Baby Mine – Hunter & Lennon (Roommate Duet 1)

“Fine. I’ll take a test if that’ll shut you both up!”

“Okay, I was on your side until that last comment, so now I’m Team Pregnancy,” Maddie says with a smug grin.

I can’t be pregnant. There has to be another explanation for missing my period.

I stopped taking my pills.

My cycles are all jacked up because of how much stress I’ve been feeling between losing Brandon and working. Except now I’m not due back to work for a couple more months. So my period will probably show up, and this whole thing will be a total waste of time.

I haven’t had the appetite to eat because I’ve been too damn sad to even care about food.

Ugh, but fuck it. If this will shut them up, I’ll pee on a damn stick.

I march over to the aisle and look at all the pink boxes. Why do there have to be so many? When I don’t immediately return, Sophie and Maddie hunt me down.

“What’s wrong?” Sophie asks.

“I don’t know which one I’m supposed to get. Early response? Pink lines? Blue lines? Why are there so many?”

“Have you never had to buy a prego test before?” Erin chimes in, and I didn’t even realize she was behind us.

“No,” Sophie, Maddie, and I all respond at once. Having a baby before being married was always out of the question. Our parents would lose their damn minds and disown us. It’s why I could never tell them Brandon and I lived together. I love them and want their approval so bad that lying was a better option.

“The pink lines are better,” she suggests. “They give better readings.”

“Fine.” I grab a box that says 99.99% accurate and has two tests inside. “Happy now?” I make a show of tossing it into the cart and walking away. That’s gonna be a waste of ten bucks.

Less than an hour later, we’re back at the apartment, and I only got enough food for the week. I didn’t have time to ask Hunter what he wanted, so I just got the essentials for now.

“Want help?” Sophie asks when I take the two plastic bags and a gallon of milk from the trunk.

“Nah. They aren’t that heavy.”

“You want help unpacking everything inside?” she asks, nearly hanging out the window.

“No…” I give her a weird look, and then it hits me. “You just want to come up and make me pee on that stupid test.”

“Duh! I’m curious. Plus, you’re my sister. I’m just worried.” She gives me a pouty face so I can’t be mad at her overbearing behavior.

“When I drink enough to gain the courage to take the test, I’ll let you know.”

“You can’t drink!” She nearly jumps out of the car.

“Oh my God, I’m messing with you!” I laugh. “Calm down. I’m not that dense. I know the basic pregnancy dos and don’ts.”

“Please call me when you do it, okay? I just want to be there for you is all.”

“I know. Thank you.”

We say our goodbyes, and I go inside the apartment and start unloading everything. I always organize things beforehand so when the checker bags my items, the freezer, pantry, and nonfood items are together. They’re all laid out on the counter when I hear the door open.

“Lennon?” I hear Hunter’s voice.

“In the kitchen,” I say, putting the milk in the fridge and moving some things around to fit the meat and yogurts. “You’re home early. Unless you came to bring me lunch,” I say with a chuckle. Hunter doesn’t always have the time to pick something up like he used to, and that’s fine because I hate being a burden. Though I can’t deny I appreciated it when he did because I had no desire or energy to think about making anything for myself.

“I have a meeting in an hour across town and forgot some shit.”

I turn and face him, admiring his look. His slacks and button-up shirt are so snug they look painted on. I’m sure his female co-workers don’t mind, though. “But I did bring you a fish sandwich from—”

As soon as the smell hits me, I step back and cover half my face. “That has to go. It’s too much.” I’m across the kitchen by the time Hunter gets the point.

“Oh, sorry. I’ll take it with me.” He’s out of the kitchen, and I finally release a breath.

My eyes snap to the counter where the pregnancy test box is sitting. I hope he didn’t see it and push it behind the coffeemaker to hide it. Oh my God.

The smells.

The nausea.

The throwing up.

No. No, no, no.

This has to be a weird coincidence. I can’t be pregnant.

“Want me to get you something else?” Hunter walks in and asks. He takes one look at my face and steps closer. “Lennon. Are you okay? You look really pale.” Hunter closes the gap between us and cups my face and studies me. “Are you sick?”