Page 61 of North
“And that reason is?” I drummed my fingers against the table and waited for an answer.
“I think you might be pregnant, North.”
Silence and shock laid over us like a thick blanket.
My throat tightened and my gaze bounced around from the ceiling to the floor then landing on my cup. Nerves jumped up and down in my stomach like petulant children. I squeezed my cup so hard I thought I might send espresso shooting toward the ceiling. Even though I was swimming in nerves, a smile burned the corners of my mouth.
“I haven’t gotten my period this month but I thought it was stress.”
“Yeah, the stress of being pregnant.” A laugh slipped past her lips and it made me snicker. “Come on, let’s go to the drug store. We’re finding out right now.” She stood to her feet and grabbed her keys.
Ten minutes later, Melanie went into the drug store and made a beeline for the pregnancy tests. “Jeez, Mel. How many pregnancy tests have you bought?”
“Shut up, North. The First Response tests should be perfect.” She handed them to me and smiled.
“Why can’t you get them for me?”
“Because I come to this store all the time. I don’t want the cashier telling Elijah I was in here buying pregnancy tests.” She shuddered then rubbed my back as we walked up to the counter. She paid for it but I had to make the transaction.
Nervous wouldn’t begin to explain how I felt going to the bathroom. I used both tests and came out of the stall when I was done. I looked at Melanie with raised brows and lips rolled between my teeth. “Three minutes,” I said between nibbles to my bottom lip.
“Longest three minutes of your life, I’m sure.”
“Absolutely.” I pulled the hair tie from my ponytail and ran my fingers through my hair obsessively. “You know, I used to hate you when I first met you?” I leaned against the sink and stared down at my hands. Melanie laughed and swept her hair to one side.
“I know. I wasn’t too fond of you either. I didn’t know who you were though. I thought you were clingy with Kane and I admittedly had no idea what either of you had gone through. Now I know better and honestly, North you’re one of my favorite people. I hope we can keep being friends.”
Emotions shimmered in my eyes blurring my vision but a smile still hung on my lips. “I hope so too. I need a friend.” I blinked away the tears when my phone vibrated in my hand. A number I didn’t recognize flashed across the screen and something in my gut told me to answer it. So instead of checking on the tests, I answered my phone.
“Hello?” My brows crashed together on my forehead.
“North, thank god.” Kane’s voice sounded shaky and frustrated.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Something about the way he sounded made me sick to my stomach.
“I got arrested.”
I couldn’t have heard him correctly.
Arrested?
“What the hell? Why did you get arrested, Kane?” Melanie’s eyes narrowed with intensity and she motioned for me to put the phone on speaker.
“Aggravated rape,” he gritted the words through his teeth like they were rancid.
“What?” Melanie and I exclaimed together.
“Don’t say another fucking word until I get there. You just got yourself a lawyer.” Melanie grabbed her purse and I blinked, still shrouded in disbelief.
“Mel? I’m so glad to hear your voice. Get here as soon as you can. I need to get out of here. This is bullshit,” Kane grumbled.
“Kane, stop talking. I’ll be there in a little while. Come on, North. Let’s go.” There was no time to think about looking at the results of my pregnancy tests one way or another. I rushed in the stall grabbed them from the changing table and threw them in the pocket of my Starbucks apron.
I followed Melanie to the San Miguel County Jail in my birthday car. Time slowed to a crawl behind every red light and stop sign. I tapped my hands against the steering wheel trying to keep them from digging into my pocket and looking at the test results.
My mind ran a series of mazes trying to figure out how the fuck Kane got arrested for aggravated rape. Who would do something so ridiculous? Who could be so vindictive?
As we pulled into the jail parking lot the shock and fog cleared from my mind and the answer was clear as day.
