Page 33 of Two Minutes for Holding

PEYTON: Okay.

Elsie: Did you talk to Clay?

PEYTON: No, not yet. He doesn’t even know I’m in town. Plus, I didn’t think going out tonight would be wise. I really don’t want to rock the boat right now with my brother. He’s already angry with me again.

Elsie: Why? What happened?

PEYTON: Mom asked me when I was planning on moving out here when they all picked me up at the airport. I was honest and told her I didn’t know yet.

Elsie: Why would you say that? I thought you made up your mind.

PEYTON: I was being honest. That was what Knox wanted.

ELSIE: Yes, but I don’t understand, you wanted to move.

PEYTON: I do, but…

ELSIE: Then I don’t get it. What’s the bloody issue?

PEYTON: What if the baby is Tor’s don’t you think he had the right…

Elsie: Peyton, stop. We both know that it’s not Tor’s. We also both know, or at least I know, that even if it was, he’d want no part of it. I think you know that as well, but because you are afraid it might be his, you’re afraid of admitting the truth to yourself.

PEYTON: What truth would that be?

ELSIE: That if it were Tor’s he’d not want any part of it, and even if he said he did you’d definitely not want him to be a part of it.

I stared at her words. God she was so right. There’d be no way I’d want him involved, even if he wanted to be. I already knew that. I closed my eyes and rested my head on my pillow. My head was pounding.

PEYTON: Can I message you in a bit?

ELSIE: Of course you can. I’ll be up. I need to finish this paper I’m working on.

PEYTON: Oh, what time is my appointment

ELSIE: Two in the afternoon on Wednesday.

PEYTON: Thanks, talk to you soon.

I shut my phone off. I didn’t want to be bothered. I needed to spend time alone, figure things out. I shut the TV off, rolled over and faced the wall, closing my eyes. Things would work out. They had to.

“Peyton,how about you crumble the cheese for the lasagna?” Mom said, passing me the containers of ricotta cheese and a bowl.

I swallowed hard as I looked down at the cheese in the container, feeling my stomach turn. I’d been sick most of today. Thankfully, Knox had left early for practice, and Mom and Lorelai had gone grocery shopping, so each time I’d been sick, I’d been alone. It happened first thing in the morning while I’d been in the shower and then again late morning just before they’d returned.

“If you’d prefer to deal with the noodles, I can do the cheese.” Lorelai said, a look of concern on her face as she looked at me.

“Thanks. I never liked the feel of this cheese,” I said, glancing at my mother, who gave me a curious look.

I switched spots with Lorelai and stirred the pot of noodles.

“They should be almost done,” Mom said. “We don’t want to overcook them as they will continue to cook in the oven.

“I know. Who’s all coming for dinner?” I asked, stirring the pot again before placing the strainer Lorelai had given me in the sink. “Looks like there is going to be enough food to feed and army.”

“Well, we asked Lucas and Ella, Dylan and Aurora, of course, and the two new players on the team, Levi and Colton. But so far, we’ve only heard from Dylan and Aurora. It’s okay though, because even if no one else shows up, Dylan and Knox eat about as much as the four of us do.” Lorelai giggled.

“That they do,” Mom said. “Your grocery bill must be huge.”

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