Chapter 57

"Kim, can I talk to you in the hallway for a second?"

"I guess." She got up from the couch and followed him. "What is it?"

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Have you been skipping doses?"

"Of course not. I'm paying good money for that medication."

"Then why are you behind by two weeks?" He lifted up her medication pack.

"I-I..."

"Did you stop taking it on purpose?"

"No...I just lost the pack and couldn't find it. Are we done here?" She tried walking away and he pulled her back over.

"Hold it right there."

"What?"

"You were sick this morning, but now it's like you've felt fine all day."

"So what?"

"You know what this means, right?"

"For the LAST time, that's not possible!"

"We haven't used protection, and you're in denial."

"It's not possible. I was taking the pill so that wouldn't happen. You're crazy."

He handed her a plastic bag with something inside it. "Please, take it."

"No." She shoved the bag back at him.

"I'm not asking, I'm telling."

She let out a loud, angry huff and ripped it out of his hands. He sat down on the couch and started reading the newspaper. The kids propped themselves up next to him and took out their books from school. Maureen smiled at them.

"You guys really love daddy, don't you?"

"We love him a lot."

"I love you guys too." He put his arms around them and they looked at the comics with him.

Kim was pacing back and forth in the bathroom, patiently awaiting the result. She kept whispering "There is no way. There is no way." The timer on her phone went off and she picked up the test. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at it.

"Mommy's been in there a long time, are you sure she's not throwing up again?" Brayden asked.

"She's feeling better than she was this morning."

"We know what's going on." Hannah said, looking up at him.

"And what do you think is going on?"

"Auntie Shay was sick like this when she found out she was having Ember."

Maureen gave him a look, because she knew exactly what was going on. He gave her one back, but trying to make it so the kids didn't see. The door to the bathroom opened and Kim walked out.

"Well?" Adam asked.

Instead of answering him, she walked past him and into their room. He wanted an answer, so he followed her.

"Are you?"

"What does it matter if I am or not?"

"The father would like to know."

"I left it on the sink."

"Are you afraid that I'm going to be mad or something?"

"No."

"Then why won't you tell me if you are or not?"

"That doesn't matter."

"Why won't you tell me?"

She ignored him and went to sit with the kids.

"Mommy, are you having a baby?"

"How about we watch TV?" She asked, getting off topic.

The kids didn't ask any more questions and did as they were told. Dinner time came around and Kim, Maureen and Angela were arranging it.

"Is Bob coming over for dinner?" Maureen asked Angela.

"He's on his way. He's just tying up some loose ends at the station."

"That's good."

"Kim sweetie, if you're not going to tell your husband, at least tell us."

"There's nothing to tell. Let it go." Kim put the burner on medium so the pasta wouldn't boil over.

"Yes there is. Spill it."

"Spill what?!"

"Are you pregnant?"

"No I'm not, happy now?" She turned back to the stove.

Angela and Maureen looked at each other.

"You better not be lying to me."

"I'm NOT. Can we finish making dinner before dad and Bob get here?"

Angela was setting the table when Bob and Christopher arrived. Brayden ran to Christopher and Hannah ran over to Bob. Adam was making the bed and came out when he heard his father talking.

"Hey dad."

"Lookin' sharp, son."

"There's a father daughter dance tonight at the elementary school."

"I'm waiting till after dinner to put my dress on. It's royal blue with sparkles on it."

"That sounds very pretty. Grandpa can't wait to see his little peanut it." Bob smiled at her.

"Grandpa, I look nothing like a peanut. I'm not food."

Everyone laughed.

"What did I say?"

Kim looked up at the clock. "So it's five right now and the dance starts at six."

Hannah rushed through her dinner, because she was in a hurry to get the dress on.

"How do you want your hair? In a bun, straightened, curled?"

"Can you do a French braid mama?"

"Is that what you want?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay baby girl." Kim said, gathering the hair products and placing them on the counter.

"Can I wear makeup, too?"

"Ask your father."

She poked her head out the bathroom door. "Daddy, can I wear makeup?"

"No mascara and NO eyeliner. No bright colors."

"You're killing me here, daddy."

He laughed and she went back into the bathroom.

"He said no eyeliner or mascara. He said lipgloss and eyeshadow only."

"He just doesn't want you to grow up too fast."

***

The kids ran into the auditorium with their friends. Adam put his hand on the buckle so Kim couldn't get out.

"Now will you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Are you pregnant?"

"No. Can we go now?"

"Are you lying to me?"

"No. Let me get out."

"If you weren't, you wouldn't have been sick this morning. It wasn't the rainy weather. Rainy weather can make someone feel ill, but not the way you were feeling."

She removed his hand and went into the auditorium to find the kids. He found her talking to Erin by the snack table.

"We need to talk, enough avoiding." He said.

"You two fighting?" Erin asked.

"Nope." Kim said, grabbing a handful of cookies.

"Come here."

"I already told you I'm not pregnant. Leave it at that."

"Nice try."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I dug through the trash and found the test."

She took a step back.

"I want the truth."

"Maybe that's Stephanie's. Maybe she's pregnant."

"Stephanie doesn't have a boyfriend."

"You don't know that."

"I do know that because she told me."

She stopped talking.

"I'm not going to yell and I'm not going to get angry. I just want the truth. So what is it?"

"What's what?"

"Are you or are you not pregnant?"

Kim sighed, looking down at the floor. She knew she couldn't avoid the question any longer. "Yes, I'm pregnant."