Beyond the Breaking Point (17 page)

“But now you’re wondering if it’s more?” Chris asked, no judgment in her tone.

“Yes. I’ll go by the store and purchase a test. If I am pregnant, I’m far enough along for an over-the-counter test to be accurate.”

“Let’s go ahead and complete the custody papers tonight as a precaution. You call me tomorrow with the results and I’ll know which paperwork to file,” Chris said as she stood.

“All right.” Cassidy gathered her purse from the floor and rose.

As Chris escorted her to the door, she said, “You have my business card with all my numbers on it. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need me. We’re going to be working very closely together until the divorce is final.”

“I will.” Cassidy held out her hand. “Thank you so much. You made a stressful process less so.”

Chris shook it. “That’s my job. You be careful, and once again, call if you need anything,” she reiterated.

“You’ll hear from me tomorrow with the results.” And God help me if it’s positive, Cassidy thought as she walked out the door toward her car.

Thirty-five minutes later, Cassidy was knocking on Erika’s door. David opened the door. “Hey! What an unexpected surprise.”

“I’m sorry to just show up unannounced. Is Erika home?”

“Sure. She’s supervising Macey’s bath. Is everything okay?” he asked in concern.

She forced her lips into a little smile that didn’t fool him, if his expression was any judge. “I’ll go get Erika for you.”

Cassidy didn’t know what David said to Erika, but she came rushing down the hallway, wiping her hands on a small hand towel. “Uh-oh, what did Phillip do now?”

Cassidy held up the pregnancy test. “I need moral support while I take this.”

Seeing it, Erika’s eyes grew round. “Oh, shit! Hold on. Let me tell Dave to put Macey to bed. Then we can hole up in my room.” She was back before Cassidy could begin to pace. “I told him we needed some girl time and not to disturb us unless the house was on fire.”

She led the way to the master bedroom and its en suite bathroom. As soon as the door closed behind them, Erika spun around and said, “Pregnant? Are you kidding me?”

Cassidy wearily rubbed her eyes. “No, I wish I were. I went to see Chris today and she asked if Phillip and I had any children. I said no. Then she asked if I were pregnant. My automatic answer was no, but then I got to thinking and the truth is, I simply don’t know.” She stared at her friend. “Erika, I’m scared. What if I am pregnant? How am I going to raise a child on my own? You see the kind of hours I work. And what about Phillip? You know how much he wants children. This will be just one more reason for him to insist on staying married.”

“Before you begin hyperventilating, take the test. Maybe the result will be negative and you’re worrying for nothing,” Erika advised.

“You don’t really believe that, do you?” Cassidy asked.

“What I believe is that you shouldn’t go counting your chickens before they hatch. Now get in that bathroom and let’s find out if I’m going to be an auntie,” Erika said in a no- nonsense tone.

Cassidy handed Erika her purse and did as instructed. In the bathroom, she urinated on the stick, flushed the toilet, straightened her clothes, and washed her hands. The test had a little hourglass on the readout screen.

When she opened the door, Erika said, “Well?”

“It takes three minutes. Erika, what am I going to do if it’s yes?” she asked solemnly.

Erika grabbed her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. “You’re going to take care of yourself so you bring a healthy, happy baby into the world. The rest of it will take care of itself.
Capiche
?”

She nodded, blinking back tears
.

“And you won’t be alone. Dave and I will be with you every step of the way. So will your parents. We love you. There’s no way we’d let you go through something like this by yourself. Besides, Macey will be overjoyed to have someone to boss around,” Erika said with a grin.

That got a small laugh out of Cassidy and she hugged her friend. “What would I do without you?”

“You’ll never have to find out. Now, I believe it’s been three minutes. Let’s go find out if we’re expecting,” Erika said, giving Cassidy a little shove toward the bathroom.

Twisting aside so that Erika was in the lead, she placed her hands on her friend’s shoulders and pushed her ahead. “You look. I can’t.”

“You are such a namby-pamby,” Erika teased.

“Guilty as charged.”

In the bathroom, Erika leaned over and glanced at the stick. For some time she stood there motionless, not saying a word. Cassidy, nerves already shredded, burst out, “Well? What does it say?”

“Give me a minute,” Erika ordered. “I’m trying to figure out whether to congratulate you or console you.”

“Oh God.” Cassidy pressed a hand to her stomach.

Erika held the little wand up so Cassidy could see. In clear black letters, it read: P
REGNANT
.

She stared as the room spun in circles. Then her stomach gave a mighty heave. Cassidy slapped a hand over her mouth, lurched to the toilet stool and dropped to her knees as her stomach brought up all the day’s contents.

Gathering Cassidy’s hair in a mass and holding it away from her face, Erika commented, “I see I don’t have to guess any longer which sentiment to express. I’m sorry, Cassidy. I wish this had happened under happier circumstances.”

When her stomach calmed somewhat, Cassidy staggered to her feet and rinsed her mouth in the sink. Erika silently handed her a Dixie cup with mouthwash for her to gargle, which Cassidy took with a low, “Thanks.”

In the bedroom, they sat side by side on the bed, holding hands.

“I know it seems like the end of the world right now, but when you get over the shock, maybe you’ll like the idea of being a mother.”

Cassidy’s laugh was tinged with sarcasm. “Sure, I just have to get past this little dilemma of determining who the father is first.”

“Hey, don’t look so glum. Look at the bright side. Once Phillip finds out you slept with Max, he might agree to the divorce.”

Cassidy glared at her and demanded, “Is that supposed to cheer me up?”

Erika’s shoulders dropped. “It’s all I’ve got. You’re right. This is a hell of a mess. What are you going to do?”

Cassidy took a deep breath and steadied her nerves. “What’s done is done. I can’t go into the past and change it, so I have to deal with what is. A few hours of peace and quiet to figure things out and I’ll be fine.”

“You want to spend the night? You know the spare bedroom is yours, whenever you need it,” Erika offered.

“Thanks, but I don’t want to impose.”

“It’s no imposition. What are friends for?”

Cassidy smiled, a real one this time, and gave Erika a one-armed hug. “You’re the best friend a person could have. I’ll call you tomorrow once I’ve had a chance to let things settle, and we’ll talk.”

Erika squeezed her in return before standing. “I’m holding you to it. If I haven’t heard from you by end of shift, I’m coming looking for you. Here’s your purse.”

“Thanks. If you tell David, would you ask him not to say anything until I’m ready for people to know?”

“Dave would never say anything without your permission, but I’ll ask him just the same.”

As they exited the room, David met them coming down the hall from Macey’s room. He looked from one woman to the other. “Everything okay?”

“She’ll tell you. I have to go. Thanks for letting me barge in on you,” Cassidy said.

“Any time.” Hugging his wife to his side, they walked her to the door.

“Erika, if Phillip calls here looking for me, you haven’t seen me.”

“You bet. Tomorrow. Don’t make me hunt you down,” Erika warned.

“I won’t.” Cassidy climbed in her car, and after one last wave at her friends, drove off.

Inside, she was nowhere near as calm as she’d pretended to be with Erika. Her mind was a mass of turmoil. The only thing she knew for sure was that she couldn’t go home. Chances were Phillip would be there waiting for her. She’d cut her phone off hours ago and that, coupled with her mysterious appointment tonight, would guarantee he’d come calling.

After driving around aimlessly, she fixed her car in the direction of the one place Phillip would never think to look.

Chapter Ten

Max set aside the brief he was reviewing, took off his glasses, and wiped his tired eyes. That was it. He was done for tonight. It wasn’t like he could concentrate anyway. He returned papers to their file folders and stuffed the whole lot into his briefcase.

He lifted the remote and switched off the big screen television, noting absently that the ten o’clock news was on. After turning off the table lamp, he gathered his empty dishes and headed for the kitchen, ready to call it a night.

He felt…antsy...at loose ends. Part of it was Amber being gone. He’d gotten used to coming home and having someone to keep him company. Right now they’d be preparing for bed where they might or might not have sex. Amber would be talking about her schedule and the patients she’d be seeing, or reminding him of some task or event they’d planned that he’d more than likely forgot. It had all been so normal, so married, and now he was alone.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. He had the hots for his former best friend’s wife. There, he’d admitted it even though doing so made the good Catholic his momma raised him to be cringe. He wanted another man’s wife. He was going to purgatory.

It hadn’t started out this way. He’d always admired Cassidy and felt Phillip was fortunate in having her. She was everything a good Italian boy was raised to want in a wife—loving, compassionate, smart, capable, and she loved children. Max could also confess to wanting what he believed Phillip had before he’d messed it up—a strong, loving marriage. The kind of marriage his parents, aunts and uncles, and a few of his siblings had.

He was getting older and as his momma was forever reminding him, it was past time he started raising a family of his own and add to the brood of grandchildren his parents were rapidly amassing. Max had thought he’d found that woman in Amber and had been, if not overly ecstatic, at least satisfied with their relationship. All couples had problems. The thing was to be willing to work through all the issues.