Page 26 of Up All Night
"Her stomach is empty, save for some water."Bowie comments.
"It usually feels better to toss something up.Maybe go grab her some more water?"
"Sure."Bowie nods.
"God, this is awful."Izzy moans into the bowl."I knew this would happen.I'm so fucking stupid."
"Why are you so stupid?"I'm afraid to ask.I'm not really in the mood to share female bonding stories.That's the reason why I left the states.That's the reason why I came out to Paris.To get away.To escape.But most of all, to clear my head enough, so that I can decide what to do.
She inhales and lifts her head up enough, so her speech doesn't echo against the porcelain."I'll tell you before Bowie comes back.I'll die if she finds out."
"Finds out what?Your secret is safe with me.We just met.I have no motivation to tell anyone anything about you."
"Well, other than the puking and nausea, I have no proof, but I'm almost positive that I'm, well, positive."
"Pregnant?"I check, playing dumb.
She nods."Rush and I had sex a time or two without protection."
"Well, don't jump to conclusions until you have solid proof, Izzy.There is no point in causing yourself that much stress for nothing."
“I’d be willing to bet money on it that I am."Izzy states.“I was dismissing it, but I’ve also noticed my breasts have been very tender, not to mention the fact I don’t remember having a period for at least the last month.I don’t remember having to replenish my supplies since I was last home.”
“Have you said anything to your fiancé?"
“No.Like I said, I’ve been dismissing it.It was sort of in the back of my mind that my period hasn’t come.But now that I feel like this, I’m realizing how many of the symptoms that I’ve been dismissing.This is the only one that’s right in my face and can’t be denied.”
Bowie returns with a glass of water.“I got them to package up the rest of our food."She says, handing Izzy the water.“Do you want me to call the car?"
“I can give you guys a ride if you like.I rented a car so that I could do whatever I wanted to."
I tell them which hotel I’m staying at, and consequently, they’re staying at the same one.“If you don’t mind, that would be great."Izzy says.
I go for nonchalant.“I just need to make one stop on the way though, if that’s okay.”I'm hoping that Izzy realizes that I’m going to stop off at a pharmacy to get her a pregnancy test.I’m also hoping that she’ll change her mind about keeping it a secret from Bowie.I don’t know how she’s going to pull it off once she sees the positive result.But it’s none of my business, so I don’t interfere.
Bowie runs and grabs our packages, and I usher the valet to go retrieve my rental.“I won’t be a minute."I say to the girls, as we pull up to the pharmacy.
“Actually, do you mind if I go in as well?"Bowie asks.
Well, there blows that plan.“Sure.”I look over at Izzy, who still looks very green, and now perplexed.“Do you want to come in, too?"
With an exasperated sigh, she replies.“I might as well grab something for this nausea."
Fortunately, Bowie goes in another direction, so it’s just me and Izzy walking towards the family planning aisle."Not that I’m judging, but why do you want to keep this from Bowie?Is it like a conflict of interest?She does know that you’re dating, who is it, her husband‘s brother?"
“Yes.I’m just not sure how she’s going to react.I’m not sure how my parents are going to react, I’m not sure how my fiancé is going to react, and I sure as hell don’t even know how I am going to react, for that matter."
We walk to the aisle.When we arrive, she just stands there, frozen."Won’t you feel better if you tell her?I mean, how long are you staying with her here?"
“I’m supposed to go home the day after tomorrow.But I suppose it will be difficult to keep this from her while I’m here.She’ll think I’m sick.She’ll tell my father, and then the cat is out of the bag.And I haven’t even wrapped my head around all this yet."
“If you want, my opinion, I think that she’ll be fine.In fact, I feel like you two are close, am I right?"
Izzy looks at her hands.“This is going to sound strange, but Bowie is sort of like my sister from a different time.We have so much in common, we both seem to really look up to one another, but I think that a small part of me has been in love with her since the day I read about her in an article.It’s going to sound ridiculous, but Bowie is sort of a hero to me in a way."
I choose one of the boxes for her.“She sounds like a remarkable woman.And one that would be completely on board and supportive if this test comes out positive.I’d even go as far as to say that she would keep your secret for you, if that’s what you would choose to do."
She exhales, defeated.“You’re right.You are so right."
