Unexpected Gift(80)

“I know that look.” She shakes her head and helps me up.

I hurry, sliding my shorts off until I’m sitting on the toilet and unwrap the test with shaky hands. I don’t care if Kenna sees me pee, we are way past that milestone in our friendship. I shove the stick between my legs, waiting for my bladder to work. “Come on, come on,” I try to persuade my own body to work.

Kenna turns on the sink and shrugs when I give her the evil eye. But a second later, a stream starts to hit the stick. “What if it’s positive?”

“Then you tell Caden.”

“But he will come back here.”

“Who cares, Molly! That is his baby. He deserves to know. He deserves to make that decision. Don’t take that away from him too. Don’t push him away. You’re really fucking good at that.”

I put the cap back on the test and set it on the counter. “I know,” I say in defeat. I pull my pants up and wash my hands, waiting to see what the test will say.

“It’s okay if it is positive, you know.”

“I know.” It doesn’t take away the nerves, though. I check the test, but nothing has appeared yet. “How long do these take?”

She grabs the box and flips it over to read the back. “Three minutes.”

“Three minutes? Come on. Out of all the advances in medicine, they should have a quicker test,” I bitch.

“It’s three minutes, not three years. You’ll be fine.”

I grip the counter with two hands and hang my head, wondering when the hell I became so irresponsible. I’m a grown woman. I know to be safe. I just didn’t want to be safe with Caden. I wanted to feel as connected to him as possible. I wanted to experience every sense of what being close really meant. In the moment, lust and need took over my body, like an addiction. Every cognitive thought went out the window when Caden was anywhere near my body.

And being blinded by lust has led to this moment. My best friend and I are in the bathroom, with a test my best friend bought because she knows me better than I know myself. I’m knocked up by a man that doesn’t want me anymore.

Perfect.

“Okay, it’s been three minutes.” Kenna’s words shake my core.

I swallow audibly and drag my gaze to the test. And there, in perfect sight, are two pink lines. I pick it up with shaky hands, staring at it with disbelief.

“I’m assuming that look on your face means you are pregnant.”

“I’m pregnant.”

“With Caden’s baby.”

“With his baby.”

Kenna steps toward me and places her hands on my shoulders. “It’s going to be okay. If he is that big of a dick and doesn’t want his kid, then you have me. I’m not going anywhere. I won’t even smoke around the little peanut.” She takes her fists and knocks on my stomach like the baby will answer. “You hear that? I’m not smoking around you, so don’t be surprised if I’m a little bitchy.”

“Kenna!”

“What? It can’t understand me yet.”

“It? This isn’t a dinosaur. It’s a baby.”

“It might as well be a dinosaur with how much it will roar at night to keep you up.” She shivers. “I never want kids. I have enough through you.”

“Jeez, thanks.” I toss the test in the sink. “What am I going to do, Kenna? I never thought this would be possible.”

“I know, and I know you. You’re going to want to wait until the last minute to tell him, but telling him is the first thing you need to do, okay? He might be one of those men that wants to experience everything with you, like the doctor’s appointments.”

I know she is right, but when? “When do I do it? Can I wait a couple of days?”

“I don’t recommend that. Sooner the better, in my opinion.” Kenna leaves the bathroom and takes the cigarettes out of her pocket, leaving me alone to process the information.

“Crap,” I whisper. “Crap, crap, double crap.” I lay my hand against my flat stomach and glance down. It’s hard to believe I’m pregnant when it isn’t showing. “I know the situation is complicated right now, but it will get better. I love your father, and your father loves you. I promise not to take that away from you.”

“Uh, Molly! You need to get out here, and come see this,” Kenna shouts from the living room.

I run out of the bathroom, almost tripping over my own feet thinking something happened to Posie. When I stand next to Kenna, she is staring out of the front door with an unlit cigarette hanging from her mouth. “What is it? What’s wrong?” I run to the playpen, but Posie is sound asleep, not making a peep.

“Look,” she points to the door.

I push my hair out of my face and look up, gasping as my world starts tilting. I see who is on the other side. “Caden? Is that Caden?” I ask with excitement and shock. He looks a little rough, and he is pacing the porch, talking to himself. His hair has gotten longer, and his scruff is now a trimmed beard. He waves his hands in front of him, talking with them like he always does. He stops, shakes his head, and repeats everything he just did.

“Well, he isn’t here to talk to me. Go.” Kenna points her head to the door.

But I don’t move. My body is frozen.

“Go!” she hisses, pushing me forward. I reach for the handle and open it, wondering how in the world he has such perfect timing.