Page 10 of Gunner

“For what?”

“My … oh my god. This can’t be happening. I can’t be.”

“What’s happenin’, Nat? What’s goin’ on?” he asks, sounding a little firmer this time. I look up at him and shake my head.

“I need to go.”

“Just talk to me. I can help you.”

“I’m late, Gunner. My period is late.” I blurt it out. There’s no going back now. There’s no taking it back. I said it, and now it’s out there. His hand tightens on my arm as he thinks about what I just said.

“Fuck. You been with anyone else?” he asks. I shake my head. It’s not a lie. I haven’t slept with anyone but him. Oh my god, what am I going to do now? I can’t have a baby. I don’t even have a home!

“Okay. Okay, let’s go get a test,” he says calmly. How is he so calm? Is he not worried about this?

“You’re calm.”

“We don’t know anything for sure, Nat. Nothin’ to be upset over just yet.”

“You’re right.” I nod my head, agreeing with him. He’s right. We don’t know anything yet.

Gunner tosses some cash on the table and grabs my hand before leading me out of the restaurant. We walk down the block to the local pharmacy and head inside. Then, we walk up and down every aisle until we find them on the shelf.

“I don’t know what to pick,” he says, looking at all the boxes.

“Me either,” I whisper. He takes a deep breath and blows it out before picking the most expensive one on the shelf. Then he turns and heads to the front to pay as I shuffle along behind him. I’m scared. Nervous. Scared mostly. I can’t do this. I’m twenty-two, for fucks sake. I don’t have a home. I don’t have a job. I don’t have anything but Rick.

“Bathroom’s back there.” He nods toward the back as he holds the test out to me. I reach out and take it before turning and heading toward the back. Gunner follows me, and to my surprise, he walks into the bathroom behind me. He turns and locks the door before turning toward me.

“Are you going to watch me?”

“You’re pissin’ on a stick. I licked your pussy. I think we’re past the embarrassed stage,” he says. I swallow hard and open the package, setting all the contents on the counter. Gunner turnsthe other way as I pull my pants down and sit on the toilet. I grab the stick, pee on it, and then clean myself up.

“You can turn around,” I tell him. He turns to face me as I wash my hands.

“You okay?”

“I don’t know,” I admit to him. “I don’t know you.”

“I get that. It’s my fault. I didn’t use protection with you.”

“I’m not stable. I mean, financially stable to have a kid, Gunner. This is bad.”

“I got that, darlin’. If you are, we’ll deal with it.”

“You don’t get it. You don’t know me.”

“I’ll get to know you.”

“I’m homeless, Gunner. I can’t have a kid and be homeless!” I snap at him as tears leak down my cheeks. He sighs loudly before stepping closer and wrapping his arms around me.

“It’ll be okay. I promise.”

“It won’t! I can’t have a baby, Gunner.” Now, the tears fall down my cheeks rapidly, and there’s nothing I can do to stop them. He keeps me tucked into his arms as I cry before I hear him mutter the word shit. Then I pull back.

“What?” he nods toward the test on the sink.

“Two lines.”

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