by Vicki Green
“Whoa! Whoa! Calm down, bestie.” Molly. Shit! My breathing is coming out in heavy pants, my fist clenched. “What the hell, Ry? It’s only early evening. How is that too late to call?”
I relax, slightly, letting out a sigh in relief. “Oh! Molly. Sorry. I thought…. I thought you were someone else.”
She sighs. “Ugh! Who put your panties in a bunch? Your Hot Tamale? Did he do something? He better not have hurt you. I’ll throat punch him!” I laugh. I can’t help it. She always seems to put me in a better mood. Of course, I don’t want her to throat punch anyone. I think.
My front door opens and Jax peeks inside. I wave him in, really wanting to be in his arms right now. “No.” I sigh. “A woman claiming to be my mother called.” I hear her loud gasp through the phone. Jax walks over and stops before me, his brows lowered and full of concern. “Yeah, I know, right? I mean – why now? Why after almost twenty-one years does she decide to contact me? It’s weird.”
“That’s crazy! What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea. Look, do you need me tonight?” She tells me no, that they’ve got it handled. “Okay. I appreciate that. Jax is here so I’m gonna let you go. I think I need a glass of wine or five.”
“Okay, babe. You know I’m here if you need me. I can be there in like less than two minutes.” She sighs.
“Thanks. I love you, bestie.”
After she gives me her love, I end the call and walk right into Jax’s open arms. He cradles my head with his hand his arm wrapped tightly around me. “Are you okay?” He leans his head against mine. “Stupid question. Of course, you’re not okay. What can I do?”
“Just hold me?” I sigh into his chest.
“That I can do.”
Two days went by. The shop has been packed, even more so after I received the signing events flyers. I hung them on the front door, windows, and around inside the shop. People are getting crazy excited for it. I’m now the proud owner of a driver’s license and Jax’s front bumper has been fixed. I’d think we had our first fight over who would pay for it, but he ended up tickling me so much that I almost peed in my pants. I gave in and called Uncle! He seriously doesn’t fight fair.
Now, it’s Wednesday and after today, there’s only two days before we leave for the signing. I’m already becoming a nervous wreck! This morning, I decided to have my first ever employee meeting, only because I need to suck up to them before I dump all the things we need to do before the signing. Oops!
“What do you mean we are gonna make all that before the signing? We’ll need to start baking and making coffee at three in the morning!” Well, that went over well. Molly’s throwing her hands up in the air, and I’m leaning back against the preparing table in the back room.
“Um….” I look over at Addie, who’s biting her thumbnail. “I’d actually requested off that weekend so I’m sorry but I….”
I give her a smile. “Yes, you’re fine, Addie. Maybe you can help prepare a bunch the night before and we’ll refrigerate them so they’ll be ready for the oven the next morning?”
“Oh! I’d be happy to help!” She’s such a sweet girl.
“I can help out too! I can work on making the coffees and putting them in the big thermos containers.” Duncan offers. God bless him. “If you’d like me to go with you all to the signing, instead of using my VIP tickets, I can help make sure the table is kept stocked. I don’t mind.” Of course he doesn’t. I’ve caught him, more than once, reading a bunch of the paperbacks in our reading area. Romances. Yep! Secretly, I know he’s excited about going and seeing the authors.
“I was hoping you’d say that, Duncan. Thank you.” He smiles, and I nod when he tilts his head at the shop to go to work. Addie walks out there too, and it’s about time to open. “I don’t know why you’re so bent out of shape. You know how important this is to me.” I start booting up the computer as Molly begins filling donuts, cramming the filling into half of them with a force. “So, what’s your beef, jerky?” I’m trying to lighten the mood, but seriously I don’t know why she’s so pissed.
She shrugs. “I dunno. I guess maybe I thought I’d get to meet some authors, get some books and get them signed. Now, I just kinda feel like the hired help.” She starts slamming the other half of the donut dough over the tops of the others. I press my lips together so I don’t laugh. Standing, I walk over to her and put my arm around her shoulders.
“Oh, my God! Of course you’re gonna meet the authors and get books signed.” I squeeze and she stops. “Sheesh! You don’t have to murder the poor defenseless dough.”
She looks up, and I wink then close my eyes when she runs her hand down my face with half of dough filled with cream. I can hear her giggles as I lick my lips. She’s now snorting so I grab my own, pushing it down the side of her face. She squeals, and I burst out in laughter. That’s how our morning goes. Just another day at the shop.
Once I’ve cleaned up in the bathroom, after our filled dough fight, I’m walking through the back room but stop by the wall leading out into the shop when I hear voices.
“Shhhh! Keep your voice down!”
Jax?
“Fine. But you know she’s going to find out. When do we tell her, Jax? I feel really, really bad.”
Addie?
Tell me what? Damn, I’m so gonna drill that peephole into this wall!
“Look. We’ve kept this a secret this long, a few more days isn’t going to hurt,” Jax whispers. What in the hell are they talking about and why is my heart lodged in my throat and my hand in a fist? I have a bad feeling about this. THIS is why I wanted to put that damn peephole in this wall!
“I just hate keeping this from her. I don’t want to hurt her and this will kill her. It will break her heart. I hate losing her as a friend,” Addie whispers back, her voice full of emotion.
“I know,” Jax replies, softly.
Oh. My. God! It sounds like he just kissed her!
Backing away from the wall, walking on tiptoes, I inch my way into the bathroom and shut the door quietly. Flipping on the light, I turn around and look in the mirror. Tears are streaming down my face. Reaching up, I rub across my cheek and look down at my wet fingertips. He’s cheating on me. With Addie. My friend. My Hot Tamale. I look at my reflection. How can he do this to me and she knows? He said he loved me. What the hell? Taking my phone out of my back pocket, I text Molly.
Me: CODE BLUE! BATHROOM!
What do I tell her? That I think Addie and Jax are seeing each other behind my back? No, I can’t do that. Molly will kick their asses. Right here. In the shop. In front of customers. Bad – very bad for business. A light tap on the door, and I twist it unlocked then open it, grabbing her arm and pulling her inside quickly.
“What the hell, Ry?” She looks at my face and frowns. “Are you okay?”
Shaking my head, I sniffle and grab her arms. “I think I’m getting sick. I need to make the great escape out through the patio. Clear my way?”
She reaches up and covers my forehead with her hand. “Oh no! You do feel kinda warm.” Yeah, only because I’m boiling mad on the inside, and my heart is shattering in a gazillion pieces. “You definitely can’t be sick for the signing.” She grabs my hand and unlocks the door, pulling me out. “Okay,” she says as she continues to pull me through the back room. I grab my purse when we walk past the desk, and she stops by the side door that we use as our employee door that leads through the side of the patio. “You get some medicine or go to the doctor.” She keeps talking while she tugs my hand. She opens the door and looks around, acting like the big spy she’s not. I startle when she turns around, abruptly. “Okay, the coast is clear.” I’m dying inside trying not to laugh. She grabs my arms, and now I feel bad with how worried she looks. “You call me, text me – whatever. Call your doctor if you get any worse. I’ll come over when I get off.
Okay?”
Jax will come looking for me. I don’t want to see him. “I’m gonna pack up Willy and go to your condo. Is that okay?” I know I’ll have to tell her, eventually, just not when she’s in shooting range of Jax and Addie. “That’s a great idea! You have my spare key.”
“Thanks, bestie.”
She smiles. “That’s what besties are for. Now, you go get your stuff, and I’ll see you at my place later.”
I nod and start to walk past her only to look over my shoulder. “Molly?” She tilts her head. “Don’t say anything to anyone, not even Jax. I’ll explain later. Okay?” She opens her mouth, confusion moves over her, but she nods, slowly. “Thanks. I’ll see you later.”
I feel like I’m doing the walk of shame as I go home. How can they do this to me? How can he do this? My heart is broken and now I feel like shit. I pack up my duffle bag, memories washing over me from every time I’ve used it. The cabin. Me in his arms. The hook in his cheek. His car bashed against the tree. Sitting in between his legs on the lawn chair on his deck. Tears stream down my face as I zip it closed, grabbing Willy, his leash and his castle full of his stuff. After locking my door, my head bowed in sorrow, I walk down the sidewalk until I’ve reached Molly’s condo and let myself inside.
I walk up to her spare bedroom, get Willy’s castle settled on the other side of the bed, then unhook him from his leash and let him get accustomed to her house. After unpacking my bag, I take his bowls and food down to the kitchen, find a place to set them and fill them. There. I feel like I just moved in. He might look for me here but I’m sure after I talk to her and make sure she won’t kill him, she’ll cover for me. Suddenly, I’m tired and actually do feel a little warm. I go upstairs, shut the door, and climb into bed. Turning my head, I see Willy snuggled inside his castle and close my eyes.
Chapter 19
I open my eyes to whispers. Molly is sitting on the mattress next to me, looking worried. “What’s wrong?” I croak, my voice hoarse. Mostly likely from being asleep. She places her hand on my forehead and frowns.
“Ry, you’re really warm. Did you call the doctor?” I shake my head. I mean, I’m not really sick. Am I? “Here, I made you some soup. Chicken noodle.” She grins, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
As I sit up and lean against the headboard, the smell of the soup overtakes me. Chicken noodle. Just like Gram always made me when I wasn’t feeling well. She picks up the bowl and hands it to me. I scoop some up with a spoon and relish the taste until the liquid slides down my throat. “Oh.” I swallow, my throat feeling sore and raw. Shit! Maybe I am really sick!
“You need to go see your doctor tomorrow,” she says matter of fact. I nod as I set the spoon back into the bowl.
“Molly?”
“Mhmm?”
“Promise you’ll stay calm if I tell you something?” Her brows raise up high into her forehead. I raise my hand and hold up my pinky. “Pinky swear?”
She rolls her eyes and wraps her pinky around mine. “What are we – twelve?” I raise my brow. “Okay. Pinky swear.”
I hand her the bowl and wait until she sets it down on the nightstand. She definitely does not need any kind of weapon in her hands. “So, when I was getting ready to come out of the back room, I heard whispering.” I can actually see her ears perk up. “It was Jax and Addie. She was worried about them not telling me about something, and he was consoling her about how it’s gonna kill me when they finally tell me.”
“That motherfuck….” She starts to stand, and I grab her arm.
“No, Molly.” I sniff, tears filling my eyes. She sits back down but I can tell she could bolt at any moment. “I just….” I wave my hand back and forth. “I don’t get it. Everything was amazing between us. Why?” I look at her, a tear dropping from my eye. “Why would he do this?”
“Aw, honey.” She reaches over and takes my hand. “All men are jerks. Asshats. Pricks. The lowest of vermin….”
“Okay.” I laugh. “I get it.”
“I’m gonna kill him.”
“No. You’re not.”
“Why not?” she practically whines.
I let out a long sigh. “The biggest day of my life was to fall in love with a man for the first time. Deep down I had hoped that everything I’d read about how first loves never last wasn’t true. Now, the next biggest day of my life, going to the Ridgemont signing is only a couple of days away, and I’m not letting anything ruin it.” She nods and pats my hand. “So, I’ll go to the doctor tomorrow and stay with you until after the signing. You, my bestie, will not say anything to Jax or Addie in the next couple days while I try to get well. You will cover for me.” She pulls her bottom lip into her mouth, contemplating. “I mean it, Molly. You pinky swore!”
“Okay. Okay!” She releases my hand and gives me back the soup. I smile as I try to get some of it down. Damn, my throat really does hurt. “I’ll cover for you and I won’t say anything, but it’s going to be really, really hard not to scratch his eyes out.”
“Thank you, Molly. You’re the best friend anyone could ever have.”
Now, I need to rest, get well, and pray that she doesn’t slip up. She would totally kick his ass if I let her loose. Sigh. She’s totally gonna kick his ass.
The next morning, I got up early, not able to sleep. I’m not sure what is worse – finding out that Jax has Addie on the side or my damn fever, sore throat and stuffed up nose. Of course, being the bestie she is, Molly wanted to stay home and take care of me, after she went and kicked Jax’s ass. I snorted. It hurt my nose and throat. So, before I pushed her out the door, I made her pinky swear again. She rolled her eyes, just like I thought she would, but did it anyway – just like I knew she would. She’s a great friend.
I called my doctor’s office. They happened to have an appointment open in half an hour. Now if I only had the energy to get ready and walk there. I’ve been going to this office all my life only my doctor changed a few years back. After Dr. Morgan passed away, his son took over his practice. Again, I’ve known William, uh…. Dr. Morgan (snickers) all my life. Gram and I even went to his wedding, and I sent flowers and a baby gift when their son was born. Reluctantly, and very slowly, I take a shower and get dressed, then walk the couple of blocks to his office. The entire way, memories flood me of Jax giving me driving lessons, how proud he was of me when I walked out into the lobby of the DMV holding up my paper copy of my driver’s license. Sigh. I hate him but God I miss him.
I’m amazed how fast my name is called after checking in and sitting down. I’m led to a small room and told to put on a stupid paper gown, then made to pee into a cup. I mean, come on people! I have the flu or cold or both! The nurse then takes all my vitals, touching me with her frigid cold hands, and is a little rough. Nurse Ratched! A scene from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest materializes in my mind. Definitely does not have a good bedside manner! Great! Just something else to add to this nightmare! She makes me go down the small hallway, holding the back of my gown shut, to get a throat swab. Talk about trying not to gag or throw up. Now, I’m sitting back in the small room, my legs dangling off the very narrow table, freezing my ass off in this barely there thin gown. For people who are supposed to help you get better, they sure have a poor way of helping that when they leave you waiting half naked in a frigid small room.
The door opens and William, I mean Dr. Morgan, walks in smiling and holding what looks like an iPad. “Rylie! How are you?” Is he serious? He chuckles. Yeah, this is really funny. He sets the tablet down on the counter and walks over to me. “I’m sure you wouldn’t be here if you felt better. Let’s take a look.” Then, I go through the same shit again. He looks at my throat, my ears, blinds me with a small light in my eyes – all the while humming, “Hmmm. Mhmm.” Ugh! He walks back over to his tablet, picks it up and walks back to me, reading, updating and still humming. Oh, my God! Will you
just hurry up so I can get drugs and go back to bed? He looks up over his tablet and smiles. “You definitely have strep throat. But under the circumstances, be rest assured that the antibiotic I’m prescribing is mild and will be fine on the baby.” He looks back down at the tablet.
I shake my head. Are my ears plugged up too? “Uh, what baby?”
He looks back up at me. “Your baby.” He looks back down.
I’m shaking my head like some damn bobble head. “No.”
He looks up. “No?”
I let out a sigh, getting more and more aggravated. “No, meaning – there’s no baby.”
He looks back down at the tablet, humming again. “Yes. It shows right here that….” I grab the tablet from his hands and look down at the screen. “Rylie. The test results show that you’re pregnant.” He did not just say the “P” word. I let out a snort. Shit that hurt!
“There must be some kind of mistake! He wore a….” I look up and swallow. Ow! “He used protection every time, and I’ve been on the pill for years!” I scream. Okay, calm down. This is a huge mistake of massive proportions.
He lays his hand on my shoulder, his face softening. “Rylie. No protection is one hundred percent guaranteed, no matter what you do. You know, sometimes those little swimmers get through and still….” Oh please. Spare me.
I shove his tablet into his chest. “Retake the test,” I growl.
“Rylie. This really isn’t necessary. These tests are….”
I push it harder into his chest. “Retake it, now.”
He grabs the tablet, looking a little scared, and has to tug it outta my hand. “This is highly irregular but I’ll have the nurse come back so you can retake it.” Nurse Ratched comes back and I cringe. God! I hope she doesn’t touch me with her icy hands. She doesn’t look very happy as she hands me another cup. Like she was asked to perform surgery or something. As I walk down the hall to the bathroom, I shiver with that thought.