FALLING: The Negative Ion Series (14 page)

I
bought a pregnancy test when a couple of dizzy spells almost knocked me on my ass. I pulled out the test from my purse and used it. I sat patiently as I waited for the results. Good thing I got digital. It couldn’t have been anymore clearer in its results: PREGNANT. It had to be defective. There was no other answer.

I immediately threw up and thanked God it went in the toilet. Nope, this was wrong
, I thought as I rinsed my mouth. Had to be. I’m going with defective. I need another test. Several. I ran out of the bathroom and as soon as I got in my mother’s vision I slowed down and smiled.

“I’m thirsty. Are you thirsty, Mom?”

“A little. I have a taste for that tea I had. Um… um… shit, I can’t remember the name. It was named after a state, I believe, and it was peachy.”

“Yeah, I remember. I’m going next door. I’ll meet you at the car, okay?”

“Okay, honey. I’ll pay and be right out.”

I nodded and ran out, frantically going through the drug store and grabbed six different tests, Mom’s tea and an apple juice for myself.
Let me tell you, the ride home that day was long and excruciating. As soon as I pulled into our driveway, I jumped out of the car and ran inside.

“Where’s the fire,
Itsy?”

“Sorry, Mom! That juice went right through me!”

“God, Itsy!” Mom laughed behind me. “TMI!”

I ran into my basement apartment and locked myself in my bathroom. I grabbed a paper cup and filled that sucker. I swear I piss more than a race horse now. I opened all the tests and paced as I waited for the results. All of them were defective, too. Each and every one of them said PREGNANT, had a double line or turned fucking
pink or blue.

“No, no, noooo,” I whined. “I cannot be pregnant! Christ, what am I going to do?!”

Nothing to do but tell Jaxen. Seven tests, all saying positive is pretty damn convincing but I wanted a doctor’s note or something. I pulled out my phone and made an appointment for the next day, knowing that everyone would be helping Parker, Samantha and Roland move their clothes and personal belongings into the old house.

The next mor
ning, I dressed and left before Mom woke up. I got in her car and went to the store to find my friends a house warming gift and kill time before my appointment. I found the perfect gifts for them and went to the clinic. I arrived thirty minutes early, sweaty, nervous and sick to my stomach.

The first thing they asked for was my urine. Not a problem. I had that in abundance and was ready to burst by the time I made it to the clinic. After, they wanted blood. My mind screamed, take it all as they withdrew it.

I sat numb in the exam room, listening to my doctor say I was indeed pregnant and had suggested an ultrasound, since I wasn’t clear on when my last cycle was. I could not believe the way she wanted to get a picture. I was a little nervous when she slipped a condom on the probe, thinking nothing has ever been up
there
but Jaxen and tampons.

“Those things are not effective, Dr. Holder,” I smirked. “Me being pregnant proves that.”

“Nothing but abstinence is 100%, Kimber.”

I smirked again and waited for the image, still nervous and unsure of what to do. Then I heard it. A heartbeat. Loud and strong. Dr. Holder turned the monitor around and pointed to a spot. I couldn’t see it. It was so blurry and I had to strain to focus. Then she handed me some tissue and told me to look again when I wiped my eyes.

I was crying? Wow. Okay, I thought then wiped my face. I looked again and could see the sack she was pointing to. My baby. Jaxen’s baby. I made a baby with a man I loved and who loved me in return.

My face broke into a huge grin and I couldn’t wait to find
Jaxen and shout it to world that he and I were expecting. I hope he would be as happy as I was. A baby. A boy who looked just like his father, with his brown hair and crisp hazel eyes. And just as handsome as his father.

I called
Jaxen, but he couldn’t take a break then, so he made plans to see me the next day. He said he and the band would be at the music store, and he would meet me in the lot around eleven. I smiled and agreed then told him I loved him.

“See you tomorrow,
Kimber,” was all he said back.

I frowned as I stared at the phone and wondered what that was about. He never ended a call without saying he loved me too
and he hadn’t doing that for about a week. And that calling me Kimber business… what was that about?

I went home
bursting. I wanted to tell everyone the news but my heart told me Jaxen should know before everyone so once again, I fought with everything in me not to say anything. Instead, I thought over and over how to tell Jaxen. I had different scenarios flowing in my head:
‘Hey, Jaxen… will you be busy around the middle of January?’
or
‘Jaxen, guess what? Mom’s not the only one pregnant,’
or
‘Jaxen, does my boobs look bigger to you lately? They do? Huh. Must be the pregnancy.’

Then I started panicking. I’m not ready to be a mother. I wanted to go to college and be a lawyer. I wanted to see the world, the country at least. I wanted to smother my brother and sister with love and kisses and hugs and bites and tickles. Now, they will have a niece or nephew months younger than them. Ewww. And damn.

When I got back, my old home was filled with people and I smiled and greeted everyone as I walked through looking for Parker or Samantha to give them their gift. I ran into John and Sara first and almost blurted that they were going to be grandparents. I bit it back at the last minute and kept the conversation light and funny.

Next, I ran into some friends of my brother’s that I’d known for years. I laughed and joked with them for a few minutes then saw Terri, who smiled at me across the room. I looked in the doorway and saw my very pregnant mother coming in, smiling and glowing. Parker went to see her in and kissed her cheek. Terri saw this and rolled her eyes. Some thin
gs never changed, I think as I felt someone grab my elbow and turn me. Roland.

“
Hey, stranger. How have you been?”

“Good,” I smiled. “You?”

“Good,” Roland nodded. “That hair color looks beautiful on you, you know. Good choice.”

“Thank you,” I blush.

“But I’m still disappointed. Even more so after seeing you tonight. I was hoping to get a second kiss from a certain girl but she hooked up with my best friend’s brother-in-law. Can’t tell you how much that blew.”

I smile shyly. “You were taken, Roland. That kiss was wrong of us. Good, but wrong.”

“It was more than good, Itsy. It was the best I’ve ever had.”

“Me too. To that point.”

“Still with Malloy?”

I smile. “I am. Happily.”

“Glad to hear it,” Roland nods then leans to whisper in my ear. “The girl I was with dumped me when she found out about our kiss.”

I shoot my head up and frowned. “How
did she find out?”

“I told her,” he shrugs.

“But why?”

“It wasn’t working anyway. I couldn’t get you or that kiss off my mind.
She knew I was distancing and I told her to escalate that.”

My nose scrunched and I looked at him. “Do I have to watch my back now?”

“No,” he laughed. “She has no clue it was you.”

“Good,” I breathed out. “I’m sorry about her.”

“I’m not. I’m only sorry I didn’t get my chance with you.”

“And you still won’t, Sampson. Back away.”

I shake my head at the force in Jaxen’s voice and turn to confront him.

“What is your problem,
Jaxen?”

“Nothing. I need to talk to you.”

“Well, I’m not in the mood to talk to you now,” I hiss and walk away, going straight to the outside door. I knew he would follow me so it was no surprise when he grabbed my arm on the sidewalk just outside the property.

“I said I needed to talk to you,
Kimber.”

“And I said not now,
Jaxen. Go away and sober up. I can smell the alcohol on you a mile away.”

“I needed a drink. Fucking sue me!”

“What the hell is your problem?”

“You!”
Jaxen shouted and walked away, mumbling something about never again or something. I turned and walked home, locking myself in my apartment and ignoring my phone. I finally shut it off after I sent Mom a text, telling her I was home, exhausted and was going to rest. I fell asleep and woke up around 12 that night, starving. I went to the kitchen and saw my Dad sitting in the kitchen eating a huge piece chocolate cake the housekeeper made. I swear that woman, Heidi, was Betty Crocker and Mrs. Garrett rolled into one.

I smiled and hugged him at the waist.
“Hi, Daddy. When did you get back?”

“Ten minutes ago,” Daddy grinned with a mouth full of cake, he swallowed what he had in his mouth then kissed my temple and took another bite. “This is good.”

“Heidi made it.”

“Heidi?”

“Our new cook/housekeeper,” I say as I peer in the fridge. I decide on a sandwich. “She’s amazing and doesn’t let Mom do a thing.”

“Good. Your Mom deserves to be pampered. I caved with her, honey.”

“Caved?”

“Yeah,” Daddy nodded. “She’s keeping her job as Captain.”

“What? Is that safe in her condition?”

“She’s mostly on desk detail and will be restricted to that until she can’t work anymore then she’s taking off for a year. After that, it’s back to work.”

I shake my head. “Are y
ou sure you’re okay with that?”

“As long as she’s not patrolling or answering to radio calls, I believe I can handle it. Don’t tell her, but I’m hoping when the babies come, she will change her mind and retire. She said something about becoming mayor here. I can definitely live with that.”

“So can I,” I laugh. “Much less worry.”

I finish making my sandwich and take a bite.

“Make me one of those, honey,” Daddy says he puts his plate in the dishwasher. I make him a sandwich and we sit at the table after I put everything back where it belongs.

“So you don’t need to go back to the east coast?”

“No,” Dad murmurs after he swallows a bite. “Your grandparents have packed up and there’s a truck moving across the country with the things they kept, the rest they donated. They flew in with me and are living it up in a hotel until their condo is ready.”

“Hotel? Why are they in a hotel?”

“They said they didn’t want to intrude. I told them it was non-sense but they insisted. You know how they get when their mind is set.”

“Yeah, I do,” I giggle. “They are a lot like you and Parker.”

“And you, honey.”

“Not me. I’m never stubborn.”

Daddy reached out and tweaked my nose and I giggled again then sighed.

“You look worried, honey. Is something wrong?

“Mom told you about the scholarship?”

“Ah. Yes, she did.”

I put my sandwich down and grab two waters. “And?” I ask, not looking at him.

“I agree with your mother, honey.”

“I don’t need connections, Daddy. I have a dad who has a law firm and he’s promised me there is a position with him when I graduate.”

“True and that always stands but
the
W.I.L.L.
can get you further and faster than I can. They will look good on your resume.”

“I don’t need it, Daddy. They can let someone have the scholarship that needs it. Unless you don’t want to pay to further my education anymore.”

“Of course I will. It would be my pleasure. I just don’t want you to regret sticking with my firm later.”

“I won’t, Daddy. I promise.”

“I hope so, honey. All right, so who’s getting my checks, Stanford or Berkeley?”

“I haven’t heard from either yet, Daddy. I guess I didn’t get into either.”

“Well, you could still do the internship with my firm for a year and reapply. That offer is still on the table.”

“Okay,” I smile. “I was really looking forward to it.”

“That’s settled. You’re hired and you start the first week in September, so enjoy yourself now.”

“Thanks, Daddy,” I yawn. “The last few days have been exhausting. Mom’s been crashing earlier and earlier.”

“She’s been well otherwise?”

“She has,
” I nod. “Other than missing you.”

“I missed her, too.”

I smile. “Then finish your sandwich and go to her. You may be able to wake her.”

“I will definitely try,” Daddy smiles then st
ands. “Your hair, honey. I love it. It’s different and so you. You should have been born with black hair. Whose idea was this?”

“Mine,” I grin. “You really like it?”

“I do. It’s great on you.” Daddy kisses my temple again and goes to the stairs. I quickly clean up then go back to my apartment and turn on my phone. It chimes immediately, alerting me to an incoming text from Jaxen.