"You'd really do that for me?" I ask before I can stop myself.
"For you and the baby," she nods gravely. "I love him already. And I just know it's going to be a boy." She grins.
"I love you, Alli," I mutter, taking her hand in mine. "Thank you for everything. Seriously. What would I do without you?"
"Be very very lost," she laughs. "It's okay. I'm here for you."
She sets off to the caretaker's cottage, making me wonder whether she'll use the same powers of persuasion on him as well, to make sure we have groceries.
I'm so lucky Alli came into my life.
Without her, I'd be totally lost.
"Where are you going?"
I turn over my shoulder, my hand lingering above the door handle. "Oh, hey, Alli. I was just taking the trash out."
"No." She practically runs toward me and wrestles the trash bag out of my hands. "You need to rest. I'll take this out. Don't worry."
She pushes past me out into the cold, and I bite my lower lip before walking over to the sofa. I sit back down, telling myself it's nothing.
Alli just wants to help. She doesn't have an ulterior motive. Why would she? She didn't even know me until a few months ago. She's my best friend. The only person I can trust completely. Sometimes even more than myself.
She wouldn't keep me cooped up in this house on purpose. She's just doing this to protect me and the baby.
I tell myself it's nothing. I glance through the window and see her outside, stuffing the trash can. I barely get a minute to myself these days. Alli goes out once weekly to get groceries from the caretaker, and my next doctor visit is fast approaching. I'm planning on doing some research while Alli's gone. And just as it happens, her weekly trip that takes all of forty-five minutes is scheduled for tonight.
For the rest of the evening, I keep up pretenses, and wave Alli off when she leaves. But the moment she rounds the corner, I'm back on my feet.
There are a few bedrooms in the house, and Alli and I have each got one. She doesn't like it when I come into her room, which has left me suspicious. But tonight's my chance. I can see what she's trying to hide so much. Why she always flinches when I appear in her door frame.
I think of her leaving with her basket tote and me waving her off.
She'd feel so betrayed if she knew what I was doing. But I can't help it. I need answers.
Minutes later, I'm digging through her room. I look under the mattress, under the bed. I check all her drawers. In the end, I find my answer hidden in plain sight.
I'm assuming there are three sizes of them, each labeled with a trimester. The first and third are there. The second one is missing.
I stare at the fake pregnancy bellies in disbelief. Why the hell does Alli have these? What could she possibly need them for?
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
I startle at the sound, then turn around to face Alli.
She's dressed just as before, still holding the wicker basket. But now her hand is resting on her stomach. Her belly has expanded in size. It looks just like mine.
"What the fuck?" I hiss. "I should ask you the same thing."
Her lips thin out as she wordlessly puts her basket down. She closes the door and turns the key in the lock.
"Oh my God," I whisper. "Please tell me there's a reasonable explanation for all this, Alli."
Her back is turned to me. I watch her shrug off her jacket and get the belly off. When she faces me again, her face is a picture of innocence.
"Of course there is, silly," she grins. "I've been wearing these so nobody suspects you're up here with me. Don't you think people would get suspicious if I started buying baby formula and didn't look pregnant at all? Everyone knows everyone in Eden Falls, you told me that yourself, P. We can't risk the guys finding out about you. They'd take the baby from you."
I want to believe her so much, but something in her story doesn't quite add up. I feel sick to my stomach as I follow her with my eyes.