Page 7 of Curves and Cradles

I chuckle and pull her to me so she’s nestled against my chest. “I like you, Janie.”

“I like you, too, soldier.”

chapterfour

Jane

Six weeks later

“Shit, shit, shit!” I curse. “How did this happen?”

My best friend, Dani, rolls her eyes. “Uh, babe, if you don’t know, that may explain all this.” She points to the row of sticks lined up on the bathroom counter.

My stomach twists in a knot. “Not the time for jokes. Oh, my God, Dani, I’m pregnant.Pregnant. Shit!”

I sit on the edge of her bathtub, my eyes locked on the multi-colored striped bathmat. But I see nothing except the two pink lines now permanently imprinted on my brain.

“So... any idea who the father might be?”

I wince. “No question. Hot Navy SEAL guy.”

“Tell me you got his actual name.”

“Yes, of course. We spent the entire weekend together. An incredible best-sex-of-my-life weekend. His name is Kevin Jessup.”

“And you didn’t use protection?”

I swallow. “We did. A condom every time.” I saw the evidence in the bathroom trashcan every time I went in there. We were careful.

Dani blows out a breath. “It’s like a Lifetime movie on how birth control isn’t foolproof. So, what are you going to do?”

“I guess I’ll try to get in touch with him and let him know. Then I’m going to make a doctor’s appointment.” I shake my head and swallow hard against the panic. “Maybe I’ll do those in reverse order.” My hand goes absently to my belly. I’ve never had a completely flat tummy. I’m on the curvier side, which has never bothered me. Now I know my little pooch is protecting a sweet nugget inside me.

I’ve always wanted to be a mother. Now isn’t exactly ideal. I’m twenty-six, unmarried, not in a relationship of any kind, nor do I see one in my future now. Being a high school teacher doesn’t bring me many prospective boyfriends, except the coaches and the occasional history teacher. My coworkers are predominantly women. Which means they’ll give me one hell of a baby shower.

“What about your family?” Dani asks.

“Yeah, my parents are going to flip.”

Dani laughs.

“What could you possibly find amusing in this situation?”

“Jane, I’ve known you since we were four. You’ve spent your life standing quietly in the background behind your beautiful and talented siblings. Not that you deserved to be there, but you put yourself there. They’ve won all the awards, gotten all the firsts and the bests. Now you have the opportunity to be the first Seymour kid to give Diane and Frank a granddaughter. And that, my friend, is awesome.” She pokes the tip of my nose with her finger. “Provided it’s a girl.”

A girl. A baby.“Kathleen won’t like that. The triplets are only three. She wanted to wait until they were in school before they tried for any other kids.”

Dani laughs again. “No, she won’t.”

“Holy hell, Dani. I’m pregnant. With Hot Navy SEAL guy’s baby.”

chapterfive

Jane

About a year later…

I put another measured serving of baby formula in the diaper bag and follow it up with two changes of clothes and several diapers.

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