The Gravity of Love

by Thomas, Anne

  "Since when have we been pushed so out of the loop?"

  Josiah knew exactly what Harrison had been thinking and nodded in agreement.

  Just then the door opened and Marty came walking in, Molly not there with her.

  Harrison quickly grabbed the lip of the trash can and carried the whole thing out, shoving it under Marty's nose just as she had been heading towards the kitchen with two bags of groceries in her arms. Josiah immediately took the bags, worried if they were too heavy for her in her current condition.

  "What the hell is this?" Harrison snapped angrily.

  Marty looked in, apparently shocked. "Depends what the hell are you doing with my bathroom trash can?"

  "Apparently discovering the fact that you had to take a pregnancy test for reasons that are quite beyond us, seeing that we didn't even know you were seeing anyone!"

  Marty looked at them with a palate of emotions, ranging from horror, disgust, and fury that, up until this moment, Harrison had only ever seen in the eyes of Molly. "You have no right to be digging in my trash!" She yelled grabbing the waste basket away from him.

  "We weren't Joe went to the bathroom and happened to see it."

  "And now you expect me to explain?" She kept her tone curt.

  "Yes, actually. Does Molly know?"

  "Know what? There is nothing to know! I don't have a boyfriend and that pregnancy test is not mine! God, it's just like the two of you to start jumping to conclusions and creating insane theories before having even the slightest proof that anything you say might be true."

  "So it's not yours? Then...who's is it?"

  Marty's eyes started to flash, searching around her for an answer before throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm sorry guys, but I don't have permission to tell you. In fact, I've been forbad to say a word to anyone but especially you, Harrison."

  Josiah and Harrison looked at each other, eyes as wide as saucers as they both reached the same conclusion at the same time. "Oh damn." Harrison mouthed, a tremble going down his spine.

  Joe put his hand on Harrison's shoulder. "You know what, Marty...you're right. It was wrong of us to assume. I think we'll just walk around the block until Molly arrives. Where is she, by the way?"

  "Oh...she's a little upset right now over...uh...random...things. Yeah. She's going to the video store herself, but she may be a while. I'd say...an hour maybe? Probably an hour at the most." Marty's words and thoughts were scattered from knowing of Harrison and Josiah's discovery and they all knew it, which only put Harrison in a worse position.

  "Okay good. Come on, Red."

  The two quickly shuffled out of the apartment and down to a back alley where the two saw it safe to talk.

  "Oh my God." Harrison breathed, for a moment it was the only thing he could get out. Swallowing hard, he tried again. "Molly. Molly took the test. Molly's..." He closed his eyes, his breathing shallow. "My Molly...she's...God, she's supposed to be my little Molly. She's not supposed to have this happen to me. To her. No..."

  "You kind of sound like her dad, Harrison you better watch it. I mean, you're little Molly?"

  "I've known her since she was four!" Harrison shouted, his temper very short. "She's not an adult in my eyes, she never has been. But she has always been mine. Mine."

  Josiah looked at him in unmasked interest. "Harrison...what are you saying?"

  Harrison made a strangled noise from his throat, looking skyward and throwing his hands in the air. "No!" Harrison roared. "My God, Joe no! Not anything like that! Molly's my best friend I've known her for life. But if she has a baby? Oh...Joe, I can only imagine the most conceivable thing that would happen. We'd lose each other. She'd be gone to me.

  I wouldn't know her anymore. Already she's been trying to move out of the apartment. If Ephram takes responsibility of Molly which I will have to make him, no matter the consequences, he'll take her from the apartment and move her somewhere else."

  "Well, he'd take her only to his place, most likely."

  "Which is still across town a big difference to being one floor below me. Not to mention, if I know anything about Molly, she'd want to go far. She'd want to explore and settle somewhere where she feels she could begin a new life. Which could also cause great problems for Ephram because of his restaurant...Joe, it'll be hell. And further more...I'll...I'll die. Molly needs so much more than to get pregnant by a man who won't stay with her. She deserves more than just a stupid job at a high school that she's never liked anyway.

  She should be showcasing her talents in the greatest courts in America, being claimed to be one of the greatest lawyers there has ever been. She should have a resume of a mile long and Yale should definitely be near the top. Or Harvard she should have gotten my place in Harvard Lord knows she deserved it." Harrison shook his head in grieving.

  Josiah couldn't help but look at his friend in surprise. He had never seen him lose it before, especially over Molly. Never had his emotions been so raw or exposed.

  Harrison stared at him, slowly his emotions went back to retreating behind their tall walls. "I'm sorry, man. I don't mean to flip out on you. It's just...I don't know. I really hate that this happened like this."

  "Yeah, I get it. Totally. But...how are you planning to confront her? I mean, if she is pregnant now...well she'll have to tell you sooner or later. It's inevitable and it's only a matter of time before she starts to show her pregnancy."

  Harrison shook his head, walking up to the brick walling of the next house. He placed his palms on either side of his head, resting his forehead against the rough texture.

  He stayed that way, slowly breathing deep breaths, until all was back in check. With a straight yet solemn face, he nodded curtly at Josiah, then led the way in to a silent walk, needing to get out all the extra energy that he now possessed in him.

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  "I don't know...it's been over two weeks now and she hasn't said a word." Josiah said, pacing Harrison's apartment.

  Harrison let out a low growl and flashed his friend an angry glare. "I don't think she's planning on telling me until she absolutely has to. That would be a very Molly thing for her to do. Especially to me."

  "Why especially to you?"

  "Because...because she thinks I hold her up on a pedestal, even though I don't usually treat her as someone her age."

  "...Do you?"

  Harrison rolled his eyes. "Of course! I've always have. It's one of those...those subconscious things, you know? She picked up on it a very long time ago. But she also does the same for me. Point is, when we make mistakes, unless we can't get out of them or deal with them ourselves, we keep those mistakes from each other. You know, so the other doesn't start to think that they're holding up their friend too high and perhaps, they're friends with only a mere mortal who really shouldn't be up on a pedestal to begin with."

  "...Okay." Josiah said blankly. "Is that true? Do you think less of her now and have taken her off the pedestal in your eyes because of this?"

  Harrison shook his head. "Of course not. But she wouldn't tell me when she got a fender bender. Or when she broke her favorite lamp that I gave her. Or when her pet cat that I hate with a passion had escaped one night because she left the door open. Anything she does wrong, she hides, even when she knows I'll eventually find out. And in the past, all those things have been minor. But having a baby? Good Lord..."

  "Well...what are you going to do?"

  Harrison shrugged. "I think I'm going to ignore it."

  Josiah looked surprised. "You're going to let her just not tell you?"

  "Well, like you said. It's not quite something you can really hide forever."

  "True. But what if she decides to leave before she shows? What will you do then?"

  "That would be going to the extremes. If she tried to leave, I'd confront her."

  "But for now...?"

  "For now we don't speak of it."

  "And you think you can handle not ha
ving this confirmed or the fact that she's hiding something so big from you?"

  Harrison shook his head. "No, I won't be able to handle it. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try to for Molls."

  "Okay, so we don't ask Molly. Neither of us. Pact."

  Harrison and Josiah both solemnly shook on this, entering them in to silence for a few minutes until Harrison side glanced over to Joe.

  "Uh...hey, what about questioning Ephram?"

  It was clear that Josiah had been thinking the same thing. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he nodded. "Nothing wrong with that."

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  Harrison tapped his fingertip in the table with a mature of impatience and nervousness, a steak menu in his other hand.

  Josiah simply stared at Harrison, aware of how rare it was to see Harrison totally on edge and his insides so exposed. If it hadn't been about such a serious subject, he might have enjoyed the display.

  "I think I'll get the steak with a side of grilled mushrooms." Josiah muttered to himself. "And a hefty beer."

  Harrison grunted. "I doubt we'll be staying long enough to order that, let alone eat it."

  Josiah's empty stomach groaned in protest but he said nothing, trying to be, for once in his life, the smart one and go along with the flow.

  "Sorry it took so long, sirs, we are quite packed. What can I get you for starters?" An attractive waitress dressed in mostly tight black asked them, a pen already poised over her notepad.

  "Actually, we were hoping we could see Ephram Vinick immediately. It's quite an emergency, so as soon as he can get away...can you send him over?"

  "Oh...uh..." The waitress looked momentarily flustered, wondering if she was allowed to do such. "I...I suppose I could do that. Who may I say wants him?"

  There was just enough interest in her eyes to make Josiah wonder if this woman wanted his name for Ephram's sake...or for hers.

  "Harrison Redford." Red replied with a flash of a grin.

  The waitress looked like she was going to melt from that gesture, so she quickly turned and walked back to the kitchen.

  "Well, if everything falls apart with Ephram, you at least have a chance to walk out of here with a new girlfriend...quite nice looking one too." Joe said with a sly look.

  "I already have one and that's too much already." Harrison muttered.

  It was a few minutes until Ephram came through the swinging kitchen doors, wiping his wet hands on a towel as he came forth.

  "Is there a problem with your imaginary food or did you come to listen to me gloat some more about my fancy tractor skills?" He asked with a grin.

  Josiah scanned the menu again, more than willing to sit back and let Harrison take the lead. It wasn't his place to be saying anything between these two men when it comes to such a subject.

  "No...actually I came here on serious business. About uh..."

  Ephram suddenly looked worried. "Molly? Is something wrong? Is she okay?"

  Harrison shrugged. "Depends on your point of view. We uh...we found a pregnancy test in Marty's trash can. It belonged to Molly."

  Ephram grew pale, looking shocked. "...Wwhat?"

  "Molly's..." Even now, Harrison couldn't quite get himself to say it.

  The pale skin with curly blond hair framing around it made way for a hard swallow. His blue eyes hardened and a new emotion filled them, but it wasn't an emotion that Harrison could place.

  Finally, Ephram straightened, finding his voice again. "Okay. Uh...thanks for telling me."

  "She didn't say a word to you?"

  He shook his head. "No. Though really, I doubt she would."

  "Why?" Josiah spoke his first word of the meeting.

  Ephram looked away. "Nothing. It's...nothing. But I have to get back to work or no one will get their food. You two want anything?"

  Josiah opened his mouth to start listing things off, but Harrison replied differently. "No, we have to get going. We'll see you around."

  Joe thought a moment about protesting, his mouth watering at the smell of steak that lingered in the air. But the tension that mingled with the smell and vibrated off both of the men in front of him made his jaw stay clenched shut. He seemed to be on a roll tonight when it came to being wise.

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  Molly shifted uncomfortably, chewing on her nail, lost in thought.

  Marty looked back at her in concern. "Should I latch your hand on to the cart so you don't get lost?" She teased.

  "Hmm? Oh...I'm sorry Marty. I'm just...there's a lot on my mind."

  "Such as?"

  "Haven't you noticed that we haven't seen Harry or Joe in three weeks? Ephram hasn't returned any of my calls and canceled our date last week. He didn't even reschedule it. Isn't that kind of...odd?"

  Marty nodded. "Yeah, it is now that you bring it up. Almost like the guys have secret plans that they're keeping us out of."

  "And that could be?"

  Marty shrugged as she added canned sweet potatoes in to the cart. "No idea. Maybe they're just busy it is the holidays, after all. Thanksgiving is in three days. Ephram is probably busy with his restaurant. No one ever knows what Joe does when he's not around one of us, and Harrison..." Her voice filled with scorn. "He's probably with Candy Grey."

  Molly's eyes reduced to slits and a glare at the mention of Harrison's girlfriend. "Yeah, perhaps it's better not to know what they're doing. We have enough with cooking Thanksgiving dinner we'll be seeing them then."

  "Agreed. So let's go focus on picking out that turkey."

  Turning the cart down the last aisle, they did just that.

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  Molly bit her lip as she looked worriedly at Marty. "Is it just me or is it really tense in there?"

  Marty agreed. "And not the good kind. What's going on? Usually when it's tense, it's between Harrison and Ephram but Cousin looks like he's really lost in his own mind. Harrison and Joe look like they're harboring something between them that they're trying to conceal."

  "Could it be...because of us?"

  "What did we do?"

  Molly shrugged. "I didn't think we did anything but cook an amazing meal, if I do say so myself. But that wouldn't be making them upset not those boys."

  "Speaking of which..." Marty wiped her forehead with her sleeve. The kitchen was terribly hot with all the cooking going on. "We've been at this forever and I'm exhausted so are

  you. Why didn't we just get Ephram and his team to make this stuff at the restaurant and bring it here? I mean, isn't that the perks of you dating him?"

  Molly laughed. "It's a great idea, just a little too late." She replied, pulling down the oven door and checking the turkey. "With all this basting, if this think turns out dry, I'll scream."

  In the dining room, Harrison and Ephram grew restless and went to see how the food was coming, unintentionally overhearing Marty.

  "So will I! Who knew our mothers worked this hard for meals on the holidays? It makes you think twice about getting married."

  "Married is fine a dinner for two is easy to make indoors or just go to a restaurant. It's when you have kids that the traditions start. So yeah, it makes you think twice about having kids. Or at least at this time."

  "I want to wait another ten years for that pleasure, thank you."

  "Well, that would be nice." Molly said softly, sniffing the gravy as she stirred.

  Ephram and Harrison immediately turned and walked back to their seats, their minds filling up again.

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  The sound of forks clicking against plates and knives scraping across them were the only sounds to be heard. Molly and Marty communicated to each other about the men's weird actions through their facial expressions. Meanwhile, the three men stared hard at their plates.

  Finally, Molly ha
d enough. Putting down her utensils, she stared hard at the three who were taking their meal for granted. "I worked hard on this meal. It took me two days. Those pies in the kitchen are homemade. I took two days from usual life to make this food good and hell if I didn't succeed! Now I want to be hearing compliments from you three right now or you're all leaving!"

  Marty grinned, looking at the others. They seemed slightly startled, as if just coming back in to reality.

  "The food is great, Molly. I couldn't have made it better myself." Ephram said, his voice soft. It didn't escape her that he avoided eye contact.

  "Sorry Molls. I've been distracted. The food is amazing and I can't wait to taste those pies you baked." Harrison chimed in.

  But Josiah took a moment. "Should you really be exerting yourself like that? Cooking over a hot stove for two days?"

  Harrison kicked him from underneath the table, making Joe jump. Molly just looked confused. "Why would you say that?"

  But the bruised leg and harsh glare from Harrison made him hesitant enough to stop and think about what he was going to say. Instead, he just shrugged and showed her a sheepish smile.

  Not that she accepted it.

  Molly stood from her chair, placing her two palms flat against the table. "Harrison and Joe, you've been avoiding me for three weeks and I want to know why. Ephram, you won't call me back and you're canceling dates. Really, I'm shocked you showed up tonight and I don't understand why. I shouldn't be shocked you showed up for Thanksgiving! I want to know why all of you are so distracted and what has changed between all of us. And I want to know why right now!"

  Josiah looked worriedly at her. "We're sorry Molls. Please calm down, it's not good for you to get so stressed in your condition. We should have been here to help that was thoughtless of us."

  This also received a swift kick, so she averted her gaze to Harrison. "You obviously think Josiah is telling me too much about something. Not that I understand a word of what he just said. Care to expand?"

  Harrison glanced at Ephram, who offered a half shrug.