Page 12 of Sloth
“Twenty-four, unmarried, and living at home. I don’t even have a boyfriend. The whole town is gonna think I’m a floozy.”
“Youarea floozy,” I tell her, nudging her shoulder with mine and trying my best to make her smile.
“So who were youfloozingwith?” I ask the most important question of them all, and I can tell by the way she screws up her nose that she doesn't want to tell me.
“Don’t…Don’t tell me it’s one of those River boys.” I shake my head and start to panic. Liza often hangs around the lake, getting drunk at the parties they throw. I know for a fact she’s got the hots for all three of them.
“No, it’s not a River boy. I know I’m stupid, but I’m notthatstupid.” She takes a long, helpless breath.
“Then who is it? Is it someone I know?”
She closes her eyes and nods sadly.
“Jesus, Liza, you're killing me here. Will you just tell me, already?” I scold her.
“It’s Koben,” she admits, peeking one of her eyes open just enough to check my reaction.
“Koben!” I stand up from my chair. “KOBEN!?” My feet pace the kitchen floor as I take in what I’ve just heard.
“The two of you hate each other,” I remind her, just in case she’s forgotten.
“I know that. He drives me crazy. It was just a one-time thing… okay, maybe a two-time thing but?—.”
“But how? And how am I just finding out about this?”
“It’s not exactly something I’ve wanted to holla from the rooftops, Erin,” she hits back at me sarcastically. “The first time it happened was at the wedding, and you can’t blame me for that, because it’s tradition for the best man and matron of honor to hook up.” She looks at me as if I’m somehow accountable for this.
“At the weddi?—”
“Then a few months ago, I…I stupidly thought it would be a good idea to give him a booty call.” Her voice trails off, and she smiles at me awkwardly.
“A few months ago? Liza, how pregnant are you?” I stare back at her in shock.
“This is the second period I’ve missed.” She twists her fingers and looks down at her lap like a child being scolded.
“And you only just thought about taking a test?”
“I was scared. You know I’m not cut out to be a mother,” she admits. “And the day Matthew went missing, I was coming here to talk to you about it. I’d finally bought the test and I wanted you with me when I took it.”
I think back to that day and remember her calling in just before Mary arrived.
“When I got here, you were all panicked about Matthew. I wasn’t going to bother you with my issues. So, I pulled up my big girl pants and took the test while you were on the phone with his mom. I’d built myself up all the way over here to take it. I had to do it or hell knows how long it would have taken me to find the courage to do it again.”
I quickly throw my arms around her when I realize how scared she must have been.
“You should have told me,” I whisper into her ear, squeezing her tight.
“Your husband’s just died, Erin. I’m pretty sure that trumps getting knocked up by a complete jerk.” She pulls herself away and smiles as she wipes her eyes. “My problem isn’t going anywhere fast; we have plenty of time to figure it out. This is a tough time for you. You're the priority, right now.”Her selflessness stirs all that guilt up inside me. Reminding me of what a hypocrite I am. How can I be mad at her for keeping this from me when I’ve kept how unhappy I’ve been from her for so long?
“And what about Koben? I’m assuming you haven’t told him yet?” I retake the seat beside her and try to distract myself.
“Erin, I haven’t told anyone.” She looks outraged by the idea. “I don’t want a single soul to know about this yet.”
“If you're sure the baby’s Koben’s, you really have to tell him; he has a right to know.”
“You don’t think I know that?” She drops her head into her hands. “But how? How do you tell someone you hate that you're carrying their child?” She growls in frustration.
“Hates a strong word; besides, you can’t have disliked him that much. You slept with him. Twice,” I remind her with a grin.
