Anastacia
“I need you to do me a favor,” Kelsey says quietly, darting her eyes to the kitchen.
“Okay…” I say carefully, following her gaze. Tommy is in there, so I can’t imagine why she’s so nervous.
She’s lying on the couch, having said she needed a break from the bed. Tommy had to help her down the stairs because she was so dizzy. For a couple days, she was too sick to come down at all. Tommy and Grizz offered to carry her then, but she said no. It’s nice seeing her down here now, even if she looks pale and like she lost a few pounds.
Her gaze flicks to the kitchen one more time before coming back to me.
“Tommy is going to the store shortly to pick up groceries for Thanksgiving. I need you to go with him and get me something.”
“Uh, okay… why can’t you ask him to get it?”
She sighs, then takes a few breaths, like she’s trying to stop herself from being nauseous. I prepare to get up and run for a bucket.
“I don’t want to get his hopes up.”
“Kelsey, you know I’ll do whatever you need, but I’m lost…”
She grimaces, running a hand through her greasy hair before saying, “I need a pregnancy test.”
I gasp. I can’t help it. That is the last thing I was expecting her to say. I’m not sure what I thought she would ask for, butthat?
“Kelsey,” I hiss excitedly, getting up from the recliner to sit beside her.
“Shhh, please. I don’t want him knowing anything is up.”
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry,” I say. “But this is good news, right?”
Frowning, she shakes her head. “I don’t know. We always…” She swallows, taking a breath before saying, “We always get this far. But after a couple of months… I can’t see him go through that pain again.”
I take her hand. “You have my word that I won’t say anything. Whatever you need from me, just say it. I’ll do it.”
“Thank you,” she whispers.
I lean over to hug her, and when I pull back, I say, “You should really try to shower today, though.”
She whines, running a hand down her face. “God, I know. I’m so sorry. I probably smell.”
“A little like sweat… maybe a tinge of vomit.”
“Gross!”
We both laugh as Tommy walks into the room. “Grizz will be here in about twenty minutes, and I’m going to head out. Do you need to add anything to the list before I go?”
I jump to my feet, taking my opportunity. “Can I go with you?”
He frowns, his mouth opening and closing. “Uh, sure. If you want to. But I could just get you what you need?”
“No, it’s, um… female stuff.”
He laughs. “I’m not fifteen, Anastacia. I buy Kelsey tampons and pads all the time.”
“It’s other stuff, babe,” Kelsey adds.
“Other stuff?” he asks with a raised brow, seeming utterly confused. For a moment, I don’t even know whatother stuffKelsey could be talking about.
“Soap for… down there,” I add, not sure if that even makes sense.
