We sit on a nearby bench.
“Are you ready to leave?”
“I don’t want to ruin your shopping spree.”
“I can finish shopping anytime. My best friend comes first.”
“It is better if I don’t puke in front of all these people.”
“I’m going to ask you something, but I don’t want you to freak out.”
“Well it’s too late, because that comment has me freaking out.”
“I’ll ask you when we get back to my house.”
“No, ask me now.”
“Okay. Here it goes. When was your last period?”
“Like a week ago, but it wasn’t a normal period, only two days of spotting. It’s because of the stress with everything going on.”
“When was your last normal period?”
“I think a week before Valentine’s Day. Why?”
“Your symptoms are consistent with pregnancy.”
“Being sick doesn’t mean I’m pregnant.”
“That’s true, but you should buy a couple pregnancy tests to rule out the possibility.”
“I’m beyond freaked out now.”
“Have you been taking your birth control pills?”
“Yes. I mean no, not on time. Sometimes I forget, so I double or triple up. My doctor said it’s okay to do that.”
“Doing that probably decreases effectiveness.”
“If I’m pregnant, the father could be either Trevor or Art.”
“Let’s take this one step at a time.”
“Okay.”
God, I hope I’m not pregnant.
I drive home in disbelief. On our way out of the mall, I ran to the nearest garbage can and puked my guts out. A very embarrassing moment I never want to relive. By the time the third pregnancy test showed a positive result, I was hysterical. I’m going to have a baby, and that’s a big fucking deal. How can I start college in the fall? I’ll have to tell Trevor about Art. I can’t let him think this baby is his when there’s a fifty percent chance it isn’t. I made a complete mess of my life. Anneli tried to calm me down and persuade me to stay the night to consider my options before making a hasty decision, but it’s already been made. I couldn’t live with myself if I got an abortion, and adoption is out of the question. I would always wonder about the baby I gave away. Anneli didn’t want me driving in this state, but I needed to get home and talk to my mom. She’ll be so disappointed in me, but no matter what, I know she’ll stick by my side.
I notice Trevor’s truck alongside Josh’s as I park my car. Shit. Having to see Trevor after learning of my impending motherhood less than a half hour ago is unnerving.Art’s motorcycle is nowhere in sight, so at least I have a reprieve from him for the time being. I enter the house, heading to the kitchen to get a drink before having this very difficult conversation with my mom. The bathroom door opens, bringing me face-to-face with Art. He takes hold of my wrist, dragging me into the bathroom. He pushes me forward, pressing my thighs into the sink. My eyes connect with his in the mirror.
“Where’s your motorcycle?”
“In the backyard.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to catch you off guard. You should’ve come home last night.” He licks my neck then delivers a stinging bite. “I warned you yesterday. No more staying away.”
