The thought alone sent an unhappy feeling through me, but I still managed, pressing my back against the headboard.
“I brought your soup. It’s in the kitchen,” he began, sitting on the bed next to me. “But I picked up something else as well.” He pulled a box out of the white paper bag that looked like he’d gotten from the pharmacy. My eyes bulged when I saw what it was.
“A pregnancy test?”
His brows raised. “Do you remember the last time you had your period?”
I bit my lower lip, trying to recall. Honestly, between work and moving in with Xavier, Las Vegas,and then the cruise, my mind had completely forgotten about my period. I hadn’t really been putting the days my period started and ended in the app I had on my phone. I was usually regular and hadn’t been actively trying to conceive, of course, and we used protection, so...
“We stopped using protection about two months ago.”
“We didn’t stop, we were just inconsistent,” I retorted weakly. Most of the time when we didn’t use a condom, Xavier would say he’d pull out, and he did...sometimes. “Shit.” I stared at him as it all began congealing in my mind. I’d thought my extra tiredness and sickness were from everything that’d taken place in my life.
“Gimme.” I reached for the pregnancy test and made a move to get up to go to the bathroom. Feeling weak from barely eating and throwing up over the last few days, I had to lean against the bed for a moment.
“I’m okay,” I told Xavier as he braced his hands around my waist. “I can get to the bathroom on my own.” I probably could’ve used the help, but I didn’t want to worry him.
I entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind me, and felt relief as I slid down on the toilet, feeling unable to stand on my own for another minute. I read the directions on the back of the test and took out the little cup to pee in. As soon as I began peeing, a knock on the door sounded.
“You a’ight in there?”
I smiled at the anxiousness in his voice.
“I’m good, but I’m going to need you to set a timer when I’m done.”
“Okay. I’ve got my phone out already.”
I figured he would. If I knew Xavier, and I was pretty sure I did, he’d read the directions at least ten times before even buying it. I was sure he had at least one more somewhere too.
After finishing, I pulled up my shorts, set the cup on the counter and placed the test in the cup, so the absorbent side touched the urine.
“Okay, set it for five minutes,” I said as I exited the bathroom.
“But the box only says three.”
I swallowed a laugh. “I know, but some tests take a little longer, so five minutes is probably better.”
He did as asked, I’m sure just wanting to get it over with.
“How about you make me some ginger tea in the meantime?”
“You feeling sick again?”
“I’m always feeling sick these days,” I mumbled as I made my way back over to the bed. The realization that I may be pregnant briefly distracted me from the nausea but it’d never left. And to be honest, the ginger tea did nothing to relieve it, but I knew it would help Xavier feel useful, so I asked.
“Okay, I’ll be right back, and I’ll bring the soup up too. I don’t think you should try and go down the steps.”
I gave no argument to that, just nodded as I tucked myself into bed and tried to will myself not to throw up again. That worked until Xavier came back up with the soup and tea. One sniff of the soup and I was stumbling my way to the toilet. Since I’d barely eaten in days, there was nothing left to throw up, so I found myself dry-heaving over the toilet on my knees.
I was nearly ready to rest my head on the toilet seat when a warm, wet cloth was put against my forehead, and Xavier’s strong hand began rubbing circles on my back. I leaned over against his broad chest, closing my eyes and tried to catch my breath. I had no idea how long we remained like that until I heard…
“Congratulations. You’re going to be a mom.”
My eyes sprang open to see the positive pregnancy test in front of my face.
“Holy shit!” I looked at Xavier, who wore a worried expression. “We’re having a baby.”
Those coffee eyes looked from me to the pregnancy test then back to me again. I could see the smile growing in his eyes, though his set jaw still had a look of worry.
