After I placed the last test down on the paper towel, I sat there and watched as each test came up with the same result. All six of them had double lines.
Whitley knocked on the stall door. “Court?”
I stood up, slowly pulled up my panties and pants, flushed the toilet, and gathered up my collection of pregnancy tests.
When I opened the door, Whitley was smiling from ear to ear. “Welcome to the club.”
“Court, you really need to eat, honey,” Whitley said.
I looked up at her and tried to smile.
“I mean, you’re eating for two now.”
I shot Whitley a dirty look. “Funny. What in the hell, Whitley? I’m on the pill. I can’t be pregnant.”
Whitley took a bite of her food and rolled her eyes. “Please. Courtney, you know that isn’t one hundred percent. Did you maybe forget to take a pill?”
I shook my head. “No.” I thought about it a little harder.
I was terrible with my pills. I never took them at the same time of day like I was supposed to do, and I’d missed pills before. Did I miss a pill and just not think about it? Shit!
“At least, I don’t think I have. Fuck, I don’t know. I’ve missed them before, and I just don’t think about it.” I looked down at the plate of food in front of me. I couldn’t even think about putting a thing into my stomach.
Whitley touched my hand, causing me to jump. “Have you missed your period, Court?”
My heart started pounding when I realized I hadn’t started yet, and when I looked up at Whitley, she smiled that big, stupid smile again.
“I was, um…I should have…last week. I should have started last week. I guess I wasn’t paying attention. It’s all been such a crazy ride, and I wasn’t even…” Then, I thought about Reed again. Oh. My. God. Reed. What’s Reed going to think about this? I felt the tears building in my eyes. “Well, hell, I guess this explains why I keep getting all emotional,” I said as I wiped away a tear.
“Are you not happy about this, Court?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I think I am. I mean, I guess I’m just in shock, ya know? Reed and I haven’t even talked about kids. What if he…what if he gets upset? We haven’t even gotten to spend time together, and now…” I brought my hands up to my face and attempted to stop myself from crying. Then, another thought hit me. I dropped my hands and started laughing.
Whitley looked at me like I was crazy. “Oh shit, you’re going to be fun through this pregnancy. You’re laughing and crying at the same time, Courtney.”
“My mother, Whitley! I told my mother I wasn’t pregnant, and here I am…” I started laughing harder. “It’s like karma. I was going to tease her with your pregnancy test, and here I am, pregnant after all!” I started laughing so hard that I couldn’t breathe.
That got Whitley laughing, and before I knew it, we both had tears streaming down our faces.
I glanced up and saw Reed. I instantly stopped laughing and wiped away my tears. I jumped up, almost causing my chair to fall backward.
“What are you doing here?” I asked in a panicked voice.
Whitley cleared her throat. “Court, settle down, honey.”
Reed brought me into his arms and whispered in my ear, “I missed your warmth.”
I instantly felt my need for him and let out a low moan. “Oh God, Reed,” I whispered.
He pulled back and smiled before looking down at my plate. “What’s wrong with the food?” He looked at Whitley’s almost cleared plate and then back at my full plate.
“I, um…I wasn’t really hungry. I couldn’t eat.”
I looked at Whitley as she grinned in the most obvious way.
Reed winked at me and asked, “Are y’all about finished?”
“Yes!” Whit yelled as I screamed, “No!”