Page 66 of The Twins

“I-I have something to tell you. My stomach was acting up. A-And the girl… Carey, she said I must do a pregnancy test. I tried to explain that I can’t have children, but she wouldn’t listen. She’s a teen. She doesn’t understand. So, I peed on a stick before she threw a fit.”

He curses under his breath. “Vegas?”

“Yes, my sugar puff. I’m coming to pick you up—”

“Vegas, the test claims that I’m pregnant.”

“Stay where you are, sugar puff. Don’t move. Why are you crying?” he asks. The motor’s howls give me a sense of security. He’s on his way. In LA, that takes hours. “Are you in danger?”

Fuck.

“I need to hang up now,” I tell him.

“Sugar puff, don’t you dare–”

I click the line dead, and Hugh steps forward. I clear my throat. “My boyfriend’s on his way.”

“You must think that he loves you, don’t you?” Hugh’s face turns ugly in his grin. “They all claim that. Just until you tell him you’re pregnant.”

“But you always say that being pregnant is a blessing!” Carey exclaims, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Does she understand? Is she playing along?

“For young ladies like you, it is.” SHE’S FIFTEEN. “When you’re almost in your thirties, your beauty is almost dead. You’re a wilting flower by then,” Hugh continues.

I’ve had enough. Cramps or no cramps. I can gag all I want. Fuck this. “Carey, don’t listen to him. That’s bullshit.”

“Says the alien,” Hugh cackles.

“Fuck you.” I shove my finger in his face, my heart pounding out of my chest. I can’t be pregnant, but even if I were, I can’t stand here and wait for Vegas to come. “Why are you here?”

“I came to visit the Jean family,” Hugh replies.

“They’re unavailable. I’d suggest you leave their home. I’m doing Carey’s nails right now, and she can’t accept any visitors. I don’t work well with strangers present,” I say. I lift my chin, and I puff my chest out. He can throw insolent remarks at me. Call me a slut. A whore. A gold digger. A fucking alien.

“Carey–”

“DON’T talk to her!” I demand.

“I helped Liz Jean acquire this home. You can’t kick me out,” Hugh informs me, shrugging indifferently. I scowl.

“Grey, I don’t want any trouble. He has to stay,” Carey mumbles.

“No, he doesn’t. Either he leaves, or I call the cops. You’re an unattended minor,” I remind her.

Hugh’s face goes slack. “My dear, I’ll find your mother on another day. I don’t want to do it, but I’ll have to tell her to fire this woman. She’s rude, and she’s dangerous. There’s nothing feminine or kind about her like your mom described. Just another brat trying to lure her way into our country.”

I scoff at him.

He departs, and I follow him to make sure he leaves the property. Carey ghosts around behind me, murmuring to herself.

We return to the table where I was painting her nails earlier, and I continue my work. If I’m going to be fired by the end of the day, I better make the most out of it.

By the time Vegas arrives to pick me up, all traces of Hugh Abbott are long gone. Carey doesn’t speak to me, and she keeps her head hung low on my way out. I climb into the car, and I tell Vegas what happened one more time.

I sugarcoat the incident in the bathroom. He doesn’t need to know that I profiled an old white man for staring at my tits. He also offered me a porn job, and he accused my boyfriend of betrayal, but who cares, right?

In the car, I click the windows open. I need to breathe even if I’m inhaling car exhaust on the interstate.

“What do you want to do?” Vegas asks. “I should take you to a doctor.”

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