Page 101 of Catch You

“Okay. Three minutes. You can look now.”

“I don’t think I can,” I admit, my hand beginning to tremble.

“Shall I…?” She steps forward and holds her hand out. But as much as turning the stick over might terrify me, allowing her to see it first is worse.

“No.”

My stomach turns. My hands shake and my mouth goes dry.

I drag in a long, slow breath and close my eyes.

When I pull them open again, I’ve spun the stick, and the result is staring right back at me.

Fuck.

The trembling of my hands gets more violent as the room starts spinning.

“Well?” Brooke asks, getting impatient.

“F-four weeks.”

“You’re pregnant?”

I swallow, trying to force the lump down that’s blocking my airway. “It would seem so.”

Closing the space between us, she drops down beside me.

My eyes are still locked on the confirmation as she wraps her arm around my shoulder and pulls me into her body.

“Are you okay?” she asks after I don’t respond. “I kind of expected you to react.”

She’s right. I’m not crying, screaming, or even feeling a sliver of happiness.

“I … um … I’m not sure I can deal with this right now.”

“Okaaay.”

“I’m just gonna …” I stand, placing the test on the dresser before slipping my shoes off and crawling into bed.

“Harlow, you need to eat something.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“But—” I cut her with a look that stops any argument falling from her lips. “Okay. I’ll … um …” She starts backing out of the room, and I allow her to go.

I need to be alone.

I need … I’ve no idea what I need.

After a few minutes, Brooke heads downstairs, but it’s not long before I hear the hushed sound of her voice as she talks tosomeone. A little bit of panic erupts that she might be talking to Corey, but I know she’d never do that to me.

I lie there curled up in a ball as I run through all the things I need to do. I’ve got a funeral and a wake to plan. I need to make arrangements with the funeral directors, choose flowers, songs, readings…

I must drift off to sleep, because when I wake again, the sun is setting outside, casting an orange glow around the room.

Sitting up, I look at my clock, and my eyes widen. I knew I was tired, but Christ.

My stomach grumbles, and I pull my aching body to sit on the edge of the bed.

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