揥elcome,?Haley muttered and went straight to the bathroom just off her bedroom and took the pregnancy test.
She laid the stick on the counter, pulled up her underpants, and went back to the bedroom. The directions said two lines would appear within one minute if she was pregnant. One line meant that all the stress had simply caused her to be late.
The clock beside her bed had never moved so slowly in her life. Seconds took hours, a full minute was just short of eternity, but when it had passed, she couldn抰 force herself to go into the bathroom. A dozen steps from the end of her bed to the vanity would tell the tale of her future and present her with the most difficult decision she抎 ever made. If there were two lines, she would resign from her job and become a bartender-slash-waitress. No way could she go back there and tell the baby daddy that she was pregnant. He was happily married now and should have been shot for not telling her he was engaged when they were having their fling.
揗en should have to mark their foreheads with a red X when they become engaged, or at least wear some kind of a ring like women do to let the world know they are taken,?she mumbled as she forced herself to go to the bathroom.
She closed her eyes when she reached the door and leaned against the vanity for several seconds before she opened them. Everything was slightly blurry at first, but then the stick and the two lines came into focus.
She put the lid down on the toilet and sat down with a thud. Staring hard at the test, she tried to will one of the lines to disappear. A family was always something years away for her, and now right there in two lines no more than an eighth of an inch long, her future unveiled itself. She was going to follow in her mother抯 footsteps. Only she was thirty-eight, not a teenager, and she didn抰 have a mother to step up and adopt her baby.
揑抦 going to be a single mother,?she whispered as the tears began to flow down her cheeks.
But you have a support system in your friends, the voice in her head reminded her. Maybe a new little life is exactly what this team needs to take its mind off all the other problems they have.
Chapter Nine
Jessica had just put on a pot of coffee on Sunday morning when her phone rang. She sat down at the kitchen table and answered it. 揗ornin? Haley. What are you doing up this early? Last night you said you were sleeping until noon.?
揜isa is going to church this morning, and she needs our support. After last night, there抯 no telling what Stella is liable to do or say to her or the twins,?Haley said. 揑抦 going with them, but I thought we should all be there. Will you come, and will you tell Wade? I understand he hasn抰 been in church since Danny died, but we need him and Oscar both. They抮e part of our team.?
揥hat time do I need to be there, and what church??Jessica yawned. 揂nd yes, I will tell Wade. Have you talked to Mary Nell??
揝ervices start at eleven. Be there fifteen minutes early and we抣l all go in together. It抯 the little redbrick church out at the end of Main Street. And I抳e talked to Oscar. He said he抣l bring Mary Nell with him,?Haley answered.
揂nd we can sit on the back pew so we can escape right after the last amen, right??Jessica asked.
揙h, no,?Haley said, 搘e抮e going to sit up front so Stella can see us. Risa is not going to let anyone control her, remember??
揟hen I guess I抎 better not wear camouflage pants and my military boots,?Jessica said with a giggle.
揗aybe you should.?Haley laughed with her. 揑t might show Stella that her daughter has the support of the army behind her if you and Wade are both there.?
Wade came into the kitchen, waved, and went straight to the coffeepot. He filled up a mug, took a sip, and set it on the counter. Then he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a stick of sausage and a can of biscuits and started making breakfast.
揑s Oscar coming with us for sure??Jessica asked.
Wade turned around and raised an eyebrow.
揕ater,?Jessica mouthed.
揧es,?Haley answered, 搒o between us all, we should fill up a complete pew.?
揑抣l be there,?Jessica said, 揵ut right now I need to have my first cup of coffee so my eyes will open. See you there.?
揥e抣l be waiting for you,?Haley said and ended the call.
Wade poured a second mug of coffee and took it to Jessica. 揋ood morning. I抦 surprised to see you up this early.?
揋ood morning to you, and thanks for this. I抎 like to sleep late, but敆she shrugged棑old habits get in the way. You抳e been out two years. Does it ever get better??
He went back to the stove and crumbled sausage into a skillet. While that cooked, he popped open the can of biscuits, arranged them in a pan, and slid them in the oven. 揧ou抣l have to ask someone that抯 been out longer than me for that answer. No matter when I go to bed, I still wake up before six every morning. You want eggs with sausage gravy and biscuits? If so, you抣l have to fry them.?