Page 6 of Always Ever After (Always 2.50)

But it’s her weekend, so I just shrug. “Okay.”

The bartender comes back, and Selene orders a coffee and a slice of cheesecake. I decide to follow her lead and order the same. We chat for a few minutes, and our coffee and desserts arrive.

Selene picks at her cheesecake for a while, barely touching her coffee.

“Okay, babe,” I say, putting my fork down. “What’s going on? Is it the wedding? Is something going on with Ronan? You’ve been acting weird all day. What’s up?”

“No, Ronan is great,” she says. “And the wedding … it’s basically done. I guess maybe I’m just nervous.”

“It’s going to be wonderful,” I say. “I was nervous for my wedding, too, but I promise it will be amazing. And Ronan is so perfect for you.”

“I know he is,” she says. “It’s not that at all. I want to marry him. I can’t wait to marry him.”

“Then what is it?” I ask. “I know you. Something is bugging you.”

She takes a deep breath. “Ky, I’m late.”

It takes me half a second to get her meaning, but then my eyes widen. “Oh, shit. Do you think—”

“I don’t know,” she says. “I bought a test before we left, and I was going to take it when we went back to our rooms earlier, but then Ronan called.”

“So that’s why you’re not drinking,” I say. “Oh my god, Selene, this is so exciting. Did you say anything to Ronan?”

“No, I didn’t want to make him panic,” she says. “We haven’t really talked about having kids. Not seriously, at least.”

“Are you worried he doesn’t want to?”

“A little,” she says. “He’s never said he doesn’t want children, but he’s never specifically said he does. I know I really should have brought this up with him sooner. What if he doesn’t want kids? And what if … fuck, Ky, what if I’m pregnant?”

“Honey, there’s only one way to find out,” I say. “Did you bring the test?”

“Yeah, it’s upstairs.”

“Let’s go do it,” I say. “I know you’re scared. I’ll be with you the whole time, okay? And listen, Ronan loves you. If you’re pregnant, even if it’s a huge surprise to him, he’s still going to love you. I bet he’ll be thrilled.”

I pay our bill and we head back upstairs to Selene’s room. I put my purse down and sit on the bed while she goes into the bathroom. After a couple of minutes, she comes out.

“Okay, I did it,” she says. “Now it says to wait three minutes. I’m terrified.”

“Come here,” I say. She sits down on the edge of the bed and I put my arms around her. “It’s going to be fine.”

“Ky, there are two tests,” she says. “Go take the other one.”

“What? Why?”

“I know it makes absolutely no sense,” she says. “But please. Just go take it. It will make me feel better if we’re doing this together.”

I laugh and squeeze her. “Like when you got your period before me, and I wore a maxi-pad too, so you weren’t the only one?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Okay, babe. I’ll go pee on the stick if it makes you feel better.”

I go into the bathroom. Selene’s test is sitting on the counter with a strip of toilet paper over the top of it. I do my best not to laugh at her. She’s so sweet. Poor thing. I grab the box with the other test in it and look at the instructions.

It’s simple enough. I pee on the end and put the cap back on, then set it on the back of the toilet, so it’s not right next to Selene’s.

“There,” I say when I come out of the bathroom. “Happy now?”

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