Chapter 25—Emma

We spent the whole night in each other’s arms. This time things were different and I hated to admit that I felt so comfortable with him. I didn’t want to get up in the morning and just leave, like I had done so many times with other guys.

I didn’t even want the night to end, for fear that the next day, he would be the one to end it. I felt so stupid when he told me that the girl who had been at the house earlier on was his neighbor. The whole idea of him being with someone else really made me go crazy. Yet I was the one that was avoiding his calls. Pretending that he didn’t exist.

“I suppose you came round here to give the money back from your dad?” he asked as he stroked my hair.

Oh, shoot. I forgot why I came round here in the first place.

“Nope,” I laughed as I flung my head back. We were lying in his bed, facing each other. I didn’t even know what time it was, then again I didn’t care. It was a weekend and I had nothing planned. Which was nothing new.

“I came to say all your labs checked out. You’ve nothing to worry about. You’re as fit as a fiddle.”

He laughed flirtatiously. “Well I think you gave me the once-over last night.”

I kissed him. “I did.”

But that left one thing. The one problem that he didn’t want to hear about.

“I’m supposed to be your doctor. We can’t be this and that.”

He sighed as if he had already solved that problem. “Why do you think I paid your dad’s debt?”

I didn’t understand his statement.

“So I wouldn’t have to stress.”

He stroked my hair. “So you could get a new job. One that didn’t involve you having problems.”

Normally, I would be angry. Think that he was out of line, coming up with this solution so that we could be together.

“But that was a lot of money that you gave Dad.”

He kissed my nose. “I know, but you’re worth every penny.”

He lifted up the sheets and then grabbed me and put me on top of him.

“Oh, so now I’m working off the debt.”

He smiled. “If you like. God knows I deserve it.”

“I’m serious!”

“So, am I!”

I moved to the side of him. Having a meaningful conversation was not the best plan for two people who couldn’t keep their hands of each other.

“Seriously, you need to find a new job.”

I sighed, thinking about the fact that I hadn’t even started. I was supposed to be going over all the players’ notes and I would be on call in the fall when the season started. I had only been in the job for a few weeks and already I was talking about quitting. I toyed with the idea though, because it was more practical than sneaking around, which was the other thing I was thinking about.

“I had dinner last night with Sophia and Mason.”

“Oh,” I sighed. I had seen them both for coffee the other day and the only thing I kept thinking was that I wished that Sebastian and I could be like them. They were openly in love, holding each other’s hand.

“Damn, I never thought it was possible for your sister to be even more happy than she is normally.”

He laughed. “I thought the same thing. I love my sis, but does she always have to be so damn happy? That means I got the miserable gene.”

Exactly what I was thinking before, and what I think whenever I look at Dad. Shit, I really hope I don’t get more miserable the older I get.

“Let’s hope it skips a generation.”

“What do you mean?” Was he saying what I thought he was saying? Because we hadn’t even agreed to start dating and now in bed, he was talking about something completely different. Something that I hadn’t even thought about.

“Well, when we have babies then let’s hope that they’re not as miserable as their dad.”

“When?”

He nodded. “Uh-huh. Actually we could start doing that right now.”

I didn’t know how to tell him that I had skipped a period. I had a feeling that we had started already. I had been careless with Sebastian. I was never careless; I always made sure that I was on the pill. Shit, I was a doctor, sensible was supposed to be my middle name. Yet, with him, I lost all sense.

“So, you’ve got me quitting my job…” I sat up. “…giving you babies. And not just any type of baby, happy ones.”

He sat up and kneeled in front of me. “Oh, you forgot healthy ones too.”

“Anything else?” I said as I started counting the list of demands that he was making today.

“Just one thing,” he said as he held out his finger.

I was intrigued to know what that one thing entailed, but he kissed me and then he started to play with me. I had a feeling that the one thing he didn’t want to add to the list involved a ring. But I wanted to take it one step at a time. First thing Monday, I needed to hand in my notice, which, as I thought back, involved a three-month probation period. It was the summer. It might be hard for the club to find a replacement, but I was sure that it wouldn’t be a problem. Besides, on Monday, not only would I hand in my notice, but also I would get myself a pregnancy test.

***

I stood in the pharmacy thinking about what to do. I felt self-conscious standing looking at the counter with the displays of pregnancy tests. I didn’t want to pick one, until a trio of girls that looked as if they were in college, picked them up as if they were going for a pick and mix at the candy store. This whole thing felt nuts. They were talking about the different types of pregnancy tests and the ones which claimed 100 percent accuracy.

“Amber, you need to go for this one. It tells you how many weeks pregnant you are!”

“Shut up!” The dark haired one said as she picked it up “Shit, this thing’s good.” She picked up the packet and started reading and laughing about it.

I did what any sensible woman who had been careless and was possibly knocked up by a quarterback would do. I picked it up and said, “This could solve all my problems.”

Not only would it tell me if I was, but it would give me timelines too. Amber seemed to agree as she said, “You and I both. I better get two in case.”

I couldn’t believe that I was having a conversation with a complete stranger, when I should have been having it with Sebastian or Sophia.

“Why do you say that?”

She pointed to her friend on the other side of the counter. “I think my friend needs it more than I do. Besides this shit’s kind of fun.”

I could think of other ways to have fun, and peeing on a stick wasn’t one of them. I nodded as I headed to the cashier to pay for it. I thought about seeing both Sophia and Sebastian in the pharmacy. I wasn’t good at sharing; I was used to doing things all by myself. Now, I was looking at not only having a boyfriend, but a baby too, and no career. My world had turned upside down and I didn’t know how to control it. I just didn’t know what to do anymore. Most women would be happy if they were in my position. A good-looking guy with a fantastic job and a baby and a possible ring in the future.

I wasn’t most women.

I had sacrificed any type of social life to have a career and now I was doing the complete opposite. I couldn’t face going home and peeing in the bathroom. I decided to pay for the test and head straight to the nearest public bathroom. It turned out I wasn’t the only one that was thinking the same thing.

Amber and her friend were already there, both holding pharmacy bags. . As soon as we reached the booths, we all started peeing in unison.

I recognized Amber’s voice screaming, “Holy shit, this thing’s brilliant.”

There was another wave of screaming from the other end, which must have been Amber’s friend. And there was me in the middle stall. Waiting for the stick to change color. Waiting for it to tell me my fate and as the figure popped up, I soon found out that I was pregnant.

A nervous smile came across my face as I stood with the test in my hand. I still had my underwear near my feet and I began to prepare to get out and head home. Then I thought that the women outside would have to wait. I decided to join Amber’s friend and let out a little scream. A scream which turned to tears, which resulted in me ending up on the floor with the test in my hand. Nothing I wanted in life was happening the way that I planned, but that wasn’t the part that scared me. The part that terrified me was that if Sebastian wanted us to be together now, would he still feel that way in nine months’ time? Would he get tired of me and this whole package that was coming his way?

That was what was really going through my mind. Would he love me today? And still love me tomorrow?