Page 51 of Finding Limits

“Where are we going?” I ask, getting into the passenger seat as she takes the wheel.

“To my place. I still have a bunch of tests left over. Cole made me take like twenty of the things before he believed me.” She starts the engine and pulls off with a skid.

“I appreciate your help, but I know it can’t be possible. Magna specialized in that kind of thing.”

“Well, in that case, humor me.” Savannah smiles as she pulls up outside her place and rushes us inside.

She marches me through the cabin to her bathroom and struggles down onto her knees to reach into the back of the cabinet and pull out a box.

“There, now get peeing.” She uses the basin to steady herself back onto her feet.

“Well, can you at least turn around?” I laugh at her as I try reading the instructions.

“Here.” She pops the cap off the end. “You pee on this bit. Then we wait for the two pink lines.”

Turning her back to me, she hums as if it's gonna make this any less awkward, and realizing that I’m not gonna win this battle, I get on and do as she instructs.

“All done.” I pop the cap back on and place the test on the side by the basin while I wash my hands. Is it mad that I feel a tiny niggle of hope, despite knowing that what Savannah is suggesting is impossible? It’s so stupid of me to even think that way, maybe I should start seeing Samantha again. It’s been a while.

“How long does it take?” I sit on the edge of the bath, feeling more and more foolish as the seconds tick by.

“Well, it should take another minute, but it doesn’t need to too—” She holds the test out to me with a clever look on her face. “I told ya…”

I stare at the plastic stick that she’s holding in front of me and when I see two very prominent pink lines I snatch it from her hand.

“You're very pregnant, they usually only show up faint in the early weeks. When was your last period?”

“I don’t know, some time ago, I don’t keep track of it. Savannah, this isn’t possible.” I look up at her, still in shock.

“It looks like it to me. No period, feeling sick, dizzy, and a positive test, the odds are stacked up. Welcome to the club.” She slides her hand over her stretched-out stomach and suddenly I feel very sick again.

I’m happy. Of course, I’m happy, this is something I never even let myself imagine could happen. But I have no idea how Mitch is going to feel. It was hard enough for me to convince him that he and I were a good idea, and now a baby.

“Don’t look so scared, this is gonna be awesome.” Savannah smiles before lifting the toilet lid back up for me to spew.

“This part, not so much, but you know what I mean.” She strokes my back for me as I hurl some more.

“Little fucker’s gotten away,” Tate yells as he trots up beside me. “Someone’s gonna have to go after him, he’s running in the opposite direction to the herd.”

“I got it.” I look across at Mitch who is busy holding the left side.

“Ya sure?” he checks, pulling the bandana down from the lower half of his face. These cattle are sure as hell kicking up some dust.

“Everyone else is needed here. I can rope him, I’ve been practicin’,” I assure him, still feeling that bitter disappointment that he’s not who I thought he was. I was getting used to the idea of this being my life. Now, I’m not so sure, it just kinda feels like I’m stealing someone else's.

“Get goin’ then.” He winks at me, before covering the bottom half of his face back up.

I kick on Blaze and head in the same direction as the steer that got away, he’s got some distance on me and is moving fast, but the treeline he just ran into should slow him down. It’ll just make finding him that much harder. I follow him into the small woodland that separates Grid 6 and 7, then pull Blaze to a halt when I see a woman knelt by the stream collecting water.

“You okay, ma’am?” I ask, wondering what the hell she’s doing out here in the ass-end of nowhere. She’s dressed all kinds of weird and has far too many layers on for the heat.

“Oh, I’m fine.” She stands up and when she turns around and looks up at me, both our faces drop in shock.

“Mom?” I squint my eyes, unable to believe that it’s her. Sure, she’s a little older than the girl in the picture, but just like Everleigh said, she’s aged well. I’m undoubtedly looking at my mother.

“You have to leave,” she whispers, rushing toward me when I jump off Blaze’s back.

“What are you doing here, did you come here to find me?” I ask, feeling some hope.

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