A week after my doctor’s appointment, I finally got up the nerve to visit Evan. I pulled up to the Jordan house and took a deep breath. After I gathered my courage and composed myself, I climbed out of the car.
I walked up to the porch and sat on the rocking chair. I wanted to take a few more minutes to pull myself together and make sure I didn't blurt out my condition to Evan. He was the closest thing I had to a best friend, but I couldn't tell him this secret. If he wasn't the uncle of the baby I was carrying, it would have been a no-brainer. I would have told him the minute I peed on that stupid stick, but because he was Alex's brother, it would only be natural that Evan’s loyalties would lay with Alex. Evan would either force me to tell Alex, or he'd tell him himself. A risk I simply couldn't take.
I thought back to the times we hung out and ate pizza or watched a movie, times when the three of us could laugh and joke. Just a few short months ago, I had it all.
Evan was my good friend, and he helped me through the first few awkward weeks in my new relationship with Alex. In the four months Alex was here, I had more fun than I'd ever had before.How did things change so fast?
"Jocelyn?" Evan came out the front door. "Why are you sitting on the porch?"
"Evan!" I'd been so lost in thought, I didn't hear him come outside. I got up off the rocking chair much too quickly and immediately felt lightheaded. He grabbed my arm and held me up.
"Are you okay?" I saw the worry in his face.
"Yeah." I smiled. "Just got up too fast."
Way to go, Jocelyn!
He stared at me, trying to decide if I was lying.
"What? I'm fine."
"You look tired. Are you sick?"
"No." I shook my head. "Just working a lot of hours at the coffee shop."
"Oh, trying to get in as many hours as you can before school starts?"
"Yeah, something like that." I shrugged off his question.
He pulled me into a hug, and I tensed then forced myself to relax.Don't be silly, I chastised myself. There was no way he could tell I was pregnant by hugging me, not yet, anyway. I put my arms around him and rested my head on his shoulder.
"I miss you," I whispered, and my eyes filled with tears.I am so freaking emotionalthese days.
"Hey?" He looked into my wet eyes. "What's going on?"
"Nothing." I smiled. "Just having a bad day."
"Want to talk about it?"
"Maybe later. How are things with you?"
"Okay," he said. "Just getting ready for school. Classes start in a few weeks. I wish you were coming with me."
"You don't need me." I smiled. "You can commute with Brenna and Julia, and Cali's going with you."
"I always need you." He returned my smile, but he didn't have his usual sparkle.
He looked out of it. "You keep me in line."
"What is it?"
He let go of my hand and leaned against the railing. "I broke up with Cali. She's picked a different school to attend."
"What? Why? You guys were getting along great."
"Things change, people change."
"That fast?"
