“Oh yeah…I’ll just go take that magic little pill and this allgoes away, right?” I say, not trying to hide the facetiousness inmy voice.
“Ellie, calm down.” She mutters. “We don’t even know for sureif you’re pregnant.”
“Would you stop it with that?” I hiss. “How many girls do youknow had a false positive, huh? I bet none. And quit trying to saythat, thinking that it’ll make me feel better. It’s just a goddamnband-aid thing to say, and it’s stupid.”
A sigh.“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m supposed to be here supporting you,not making it worse.”
“Thank you.”
My phonefalls out of my pocket, landing on the floor. The screen isn’tlocked, and Will’s contact information is showing. Ellie picks itup for me, since it falls on her side. It’s obvious who’s number isthere. “What’s going on?” she asks conversationally.
I decidethat now is as good a time as ever to bounce something off her. “Idon’t know. He called me a couple of days ago…fromVegas.”
Shelifts her brows. “Really.” Her voice is flat. “What, did he notlose enough financial support when you two split, he felt the needto lose more in craps?”
“I dunno. He was drunk. It was really weird. He soundedstrange.”
“Well, if he was drunk, then that’s why he sounded strange.”Sloane says, trying to minimize it.
“No, it’s more than that. Something was…off abouthim.”
“What was it?”
“I’m not sure. He was with that whore that he cheated on mewith though.”
“Oh, point for him.” She says facetiously. “In Vegas with thetramp.”
“Yeah.” I say, sloughing it off. Why the hell I’m so worriedabout my ex when I’m potentially dealing with another life livinginside me is beyond me. Maybe that’s part of it. Will always neededa bit of a babysitter. It got tiresome. He was always expecting meto pick up the pieces whenever he fucked up, too, which was a lot.It’s about time he took some responsibility. From what I hear, hedoesn’t even have a place to live. He’s bunking in with hisbrother, and that’s only because his best friend couldn’t stand himany longer. Heard this through Will’s sister, Denice. We still keepin touch.
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Ellie. Will’s just sowing somewild oats, evidently. He’ll get over it. Or over you, from thesounds of it.”
“I know.” I do feel guilty. I’m the one that wanted out of themarriage. He was the one that wanted to try to fix things. But allI could think about what how much of his weight I’d have to keepcarrying. It’s nice to be free of that. The doctor calls my nameand my heart skips a beat. Sloane gives me a look. “He’s not goingto hurt you. Come on. Quit being a big baby.”
“Thanks for the support.”
Shegrabs my arm, as I reluctantly follow her, while she follows thedoctor.
“How are you ladies doing today?” Dr. Friend asks. He’s beenour doctor since we were born, and it isn’t often that we’re bothhere at the same time.
“You tell me.” I say.
Hesmirks, gesturing to the examination room. The secretary is gonefor the day, and, evidently, I’m the last patient, hence the doctorbringing me in, not the nurse. There is only one guest chair, so,Sloane gives that to me and she chooses to stand by thewall.
I don’teven wait for the doctor to log into the computer with thegreyed-out screen. I’m suddenly tired of pussy-footing around.“Okay, out with it. Am I pregnant?”
He looksat me. “I’m not sure yet, Ellie. I have to look at the bloodworkresults.”
I rollmy eyes.
He picksup on the look. “I take it this isn’t a plannedpregnancy.”
“Ding, ding, ding!” I don’t know why I’m being so snarky. Imean, it’s not his fault I got knocked up…if I am, in fact, knockedup.
“And you did a home pregnancy test?”
“It was positive.” Sloane interjects. “But I told her that itcould be a false positive.”
He’sscanning something on the screen as he mutters. “It’s rare, but itdoes happen.”
