“They’re doing okay. It’s not like they have had to intercept anyone rushing me, but they’ve dealt with the flowers and notes. I haven’t even seen what they've said these past several times, and that’s fine by me.”
Gary holds the door open to the Uhaul rental as I climb in the front. Leo holds Shannon’s as she hops in beside me, and they both nod toward us before shutting the doors.
“Well, I might get me a piece of Leo,” she whispers. “Damn, that man is built.”
I laugh a little, and then I shrug before pulling out into traffic.
“Sounds good. Go crazy, lady.”
I get a little sick, dizzy even, and I pull over quickly to open my door and expel the contents of this morning’s meager breakfast. That's the fifth time this week.
“Damn, girl. What’s wrong?” Shannon panics as I continue to heave.
“Fuck if I know,” I grumble while wiping my mouth. Then a terrifying thought hits me, and I remember something that I've forgotten - or something that seems to have forgotten me. “I think I need to go to the drug store.”
***
Ashiara
“No. It’s not fucking possible. It was one once - well, twice, but the last time was just a couple of days ago. There’s no way this happened after one time.”
My hands tremble as I stare at the line of taunting devices, all of them saying the same damn thing.
“Honey, I think you need to call him. Ten tests said yes. None of them said no. I’m pretty sure they can’t all be faulty," Shannon murmurs shakily, her hand sliding up and down my back.
“They have to be. We used condom almost every time that weekend. Most people have to try for years before they get pregnant. There’s no way I accidentally got knocked up the one day I had unprotected sex in my life. It’s impossible.”
My whole body feels like it’s on fire as I continue staring at the multitudes of ways someone’s life can be pronounced over - two lines, pink dots, pink crosses, and a big fat pregnant on a couple.
There’s no way this is right. It has to be wrong. Tag isn’t ready to be a father. He’s told me that himself. I’m sure as hell not ready to be a mother.
Shannon seems distracted as she dials a number, and I panic a little when I worry she’s calling Tag.
“What are you doing?”
She looks at me like a nurturing momma hen.
“Calling a doctor. You’re going to need to start seeing one. I’ll handle this,” she says encouragingly before disappearing from the small bathroom.
I slump down, unsure of whether or not I should tell him.
No. Definitely not.
He’d think I was trying to trap him, and he has a good life. We shouldn’t both have to change everything for one stupid weekend’s mistake. If this is real - if I’m actually pregnant - then I’ll deal with it on my own.
***
Tag
“So you fucked her, and then you just left? What the hell? You’ve been obsessing over this girl for six damn weeks, and then you bail the second you see her?” Dane Sterling scolds as he paces around in my office.
“I panicked. I didn’t know what to say or do. It’s like my damn brain doesn’t work around her, and honestly, I just want to forget about her.”
Dane gives me an incredulous look, his eyes scolding me before his tongue sets back in.
“Forget about her? Dude, you can’t even stop thinking about her. She’s all you’ve talked about since Wren's wedding. You need to call her. Isn’t she working on your newest business launch?”
She should be. I don't know how anyone can turn down that much money.