Page 71 of Fade (Fighting Fate)

A knock on the door made me jump, almost causing me to drop everything. Jesus, my nerves were shot.

“Just a minute,” I called, moving quickly to shove the stick in my bag and dispose of the trash.

Unlocking the door, I gave the waiting lady a polite smile as I left, heading straight out to the parking lot, unsure if I was ready to face the future that awaited me.

My hands shook as I turned on the ignition. I needed air. A lot of air.

Turning the vents on full blast, I steeled myself for what had to be done. Reaching into my bag, I took out the terrifying item, taking a long, deep breath before looking down at it.

A strange kind of quiet washed over me as I stared at it. I didn’t doubt that it could be wrong. Now that I could plainly see the result in front of me, I just knew it was true.

I was pregnant.

I was going to be a mom.

Right.

With methodical movements, I placed the test back in my bag and clicked on my seat belt. Putting the car in reverse, I backed out of my space and drove.

Every movement I made was as though I was on autopilot. I was numb. Pulling up to Daniel’s mom’s house, I grabbed my bag and used the key he’d given me to open the door, then I went up to his room.

Quietly, I sat on the edge of his bed and stared at a piece of fluff on the carpet for a long, long time.

As time moved, the numbness faded, and my senses started returning. I thought this was a good thing, until I was suddenly assaulted by everything Daniel. His scent was unavoidable.

Looking around the room in a daze, emotions quickly bubbled back to the surface. Tears pricked my eyes. What would Daniel think of me being pregnant? Would he be upset? Disappointed? Angry? I swallowed against the lump that formed at the thought of him being disappointed. Then big fat tears began to fall.

Hugging his pillow to my chest, I buried my face and cried.

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, releasing all my fears, sadness, worry, and anxiety, but I still hadn’t quite run out of tears by the time Susan arrived home, and when she appeared in the doorway, her expression one of surprise and worry, I only started crying harder.

“Oh my goodness, sweetie. What’s wrong?”

She sat on the bed beside me and rubbed her hand over my back. I hadn’t seen her since the day Daniel left. She said I was welcome to stay in Daniel’s room whenever I wanted, but so far, it had been for the best that I stayed at Amber’s. My heart couldn’t handle being in Daniel’s room until now.

I hiccupped and gazed into her eyes, unsure if I was going to be able to tell her, but then I opened my mouth, and it just fell out.

“I’m pregnant.”

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nbsp; Susan blinked at me, the shock more than obvious. I waited for the lecture, the tone of disappointment and anger, but it didn’t come.

Her hand came to caress my arm as her face softened. “Did you just find out?”

I nodded and held up the offending stick I’d somehow managed to have in my hand.

Taking it from me, she gazed at it, while appearing to contemplate something. “Can I ask why you’re crying? Why has it upset you so much?”

I paused, my mind scrambling to find the words inside me that could answer her questions. “We’re too young to have a baby. We only just got married. Daniel’s not even here. He should be here for something like this. Don’t you think he should be here for something like this?”

My voice sounded desperate. I didn’t know what I was saying.

Susan took her time answering my frantic questions, her mind visibly ticking over behind her eyes.

“Who gets to decide what’s too young?” she said calmly. “You’re both adults. And you’re married. Okay, so the timing isn’t great. You’ve only just gotten started, and Daniel’s deployed, but I’ve always liked to think that these little spirits that eventually become the miracles we call our children, choose us and choose when they think the time is right.”

She gazed down at the stick again, a tiny grin appearing on her lips.

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