Page 91 of Absorbed

“I wanna be that brave,” Stacey whispered.

The coyote blinked, turned its head, and trotted into the brush. Its fluffy tail was the last thing Stacey saw before it disappeared back into the inky night.

Stacey eased her foot off the gas and straightened the wheel. She’d never felt more certain of where she wanted to go.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Saturday was the first day of the Plunge Olympics and the forecast was for temperatures in the high nineties: a perfect day for families to spend at the pool.

Stacey picked up Jessie on her way into work, since they both had to be there at eight and work through lap swim. “I told my mom not to worry if I wasn’t home for a few hours,” she said as she turned out of his apartment complex onto the main road. “I’m not sure how long our tests will take at Planned Parenthood. It could be busier on weekends.”

“Why do we have to go tothatplace? Can’t you just take a test from Thrifty or something to see if you’re knocked up?” Jessie asked.

“I mean, yeah, but the clinic’s pregnancy tests are more accurate, I think. And what about you getting tested for STDs?” Stacey yawned. She’d been awake for hours in the middle of the night, worrying about what might happen.

Jessie pulled out his wallet. “I really don’t think STDs are anything you need to worry about anyway.” He put a twenty dollar bill in the cup holder. “Is that enough?”

“You promised me you would get tested. You’re acting really weird. Like you’re scared of Planned Parenthood or something.”

“It’s just, after you dropped me off last night, I thought more about it. What if someone we know is there?” He rubbed his wrist where the WWJD bracelet used to be. He hadn’t worn it in a while.

At the stoplight, Stacey flicked on her blinker and thought about the Planned Parenthood waiting room. How the women didn’t make eye contact with one another. How other women stood outside holding signs and spewing judgments.

“You’re worried someone from Christian Club or church will be outside, like part of the protest?”

“No!” He paused, looking out the passenger side window. “Maybe. Aren’t you? Don’t you think if someone recognizes us they’ll assume you’re only there to have an…” he lowered his voice to a whisper, “…an a-bor-tion?”

Flashes of conversations whirled through Stacey’s mind: Stephanie shaking her head at the party, disgusted, when Stacey talked about having sex with Jessie. Mary Jo warning Stacey about Jessie. Both girls were friends with a lot of the same people that Jessie and Stacey knew from Christian Club.

Ugh! Everyone is probably talking about Jessie and I having sex.

“You have a point.” Stacey pulled into The Plunge parking lot and parked in the shade. “I’ll go buy a test during my break this morning.”

Jessie nodded. “Cool. Thanks.” He reached for the door handle.

“Jessie,” Stacey stopped him. “You know, if I am pregnant, I’m NOT having a baby. It would ruin my life to have a kid this young. You get that, right?”

Jessie nodded again, sucking in his cheeks. He wouldn’t make eye-contact.

“There’s no way I’m going through that alone. You would have to go with me.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” he said. He grabbed his skateboard and towel, climbed out, and walked ahead of Stacey to the pool entrance.

Bob had put a schedule of Plunge Olympics events up in the pay window and hung American flag bunting over the front door.

“Everyone ready for Games Day? Hopefully we’ll get a good turnout.Sun Newswill be here to take pictures, so you all need to act professional. Get this place so spotless you can eat off the floor and do it within one hour,” Bob reminded them. “Only use the megaphones for safety purposes and keep the chit chat to a minimum. Focus on your job.”

Jessie looked at Stacey, his eyebrows high.

She puffed out her cheeks and exhaled slowly.

If Bob only knew how hard THAT will be.

Melissa rolled her eyes. She picked up a bucket and trash grabber and headed out to the deck without slamming her locker or saying anything to anyone.

Stacey offered to clean the girls' bathroom while Jessie cleaned the boys’ bathroom and Melissa hosed the deck. Jessie cleaned the pool drain, and they got all the lane lines in place for the races. They were wiping down the picnic tables and bleacher seats as the first swimmers began lining up outside along the fence.

By the time the pool opened at nine, Melissa and Stacey were in their lifeguard stands, and Jessie was holding a clipboard atthe end of the pool where families could sign up for the relay race.

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