Page 71 of White Raven
“I missed a fucking period, Wren!”
Every muscle in her body went steely, and her chest felt like it was gonna cave in. Suddenly, that delectable sandwich was clawing its way back up her throat. Wren took her forearms and steadied her, turning her to sit in one of the kitchen chairs while she started to hyperventilate.
“Okay, chill. Why don’t you let me go get a few tests? We don’t need to flip out until there’s a reason, right? I’ve had a couple‘oh shit’moments like this before. So has Sarah. You don’t see either one of us with a kid, do you?”
Rhaena tried to control her panting, but her nerves were shot. She slapped a palm to the table. “You just said you stopped by the pharmacy, right? Did you take the pill yet?”
“No, but that pill has a seventy-two-hour window, and it won’t hurt an already attached life-sucker,” Wren informed her…poetically.
Rhaena buried her face into her hands. “Oh, my God…oh fuck. Ohfuck…”
“Stay here. Don’t call anybody. Don’t leave. If you need to puke, here’s the trash can. I’ll be back in fifteen.” Wren scooted the kitchen trash can to her side and grabbed her keys as she barreled out the door.
This couldn’t happen. Her life was a fucking train wreck. Neither one of their apartments were big enough,or decent enough, to raise a baby in. They worked all the time. They hadn’t even discussed having kids. Truthfully, she wasn’t even sure he wanted them. Wasn’t sure ifshewanted them.
This was…astronomically bad.
The familiar smell in this elevator reminded him of the apartment just past the doors. The one he didn’t live in anymore. The one where so many things changed the course of his entire existence. Funny how the thought of that apartment felt nothing like home now that he’d been making one with Sarah about ten miles away. She was home now. She’d always be home. A soft smile etched across his mouth as he stared at the floor waiting for the elevator to stop. When the bell chimed and the doors opened, he made to step out, stopping short when he came face-to-face with Wren who looked utterly shocked to see him—and just about devastated.
“Athan!” she choked, conceding a step as her face paled.
“Back so soon? If I were you, I wouldn’t give me more reasons to torture that poor sod. I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt right now,” he grinned.
Wren rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Thepoor sod…was perfectly delightful, thank you, and no, we’re not talking about it. I haven’t let Sarah have her chance to run me over for hairy details yet.”
“Well, when you decide to dive into that conversation, I’d leave out words like ‘hairy’.”
She scoffed, shaking her head. “Were you looking for me?”
Athan stepped out of the elevator, but Wren didn’t make any moves to step in, and the doors closed behind him. “Actually, no. I’ve got Rhaena some more leads. Your friend gave her some decent, unintentional information. Thank her again for us.”
“My friend?” she asked, cocking her head.
“Yeah, Leigh? The girl that sold me the statue at your shop. Did Rhaena not tell you?”
“Uhh…no. She—you know what? Why don’t I give it to her? She can fill me in.”
He got the feeling she was hiding something, and her intent stare really gave her away…and the fact that she glanced twice now behind her at Rhaena’s door. Athan tightened his jaw, feeling less than easy about the possibility that something was wrong with his partner, and he hadn’t been around much lately to help her. He knew Jenkins wasn’t in there, seeing as they’d parted ways about twenty minutes ago, so there wasn’t any chance of him walking in on anything…nude. Wren clutched the leather on his jacket as he strode past her, eyes focused on her door.
“Wait—Athan, now isn’t a good time, okay?”
He turned abruptly to face her, stopping about halfway down the hall. “What’s wrong? Don’t say nothing. I feel it in my gut, and my instincts are way better than yours.”
She fidgeted, shifting her weight to one hip and rubbing the back of her neck uncomfortably as she looked down at the grungy carpet. “She’s just—look, it’s not my place to say. She’s fine, dude. I think she just needs a little space.”
“Is she hurt, Wren?”
“Not…physically, no.”
Nope. He was going. He turned, storming towards the apartment and ignoring Wren’s begging for him not to. He knocked with a knuckle before letting himself in, never givingRhaena a chance to answer and tell him to leave her alone. He found her at the kitchen table crying and wiping her nose with a soggy paper towel. The look of shock on her face quickly seemed to sag into relief, and she slowly stood from the table, breaking into sobs. Wren burst through the door behind him, startling Rhaena as she raised the towel up to her face.
“I’m sorry—I tried to tell him.”
“You didn’t say anything, did you?” Rhaena croaked, shuddering with another sob. Athan looked between them, growing more irritated by the second as Wren shook her head warily.
“Say anything about what? What’s going on?”
“Go, Wren. It’s okay.”
