Two Weeks (The Baxter Family #5)(32)

“Yes.” Relief washed over her. She wanted to be alone. This whole thing was so awkward. “I’ll be right back.”

There was another girl waiting for the restroom, so Elise stood there, clutching her brown bag. When it was her turn she locked the door and ripped into the package. She opened the paper box, but inside was hardly anything. A single white stick with a little window—like a thermometer.

The directions were folded up at the bottom of the carton. Elise read them and wrinkled her nose. She had to pee on the smaller part of the white stick. The test said results were best with urine first thing in the morning. Elise shrugged. She didn’t have that option.

She followed the simple steps and then stared at the small test window. Her heart pounded in her throat and just then someone knocked on the door. She dropped the stick and gasped. “Someone’s . . . in here.”

Her hands shook as she picked the stick up off the floor. At the same time she turned it around and stared at the answer area. And sure enough. Two plus signs were already becoming clear.

If this test was right, Elise was pregnant.

Why, God? No! Please, no! The air felt thick and she gasped for a full breath. She had guessed she was pregnant. But that didn’t mean she believed it. She didn’t have to believe it.

Until now.

Her hands shook as she wadded up the bag and directions and paper box. She threw them along with the test into the trash. Then she grabbed four paper towels, scrunched them up and threw them in, too.

So no one would know what she’d been doing in here.

Another knock at the door. Harder this time.

“Just a minute,” Elise yelled. She was moving as fast as she could. Especially when she couldn’t feel her feet on the floor. For a few seconds she paced across the tile. What was she supposed to do next?

Impulse took over. She washed her hands and walked into the hallway past three waiting girls, through the coffee shop and outside. Cole was out of his car standing in the snow long before she reached him. He held the door for her and then took the driver’s seat. When he was inside with the door shut he just sat there, looking at her. “Well?”

There was no getting around any of this. Elise folded her hands on her knees. “It’s positive.”

Cole took her hand again and for a while neither of them said anything. Elise closed her eyes. No way she could let her aunt and uncle know she was pregnant. They would kick her out for sure, and she wouldn’t get to finish her senior year.

Which would mean NYU was out of the question.

God, please, no. This couldn’t really be happening. Randy had used her and forced himself on her. There was nothing loving about it. A child couldn’t come from that, right?

Cole’s hand was warm against hers. “I’m here for you, Elise. I’m not going anywhere.”

She nodded. “Okay.” She had done nothing to deserve Cole Blake’s friendship. She still didn’t want to burden him with her situation. But she couldn’t turn him away. Not when she needed him more with every heartbeat.

“Are you scared?” Cole’s voice was quiet, filled with compassion. He rubbed her hand then let it go. He clearly was keeping to the friendship boundaries she’d requested.

Elise wanted to answer him, but she only nodded. If she tried to talk she would start crying. Already she could feel her eyes welling up. Yes, she wanted to say. More than scared. I’m terrified.

Cole seemed to understand. “I meant what I said, Elise. You won’t go through this alone.” He paused. “Can I pray for you?”

Could he pray for her? Whether God really cared about a teenage girl who’d messed up, Elise didn’t know. But no one other than her mama had ever offered to pray for her. Again, she nodded. “Please, Cole. Please, pray.”

And so he took her hands, bowed his head and closed his eyes.

Elise did the same, her heart pounding.

“God, my friend Elise needs You. She’s pregnant and scared and . . . well, she doesn’t know what to do.” He hesitated. “I don’t, either. So please, would You help her? Please let her feel Your presence and please give her wisdom about what to do next. In Jesus’ name, amen.” He squeezed her hands ever so slightly and released them.

She wasn’t sure if it was the prayer or the way she felt safe with her hands in his, but Elise could breathe better now. Cole took her home then, and walked her up the snowy path to the front door. A quick hug and goodbye, and Elise walked inside.

Her aunt was already in the kitchen, making dinner. For the next few hours, Elise helped with the cooking and dishes, all the while pretending to be happy and carefree, a senior with her whole life ahead of her.

In her room that night, Elise began to think about the test. It was the cheapest one in the store. Plus she hadn’t used first morning urine. So maybe the results were wrong. She convinced herself of the possibility and three days later, early on a Saturday morning, Cole took her to Walgreens again, and once more he stayed in his Explorer and waited while she ran into Java on Main.

The test was easier this time. More familiar. And well before the one-minute limit, the pluses showed up. Two of them again. Bold and bright, as if to mock her for thinking there could’ve been an error.

“It could just be me,” she tried to explain to Cole. “Some people just have these positive tests even when they’re not pregnant. Maybe I need a different brand or—”