Page 35 of Embers in Our Past

Right then I say, “I know you have!”

We stand there in silence, my arms crossed as I give him my meanest glare.

“Well, what are you going to do, Abby?”

“About what?” I say back.

“The pregnancy!” he says in frustration.

“What, are you an OBGYN on your days off? There is no pregnancy!” I yell.

“Oh my gosh! I will buy you a pregnancy test myself.” He gets up and stalks to my front door.

“Oh my gosh, please don’t. I do not need any of those ever again. I’m done looking at those stupid pink single lines.” I follow him as he makes his way to the door.

“Fine, you can sit here and stay pregnant and sick while I know you’re carrying someone’s baby. By the way, I’m really good at predicting gender as well. So I’ll guess that when you’re ready too.” He opens the door, and I stare at him and roll my eyes.

“You’re very wrong about this, Rios. Don’t worry about me, I promise.”

He stares at me for an extra beat.

“Why are you staring at me? It’s creepy.”

“I’m thinking,” he says.

“Well, don’t. You might pop a blood vessel.” I’m on an “absolute jerk” roll this afternoon. Maybe it’s being around Rios.

“Girl. Definitely a girl. You’re giving off girl vibes.”

“Wow, you really don’t get how this works, do you? I tell you I’m unable to conceive, and you just dig the knife deeper, don’t you?” I tell him, my mouth hanging open.

He walks over to the elevator, about to press the button, but then turns around and comes back to my front door.

“Abby, I know you have this horrible impression of me, and rightfully so. I get it. I showed my worst side to you. Honestly, I’m disappointed in myself. Hopefully, I can find a way to prove to you I’m a pretty good guy. I mean, well, most days. But I’m serious. If there is any chance you could be pregnant, find out. It’s important. You need support. You’re alone here, right? Your family is on the West Coast, no?”

“Yes, but I am not pregnant, Rios. I swear. I got my period a while ago.”

“Are you sure that wasn’t implantation bleeding?” he counters.

“How in the world do you know about implantation bleeding?” Is this guy for real?

“Four sisters, remember?” He smirks.

He stalks over to the elevator and, this time, presses the button. He salutes me on the way in once the doors open and finally goes inside.

I close the door and go about my day. I’m finally feeling better once the ginger ale hits my system. I get my house in order a bit and put my computer at the kitchen table in hopes of getting some work done before I decide to call it a night.

An hour passes before there’s a knock on the door. I check the peephole and see Rios standing on the other end. It’s only then I realize he probably wants his sweater back, and I never even put it in the dryer.

I swing the door open and am immediately greeted with a plastic bag.

“What’s this?” I ask.

“It’s the damn test,” he says, sounding annoyed either with himself or with me.

“I told you?—”

“Yeah, yeah, do what you want with it. But at least I know I did all I could. Also, I had a sweater in my car, so you can just give it to Malloy, and he can give it back to me.” He turns back and is already leaving my floor.

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