“Yes.” That wasn’t a lie, either. He did use a condom. Usually.
"Every time?" she asked.
"Maybe not every time, but like I said, I'm on the pill." The unsettling feeling in my stomach grew, only this time it wasn't the nausea.
She turned to the computer and started typing. Surely, she didn’t think I was pregnant. After a moment, she rose and looked at me. "Let's go ahead and take a urine sample. Let’s at least rule out pregnancy. From there, we can look at a couple of other options and do blood work as well."
"Will that tell me if I have an ulcer?" Please, let it be an ulcer.
"It could be one of many things. But let's start with the most obvious—"
"Most obvious? My being pregnant isn't the most obvious."
She smiled. Inwardly, she was likely rolling her eyes. "Diagnosing an ailment is all about eliminating possibilities. Let's eliminate pregnancy and go from there."
I felt like a petulant teenager as I grumbled, “Okay, fine.” I took the cup with my name and birthdate on it and went to the bathroom, giving her sample and leaving the cup for the lab to pick up. I returned to the room, sitting on the exam table, waiting until the doctor returned.
It seemed like forever when she came back into the room. I watched her but couldn't read her expression.
"Do you have a gynecologist?" she asked.
Panic whipped through me. "Yes, why? Do I have ovarian cancer or something?"
Her lips twitched as if she thought what I said was funny, but she schooled them back into place. "No, you don't have cancer. You're pregnant."
What? No."How is that possible? Are you sure it was my pee you used?"
Her expression morphed into concern. "Is being pregnant a problem? You seem very agitated about this."
"I just don't see how it's possible."
"Well, you're on a low-dose pill. There's a lot of things that can impact the effectiveness. Certain herbal supplements—"
"I don't take those."
"Some medications—"
“I don't take those either." I was perfectly healthy.
"And if it isn't used properly—"
"What do you mean, properly? I take a pill with a glass of water every day."
"But do you take them at the same time every day? For example, was there any time that you missed it and you ended up taking it the next day?"
I thought about the few times that I'd spent the night with Max and hadn't taken my pill at the usual time in the evening.
"Sometimes, in that case, we recommend that you take both doses at the same time if you've missed one."
"So just a few hours off and I'm no longer protected from pregnancy?"
She nodded. "There are some women out there who take their pills exactly as prescribed, and they still get pregnant. There's really no sure way to prevent pregnancy except abstinence. If you're having sex, even with birth control, there's always going to be a risk of pregnancy."
I didn't remember reading that on the box that came with my pills.
"Now, if you need support or guidance, I can help you arrange that."
Oh, my God. I was pregnant. I pressed my hand to my belly. It didn't feel real. "I'm financially stable."