In a Book Club Far Away(35)

It was doable. At the very least, something to look forward to. The prospect of work, even if it was school, settled her anxiety about the future; just doing something about the situation made her feel better.

But the application process was frustrating. Her computer was slow; it was fussy. The internet kept cutting out with the snow. So she completed the forms the old-school way: she’d downloaded them and filled them out by hand. With the deadline at the end of November, it had to go into the mail that day.

“Ready, girls?”

“No,” Carmela said intently. “It’s cold.”

“I’m tired,” Olivia added.

“How about this?” She caught her daughters’ eyes in the rearview mirror. “After the post office, we can swing by the grocery store for a little treat. Maybe doughnuts?”

As she’d expected, their eyes lit up. They both jumped out of the minivan with glee, and after a short wait at the post office, skipped alongside Sophie to the grocery store, where she filled up a small box with a half dozen doughnuts.

On the way to the register, Sophie remembered that she needed tampons, so she and the girls detoured to the feminine hygiene aisle, where only one person lingered. The woman’s high ponytail was distinct. The way she stood was striking and familiar, with one hand on her hip, the other holding a box, as if she were in an argument with it.

“Reggie?”

Regina jumped. “Oh my God, you scared me!”

“You mean like Babcock?”

Sophie was met with a blank expression.

Sophie eyed the woman. “Really? It’s from The Passage, the book that we’re supposed to have read by tomorrow. Babcock was one of those vampire-ish monsters who…”

Recognition flashed. “Oh, yeah… right. I only got a little more than halfway.”

“That’s more than four hundred pages, so I commend you,” Sophie said slowly, catching sight of what was in Regina’s hand.

A pregnancy test.

Regina’s lips began to tremble ever so imperceptibly. “There are so many choices, you know? Three-minute tests, one minute, plus sign indicators or without? Generic or brand name?” She gestured to the shelves below them, to the condoms and contraceptives and lube. “It’s ironic that they stock these together.”

“Reggie, do you think you’re pregnant?” Sophie eyed her girls; they’d wandered across the aisle to the baby toys, where they squeezed stuffed animals hanging on hooks. Normally she wouldn’t allow them to play in the store, but her priority at the moment was Regina.

“Y-yes.” Her hands wandered to the right of the tests, to the ovulation strips. “When didn’t my birth control work? When was it all decided that I would be part of the point-three percent of birth control failures?” She covered her mouth. “Oh God, I’m going to be like my parents, who didn’t plan for me. Am I even ready? Is Logan?”

Sophie wrapped her arms around Regina. Hugging was not something she did for everyone, but right then, Regina had triggered the mother, not the nurse, in Sophie.

“You’re not your mother. Logan is not your father.”

“What if I suck at even doing this? At hugging?” Regina said, through tears. “I’ve never been really touchy-feely; I don’t know how to talk to kids. I mean, do your twins even like me?”

“What?” Sophie half laughed and pulled back. “No, you’re not going to suck at hugging, or at talking to kids. I promise you. And watch this.” She looked over her shoulder. “Girls, do you know this lady?”

Olivia frowned. “Yeah. That’s Ms. Regina. Duh!”

“And do you like Ms. Regina?”

Both girls grinned widely. “Yes!” Carmela said. “She gives us candy.”

“See?” Sophie said, then took her voice down. “Now tell me. Why do you think you’re pregnant?”

“I’m late, and I was sick today.”

“The only definitive way to find out is if you get a blood test. But in terms of over-the-counter tests, any one of these will do.” She touched the row of boxes, read their specs, settled for the eeny-meeny-miny-mo method, and plucked the winner. She carefully worded her next question. “Would this be good news or…”

“I think so?” Regina’s face was blank. “I’m not sure. Logan and I are… complicated. I thought we would have more time.… Look at me making excuses.”

“It’s okay.” Sophie put a hand on her arm and took her phone out of her pocket. She flipped it open and dialed, and the sound of the buttons echoed through the silent store.

“Who are you call—”

Adelaide answered after the first ring. “Speak now or forever hold your peace!”

She was always so extra. “Hey, Ad. SOS. Meet me and Reggie at my house in about a half hour?”

“I’m there! Wait, I lie. I have a pie in the oven. Cripes.”

“Really, you don’t have to—” Regina tugged Sophie’s arm.

Sophie gently pushed Regina away. “Ad, how about we come to you?”

“Sounds good. Shall I open a bottle of rosé?”

“Uh…” Sophie looked at Regina. “Maybe? But we’ll grab more sustenance.”