Her eyes were filled with tears. "I will be."
"What's going on?" The counter was lined with sticks. When I moved closer, I saw the matching blue lines on a few, and the word Pregnant on the digital screen on another. "Are these yours?"
Who else's would they be? Hadn't we been careful? I was almost positive we always wore a condom. Except for the first time. But I'd pulled out and put one on. Surely, we couldn't be pregnant from that slip. But then again, we hadn't discussed whether she was on another form of birth control and condoms could fail.
"Are you?—"
"Pregnant." Her voice was flat, but she managed to pull herself to standing.
"Is it mine?"
Her face paled. "Of course it's yours." Then she pushed past me. "You can leave now."
I followed her out of the room, slightly panicked. "I don't understand. Shouldn't we talk about this?"
"I can't. Not now." She dropped onto the edge of her bed.
Was she upset that I questioned whether the baby was mine? Was it rude to ask? I hadn't planned on being a dad.
I was worried it was too much, too soon for Ivy. Would she want to end the pregnancy? It was her choice, and I'd support her, but I had to know where her head was at.
"When did you find out?" I finally asked her.
"Elena brought the tests to the senior center when we were setting up for the party."
"You should have come to me. I would have helped you."
Ivy just gave me a look. "I don't need anyone here for this. That's why I left. I can handle this on my own."
"You don't have to though. You have me, your friends. We all want to be here for you." I didn't need to ask our friends what they'd do in this situation. I saw how we all came together to help Dalton.
She pursed her lips. "I'd prefer to be alone."
"You left your door open. I was worried about you." And I wondered if she left her door open because, on some level, she did want me here. Or maybe the need was buried so deep inside her, she couldn't even acknowledge it yet.
"Now you know I'm fine." She swiped at her face and drew in a steadying breath.
"Are you?" I couldn't imagine getting this news by myself. This was her body. Her life was going to change in ways she probably couldn't even contemplate yet.
"I will be." She stood and moved down the hallway toward the living room. "When I'm ready to talk, I'll reach out."
I didn't want her to shut me out. "What are you planning on doing?"
She sighed. "Eating a carton of ice cream."
"Do you have any?" I looked around the kitchen to see if she'd already put it out to melt.
"In the freezer."
I opened the door, pulled out peanut ripple, and set it on the counter. Then I grabbed two bowls and spoons.
Ivy scooped up the spoons and the carton and went into the living room where the TV played silently.
"No bowls?"
Ivy sat on the couch, her legs crisscrossed with the carton on her lap. She opened the lid and tested the hardness.
I sat gingerly next to her, worried she'd remember I was here and kick me out.