“Well?” I prompt, impatiently.
He looksat me, pressing his lips together. “Yes, Ellie. You’repregnant.”
I drawin a deep breath and then exhale it slowly. “Are yousure?”
He nods.“Do you need a few minutes?”
“No.” I wave. “I know what my options are.”
“Have you given any thought, Ellie?” he asks, concernregistered on his face. This man has known me all my life. God, hedelivered me, for chrissake. I feel like I can’t even look him inthe eye, knowing that I’m pregnant.
“Not really.” I admit. “I was kind of hoping that it was afalse positive.”
“Well, I can refer you to a gynecologist, who can go throughyour options more thoroughly than I can. If you’re leaning morealong the lines of an abortion, that is.”
I closemy eyes, not wanting to think about this, even though I know that Ihave to.
“Have you told the father yet?” his eyes jump to Sloane for amoment, and I think that he catches on. Of course, I haven’t toldthe father yet, otherwise, he’d be here.
I’massuming that she shakes her head no, answering for me, as he turnsback to the screen. “I’ll send you for an ultrasound, so we knowhow far along you are, Ellie, okay? Do you know when your lastperiod was?”
Afterrunning it through my mind over and over again, I can’t remember.I’m terrible with that. I’ve never kept a calendar, until now, thatis. “Not sure.”
“That’s okay. The sonogram will tell us, Ellie.” He sayscomfortingly. “Maybe talk it over with your boyfriend.”
My lookis that of shame. “I don’t have one.”
Hedoesn’t know what to say. “I’ll set you up with a gynecologist. Youcall me if you need anything, okay?”
“Thanks.”
***
“These prenatal vitamins taste like evil.” I whine, scarfingone down, after we drive home from the pharmacy.
“They’re not meant to be savored, Ellie.” She snorts. “It’snot a Tic Tac.”
“I wasn’t sucking on it like a cough candy, stupid. It startedto melt as I was swallowing it.”
“Well, you were the one that insisted on buying the genericones. You’re pregnant. This is not the time to befrugal.”
“Don’t even talk to me about it.” I wave, disgusted, as wepull into my driveway.
“So, when are you going to tell him?” Sloane asks, as we walkto the front door.
“I don’t know. I’m not even sure how he’s going to react. Idon’t know him well enough.”
“How long have you been sleeping with him for?” she asks, witha tone of snark in her voice.
“We had sex, Sloane. We barely spoke. He and I aren’t thetalkative type, like some people I know.”
“You’re just bitchy because you’re pregnant, and now you haveto make decisions you don’t want to make.”
“No shit.” I scoff. “Don’t you need to go home? And thinkabout your own problems?”
“Actually, yeah.” My sister says. “And I’m only keeping thisfrom mom for one week, Ellie. So, make up your mind.”
“Well, aren’t you the insensitive type, huh.”
