Harper lifted her bag. “Obviously, you don’t need to tell me.”
DJ snickered and took the bag. She set it on the kitchen table, unpacking the boxes. “Let’s figure this out, all right?”
Harper nodded and picked up a blue and white box. A few minutes later, they had all of them open and the little wands lined up. Other than the length of time it took for the results to show in the window, there wasn’t much difference.
All she had to do was pee on them.
Sweet lord have mercy.
Before she could nerve up any more, she swiped all three up and followed DJ down the hallway to the bathroom.
“You good?”
She was so far from good, but she nodded anyway. She closed the door and took care of business. A few seconds later, she had them all lined up on a hand towel.
She washed her hands and dug out her phone.
DM: Where are you?
She flicked away Deacon’s text and set the timer for five minutes then left the room. She couldn’t stare at them.
DJ poked her head around the corner. “Well?”
She held up her phone. “We’ll know in a few minutes.” She popped her knuckles and paced the length of DJ’s hallway. Six steps, spin, then five.
Six then five.
Her phone buzzed in her palm. She lifted it and another text bubble filled her screen.
DM: I’m lonely. Come play with me.
She curled her hand around her phone and pressed the top edge to her lips. He had no clue.
He should be here, Harper Lee.
Nerves and guilt swirled in her belly. She just needed to know then she could deal with it. She could make a game plan and sit him down to figure things out. It was better this way.
Her phone chimed and buzzed under her hand.
Time’s up.
She swiped a hand down her face, lifted her chin, and pushed the door open to the bathroom.
Plus sign.
Blue line.
Positive.
Something inside her knew. As much as she wanted to deny it as stress or a late period. She’d known.
She crouched down and pressed her forehead to the front of the counter.
A baby.
Inside of her.
Deacon’s baby. How was she going to tell him? Everything in their life was so in flux. They barely had their own bedroom in the house they were renting with the band. They’d barely had a moment alone, with him in the studio and her business.
They were just starting out.
Fast.
Mach speed fast. She’d fallen in love, gotten married, and started her company years ahead of schedule. How were they supposed to do this too? She had freaking whiplash, for God’s sake.
“Well, shit.”
Harper turned her head at DJ’s voice. “Yeah. Can’t get much more positive than that line up, huh?”
“I have to say, I was hoping to crack open a bottle of wine, not a ginger ale.”
“You and me both.” Harper sighed and stood. She gathered up the applicators. She had a feeling she would need them. Proof to stare at or to defend when she told Deacon.
Would he be happy?
His entire life was just starting. The timing on this was so beyond awful.
“All right. Let’s go with plan B discussions. Are you hungry?”
Harper shook her head.
“Mind if I eat?”
She shook her head again.
DJ herded her out of the bathroom and into the living room. “Sit.”
She sat because it was easier to follow directions at this point. Her brain had completely seized and a symphony of white noise had taken over her hearing. The three sticks were fanned out in her fist.
Funny how she couldn’t quite put them down.
DJ sat down next to her with one of the test boxes, a bowl of grapes, and three Babybels. She unwrapped the cheese and split the wax encasing before handing her one. “Your gut has to be a mess.”
“Food doesn’t taste right.”
“Try it.”
Harper nibbled on the edge. It tasted like cheese. Thank God. She took a larger bite and collapsed against the couch.
Her newfound friend held out the box for the testing wands. “Time to come back from crazy town.”
She sighed and slid the applicators into the box. “You’re right.” She bit off a small piece of the cheese. “What did you do?” She nodded at the box. “When this happened to you.”
“I was only a few weeks pregnant when I figured it out. I’ve been right where you are. Right on this couch, actually,” she said with a humorless laugh. “The difference? I didn’t have anyone to talk to. So, I went to Planned Parenthood. After I bawled like a baby and thought it over, I knew there was no way I could have a kid. At least not then. The guy had been king of the losers and was already long gone.”
The piece of cheese Harper had managed to get down stuck in her throat.
The idea of a sterile room and nurses telling her all about her options was so…cold. Remote. Isolating.
“They’ve come a long way with their…technology, I guess is the best way to put it. As long as you’re still in the first trimester you don’t even have to have a procedure. All I had to do was take a pill.”