship. He wants one now, and we’re going to try.
The salon bell dings, announcing the arrival of Mia and Alicia. The others are off today. I should go ahead and tell them. Everyone already suspects I’m pregnant. I should just tell them I’m pregnant, and it’s Ian’s, and we’re dating. Just rip it off like a Band-Aid, the same way Ian did with his family. His family didn’t care. They weren’t offended. And they’re Ian’s family. Surely my salon family will rally behind me. And, at the end of the day, who cares what people who don’t really know me say?
There’s more to a person than a family name, a profession, and a street address. It’s two decades since I’ve been in high school. A lot of the residents in this area know the surface details, but they don’t know me. The ins and outs, my reasons, my fractures and scars, my growth, or my goals. What we perceive about others is all in our head. That doesn’t make it true.
But, still, people harbor all kinds of perceptions. I’ll keep my pregnancy on the down low until it’s safe. After all, this is Texas. If I do have a miscarriage, I don’t want some person coming after me, thinking they can punish me and simultaneously earn ten thousand from the state of Texas.
“Hey, guys, come look at this. There’s a parade,” Mia shouts.
