Page 4 of Harmony Island Gazette
Boone was faster than I was, and suddenly, he was standing and had his hands wrapped around my other arm to help me up. I was on my feet in record time. Once he was certain that I was stable, he let me go and took a step back, keeping his gaze focused on me like he was still uncertain if I was stable enough to remain upright on my own.
“Thanks,” I whispered as I brushed the front of my pants. He raised his eyebrows as if to ask me why I was thanking him. My cheeks heated as I hurried to add, “For helping me up, getting the test, waiting with me…” I offered him a small smile. “For everything.”
Boone flicked his gaze up at the pregnancy test still resting on the sink before bringing it back to settle on me. “You’re welcome.”
I held his gaze for a few seconds before I took in a deep breath and turned back to the sink to pick up the test and the empty box. I buried them deep under the used paper towels in the trash can. With that now taken care of, I returned to the sink and flipped the water on. I slathered up my hands, and once they were rinsed, I moved to grab some paper towels to dry off.
Boone was at the sink, washing his hands. By the time I’d tossed the wadded up paper towels into the trash, he was finished and pulling some from the dispenser. I watched him, wondering what he thought about this.
I was fairly certain that this hadn’t been a part of whatever deal my dad had made with him. After all, sitting on the bathroom floor while I had a freakout over a positive pregnancy test didn’t seem like something my father would ask him to do. I needed to make sure that what happened here would stay between us. Even though he worked for my dad, I needed him to keep this a secret.
“Can we keep this between us?” The words tumbled from my lips before I could police them.
Boone stopped drying his hands and glanced over at me. He studied me for a moment before he nodded. “Of course.”
Relief flooded my body. “Good.” I sucked in my breath. “I just…I’m just not ready…” I pinched my lips together as the reality of my situation came crashing down around me. I was going to have to tell my parents. I was going to have to tell Kevin. His family was going to find out.
My plan to permanently cut Kevin and the whole Proctor family from my life had evaporated with the appearance of those two pink lines. My world began to spin around me once more, so I slammed my eyes shut in an effort to gain some control.
“You don’t have to justify to me how you want to handle this. I’ll keep your secret as long as you want me to.” Boone’s voice seemed closer. I opened my eyes to see that he was standing in front of me now. His gaze was sharp and direct, like he wanted me to know that he meant what he said.
I held his gaze before I slowly nodded. “Thanks,” I whispered.
His jaw muscles twitched before he nodded, stepped back, and tossed the paper towels into the garbage. Then he grabbed the bathroom door handle and turned it. He held the door open and stepped to the side so I could pass through.
I nodded my thanks to him, but just as I stepped outside, I stopped. Mom was standing there with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. I startled, grabbing my heart as I yelped and stumbled back.
“Geez, Mom,” I said as I bent forward to catch my breath.
“What were you two doing in the bathroom?” Mom asked as her gaze slowly shifted from me to Boone, who was still holding the door. He looked like a deer in headlights.
Not wanting him to get in trouble for me, I straightened and forced a smile. “I was having Boone check out a mole that looks cancerous.”
Mom snapped her gaze to me. “Don’t be crude,” she scolded.
I sighed loud enough for her to hear. “Listen, the toilet was clogged, and I was struggling to get it clear. Boone was kind enough to help me.” I raised my eyebrows as I stared at her. “I can ask you next time, though.”
Mom pursed her lips and shook her head. “No, no. That’s okay.” She smiled at Boone. “Thank you for saving my daughter. You know, I always tell her to eat fiber, but she never listens.”
“Ma!”
Boone had left the bathroom door and was a few steps away. The door latch clicked behind me. “It’s okay, Mrs. Godwin,” Boone said as he smiled down at her. “I was happy to help.”
Before I could correct Mom thatIwasn’t the one who clogged the toilet, Boone was out of earshot. Mom called another thank-you after him before she turned to look at me.
“Mother,” I said with my eyes wide so she could feel the weight of my frustration.
“What?” she asked.
“I wasn’t the one who clogged the toilet.” My face felt fiery hot as embarrassment coursed through me.
She frowned. “I thought you said?—”
“It was a customer.”
Her eyes widened as her lips formed an “o.” Then she paused and shrugged. “Honest mistake.”
“No. That’s not an honest mistake.” I closed my eyes, praying that Boone hadn’t picked up on what my mother had insinuated. “And why did you say that I don’t eat enough fiber? I’m a grown woman. I can take care of myself.” To my mother, I must still be this little girl who was too scared to use the bathroom because she was worried what might come crawling up from the sewers.
