Page 25 of While We Waited

I have no idea which one is the best to use. I grab one of each.

My basket is overflowing when I set it on the checkout counter. The cashier begins emptying it.

“You do know you can buy the pregnancy tests without buying any other items?”

My cheeks warm. I don’t know what I was thinking. I can’t disguise the tests from her. She literally has to scan them. Maybe I should have gone to a big store with self-checkout.

“I need the other items,” I claim.

She holds up a box of tampons. “Really?”

I shrug. “Maybe I’m not pregnant.”

She chuckles. “In my experience, when a woman of your age comes in here and buys twenty pregnancy tests, she’s pregnant.”

Of my age? I’m thirty not sixty.

“I didn’t buy twenty.”

“Shall I count?”

My cheeks are now on fire. “No.”

She begins ringing up my purchases. “You have two of this brand.” She sets one to the side. “And three of these.”

“The packaging was confusing.”

She pats my hand. “I understand.”

She finishes ringing up my purchases. I pay and she hands me two large bags.

“You can take the tests in our restroom.” She points to the back of the store.

“I don’t know how much time I’ll need.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

I thank her before scurrying to the restroom. I lock the door behind me and empty my bags out on the counter. I separate out the pregnancy tests and shove everything else back into the bags.

Ten minutes later, I’ve peed on countless sticks and washed my hands several times. I should have bought some hand lotion.

Ten pregnancy tests are lined up on the counter. My alarm goes off.

I don’t want to look but I have to. I have to know. Is this another one of my hypochondria attacks? Am I going overboard again? Or am I…

I read off the tests.

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

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