Page 36 of His Virgin Woman
Chapter Eleven
“Just go and get one,” Leah said.
Peyton looked toward the pharmacy.They had just taken Shae’s truck to the local grocery store, where she was loaded up on lots of food in order to start taking care of the ranch and the ranchers.
Since the bakery had been burned, the fire investigation indicated it had to be completely stripped from the inside.The structure was sound, but a lot of work needed to be done.Shae was in the process of dealing with it.She believed the insurance people had already paid him a visit and were handling whatever needed to be dealt with.
As for her and Leah, she talked with Shae and he didn’t mind her taking random orders, using his kitchen, while at the same time feeding the ranchers.It was a job she actually loved.Leah had been helping.This woman had lost her job with the fire, but she imagined Shae was still paying for her help.She was thankful for it, as well as her company.
Of course, it also meant Leah had come to notice certain smells were starting to affect her.The scent of coffee repulsed her, and she spent a lot of time running to the bathroom.There were also the hormones and the fact one of the cakes came out sunken, and she just started to cry.A lot of changes were happening.Leah had just come right out and asked Peyton if she was pregnant, to which she responded she didn’t know.
Now, they had a truck full of food and were parked at the pharmacy.
“I can go in,” Leah said.
She reached out and stopped the other woman.“No, then people are going to be gossiping about you, and there is no reason for that to happen.I’ll go.”
Peyton wanted to run away, but instead she climbed out of the truck and made her way inside the pharmacy.She could do this.
Making her way down the aisles, she saw Frances, and waved at the woman.The other woman gave her a smile.Peyton had hoped that would be the end of it, only Frances was a talker and came toward her.
“Hey, Peyton, I am so sorry to hear what happened.Halloween was not the same without you,” she said.
“Thanks.”
For the first time since she was a teenager, she and Shae had gone to town and enjoyed Halloween night.They hadn’t dressed up, just gone as themselves.They had played some games.Shae had won her a huge teddy bear by shooting his gun at a target.The man was a machine.They had skipped out on winning fish, gone into a haunted house and eaten way too much candy and donuts.When they got back to the ranch, they had made love in the sitting room, in front of a roaring fire, and that was where they had fallen asleep, until Leah had woken them up by knocking on the door the following day.
Yes, life had been good.She kept expecting the regret to sink in, but at no point did it.There was no regret, no nothing.Just peace.
She and Shae never talked about what happened that day.There was no need to keep talking about the past.
“So, how are you?”Peyton asked, looking at the aisles.She did notice all of the Band-Aid supplies, and she grabbed several boxes.The ranchers were always hurting themselves, Shae included, and she noticed the supplies were starting to get limited.
“Oh, you know, I can’t complain.We are so busy.One of the Mitchell brothers decided he needed to start hanging his decorations and fell from the porch roof.Yeah, he banged his head, but I swear that thing is made of steel.He got up, laughed, and tried not to go to the hospital, but you know his wife made him go and get checked out, and I don’t know how he is able to do it, but he is more than fine.”
She listened as she made her way down the aisles, aware that they were getting close to the pregnancy tests.
Frances told her tales of several of the locals, including the antics of some of the younger boys, who were experimenting with some of their dad’s equipment, and decided it was fun to shoot with a nail gun.It kept going, over and over again.
Frances was still talking about everything when they got to the pregnancy tests, and she hoped the woman wouldn’t stop, but it was like she became aware of where they were.Peyton didn’t make a sound, but she reached out, grabbing the test she knew had the best reviews online.That is what she had searched for that very morning.To see which test would be the best one.There was no reason to buy three or four.
She turned to Frances and the woman’s mouth was partially open.Peyton didn’t see the point in telling her not to tell anyone.No one could keep Frances quiet.She was the town gossip.She was the reason news traveled fast.With her few supplies, she turned to the other woman and offered her a smile.
“This is all I need,” she said.
She paid, and Frances stayed quiet, and then she left, joining Leah back in the truck.“Is everything okay?You look ...pale?”
“Oh, I’m fine.The whole town is going to know that I bought a pregnancy test.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine.”She was a little shaky.
“I can’t believe Frances was there.That was unlucky.”
