Kelly cursed silentlyas she watched the girl hurrying out of the room. “Well, bitch,you’ve done it again.”
*****
Chantelle stared atthe sticks, the horror, and despair clouding her vision. She’dsuspected for some time she was pregnant. She was carefully making anote of her period cycle, marking it on the calendar in her bathroomas well as the one tacked to her fridge.
She’d been offfor some time now. At first, she’d attributed her crazy moodswings to the fact she was in love with a man who’d used herand dumped her like yesterday’s garbage.
Sliding down thetiled wall, she wrapped her hands around her knees and stared at thedamning strips. Her prayers hadn’t been answered. She waspregnant. The irony of the situation was not lost on her.
Her brother and hiswife had been desperately hoping and praying for a child withoutsuccess. All it had taken was one careless and reckless half-hourinside her office to get pregnant. How unfair life was!
She was tired, herfeet were swollen from standing so long, and her boobs were tender.Dropping her head back against the wall, she took a deep breath.Caleb was coming over, and the thought of entertaining him wasn’tappealing in the least. Worse, he could read her like a book. He wasgoing to realize that something was wrong.
Picking up the phone,she started to scroll to find his number when she heard the sound ofthe door being opened. He was already here.
“Hey. Where areyou?”
“Downstairsbathroom. Give me a minute.”
Gathering up theevidence, she put them away inside one of the drawers and washed herface and hands.
“I brought fishand chips. Very oily and completely unhealthy. I figured you wouldn’thave eaten anything much from that fancy wedding-“ His eyessharpened as he stared at her.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. Let’sgo into the kitchen- “
“No -uh. Spill.Have you heard from him?”
“No.” Sheclosed her eyes briefly and swayed slightly. The scent of the fishwas making her stomach roil. “I can’t eat that. Pleaseexcuse me.” Dragging her hand arm away, she raced into thebathroom and made it just in time to empty her stomach. She managedto flush before he came charging in.
“Oh, crap.”Hunkering down, he lifted her chin. “I lost my appetite. Canyou stand?”
“In aminute. Can you sit next to me?”
“Sure.”He did, and she placed her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes indespair.
“I guessyou know.”
“Hmm.”His arm came around her to bring her closer.
“Are yougoing to call me an idiot?”
“No.” Hekissed the top of her head.
“I don’tknow what to do.”
“Do you have todecide this very minute?”
She shook her head.
“Good. I’mhere.” He rubbed her arm and tamped down the rage inside him.God help him when that son of a bitch returns. “How about sometea?”
“You are notgoing to fuss and hover?”
“Not atall.”
“I missTabby.” She murmured, referring to the cat they shared.