Page 38 of The Bonus

“Well, how…?”

“I don’t fucking know, okay.” I cut her off. “All I know is it happened and now I’m pregnant and I have no idea what to do, and if your reaction is anything to go by, I am totally fucking screwed.”

“Sorry.” She winces as she sits back in her chair. “I’m just shocked.” She puffs air into her cheeks. “It’s a shock.”

“For me too.”

We sit for a moment and both sip our coffee. “What are you going to do?” she asks.

“I don’t know.”

“Are you…”

“I’m having the baby.” I finish her sentence.

Her eyes hold mine.

“Deb, I’m twenty-nine, I’m very single, and who knows, this might be my last chance and…” I shrug, lost for words, “…I’m having it.”

“Okay.” She nods. “Well… Congrats…I guess.” She gives me a lopsided smile.

“Thanks…I guess.”

“When are you going to tell him?” she asks.

I exhale heavily. “I don’t know.” I think for a moment. “I don’t know if it’s the hormones or what’s going on, but I feel so vulnerable and fragile. I’m not sure I could even see him at the moment without having a full mental breakdown, and that’s without the baby.”

Deb gives me a sad smile and takes my hand in hers. “Have you been to the doctor’s, like is it confirmed confirmed?”

“Well, I’ve done six pregnancy tests and they were all positive, and it’s been seven weeks since we had sex.”

“So if I were a betting man, I would bet that you’re seven weeks pregnant?” Deb thinks out loud.

“Last time I looked you’re not a better or a man.”

“I hope your baby has your wit,” she mutters dryly. “Or not.”

I exhale heavily as I think about the next steps I have to go through. “I’ll go to the doctor on Monday.”

“I’ll come with you.” She squeezes my hand in hers. “A baby,” she whispers as she hunches her shoulders up. “This is a little bit exciting.”

For the first time, a glimmer of hope runs through me, and I smile. “Maybe.”

“It’s positive.” Dr. Moran smiles. “Congratulations, Grace, you are eight weeks pregnant.”

My stomach flutters as if this is the first time I have heard it.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll write you a referral for an obstetrician.” He begins to type into his computer. “Ring in the next few days and make an appointment for when you are twelve weeks along. I’ve also written a pathology request for some blood tests, get those done before your appointment.”

“Okay.”

He gets out a little wheel thing and spins it. “I have your due date estimate as the twenty-seventh of September.”

“Oh.” I smile goofily. “Okay.”

Deb bounces in her chair beside me, unable to hide her excitement.

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