Monique chewed a ragged fingernail and paced the floor. It was a disgusting habit. One she couldn’t help when she was on the verge of discovering whether her world was about to be turned upside down.
“Time.” Her best friend Alexandra Holland silenced the alarm on her cell phone. “All three tests should be ready.”
Monique thought it was overkill when Allie arrived at her condo with a pharmacy bag filled with pregnancy tests. Now she was thankful for her friend’s flair for the dramatic.
Her period was three weeks late. Whether the results were positive or negative, she didn’t want to be left with a shred of doubt.
Monique shook her head as she sank into a nearby chair. “I can’t look.”
Allie squeezed her shoulder. “No worries. I’ve got you.”
Monique whispered her thanks, then buried her face in her hands. Her stomach churned. She fully expected confirmation of her suspicions and an explanation for the tender breasts, nausea and frequent bathroom trips she’d experienced the past week.
“Okay, Queen of Denial, it’s official.” Allie fanned out the pee-laden sticks.
Two pink lines on one.
Yes and a plus sign on the second.
The final test plainly stated Pregnant—in case she’d been too dense to infer that from the others.
“I’m going to be a mom,” she whispered. One hand went instinctively to her belly.
Allie grinned, her eyes suddenly teary. Her friend hadn’t pressed her about what she planned to do if the results were positive. Clearly Allie was pleased with her decision. She hugged her. “I’m going to be an aunt.”
Monique relaxed into the comfort of her best friend’s embrace. “I’m glad someone else is happy about the news.”
“Ray will be, too, once he gets over the initial shock. He adores his baby sis.” There was a gleam of admiration in her eyes. “And Mitch…you don’t think he’ll be happy? Especially now that everything has been resolved with the Vegas wedding disaster.”
Allie was clearly still hurt Monique had gotten married without telling her. A mistake her best friend surely would’ve prevented.
A marriage that turned out not to be a marriage at all, since her former “husband” was already married to two other women who hadn’t seen him in years, either.
“I left Mitch two or three messages thanking him for his help and explaining that I was never legally married.” She shrugged. “He hasn’t returned any of them.”
“He won’t have a choice now. After all, he supplied the defective condom. This is all his fault.”
“Mitch is an honorable guy with a strong sense of family. He’ll insist on ‘doing right’—” she used air quotes “—by me and the baby. But if he does this out of a sense of obligation, he’ll only end up resenting me. Us.” She placed a hand on her belly again.
“I want Mitch to be with us because he loves me and because he wants this, too.” Tears wet her cheeks.
Damn those hormones.