32. Skylar

“How do you feel?” Tucker rises from his chair at the kitchen table and moves to my side.

“Like shit, but slightly better than yesterday. I don’t think I can move this weekend. I don’t have the energy to do it.”

“Don’t worry about it. I think most of your things are here anyway. Anything you need, I can go get it for you.”

“I know, I just really wanted to make this official.”

“Colt and I can pack everything and move it, if you want. You know he won”t care if you give him a beer and pizza.”

“Ok, we can talk about it later. I need to get ready for work.” I groan as I climb out of bed. I think I need to make a stop on my way into work. I”m going to need some medicine to make it through the day.

As I walk down the aisles of the pharmacy, I scan the shelves, looking for something to help with my symptoms. Maybe I should take some vitamin B to help with my energy levels, but what can I take for the nausea?

My eyes skim over the boxes. Tylenol, Benadryl, vitamins, cold meds, pregnancy tests, cough drops. Wait… pregnancy tests? I frown at the lone test thrown on the shelf with the over-the-counter medicines. My heart hammers against my ribs as my head starts spinning. What if…

I forget all about finding medicine and move to the next aisle. I toss three tests into my basket and hurry to the self-checkout before anyone can see what I”m buying. I can only imagine the rumors that would start making its rounds through Maple Springs.

Thankfully, I have a bathroom in my office. I’ll be able to take this test without anyone knowing.

My gaze drops to the pregnancy test. There’s no way. I can”t possibly be pregnant! I’m on birth control pills! How did this even happen?

My mind drifts back over the weeks, trying to think if I missed a pill. I didn’t, but I was taking medicine for a sinus infection. I palm my face; I know antibiotics can affect birth control pills! How could I have forgotten!

I suck in a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. Just because I had a miscarriage last time, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again.

Do I tell Tucker or do I wait a little bit longer? How far along could I be? Shit, shit, shit. I can”t tell him until I know what’s going on. Until I know the baby is ok.

“This is Dr. Harry’s office; how may I help you?” The receptionist answers in a peppy voice.

“Hi… I, um, I just took a pregnancy test and it’s positive. I guess I need an appointment.”

“Sure. Do you know when your last period was? We can get an idea of how far along you are then.”

“Sure… let me check…” I open the calendar on my cell phone and check each week. My heart hammers against my chest the further I go back, realizing I haven’t had it in a really long time. “I think about four months ago.”

“Oh, wow… ok. I think you should come in right away then. Is it normal for you to go so long between periods?”

“Yes. It wouldn’t be the first time.” I sigh. Resting my elbow on my desk, I place a hand over my eyes.

“I have an appointment in an hour if you could make it.”

“I’ll be there,” I whisper. She takes down my information and soon I”m hanging up the phone and dropping my head to the back of my chair.

I don’t want history to repeat itself. I figured this time I’d be married before I got pregnant. How did I let this happen? I’m smarter than this. How are people going to react to the elementary school principal being pregnant out of wedlock? And the father being a student’s dad nonetheless.

“I”m fucked,” I groan, dropping my head to the desk. “Leslie?”

My best friend pops her head around the corner. Her brows raise, silently asking what I need.

“I’ll be gone the rest of the day. I have something important to take care of.”

“Ok! No problem. I’ll take messages for you and text you if there’s anything you need to know about before Monday.”

“Thanks, Leslie.”

The next hour passes way too slowly for my liking and soon I”m sitting in the doctor’s office, waiting for them to do an ultrasound.

“Well, you’re definitely pregnant, Skylar.” Dr. Harry gives me a bright smile. She’s the same doctor I saw when I was pregnant last time.

“What are the chances of a miscarriage?” I wince. I don’t want to ask, but I need to know. I have to prepare myself if it could happen again.

“Skylar… you’re still young and healthy. I don’t know why you miscarried last time, but I think you’re going to be ok this time around. Your baby is measuring past the twelve-week mark. Typically, if everything is good at this point, we can take a breath and the baby will probably be fine.”

“I”m more than twelve-weeks pregnant? I didn’t even know!”

“You’re not showing at all. Unless you had morning sickness, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were unaware with how irregular your period is. You’re a little over fourteen weeks. We might be able to find out if you’re having a boy or girl, if you’d like.”

I nod my head, unable to speak through the emotion clogging my throat. My baby might be ok. Everything could be fine this time around.

“The baby’s heart looks great. Everything seems fine at this stage in development… Do you want Tucker to be here when you find out the sex?” She doesn’t even try to hide her amused smile when I gape at her. “Oh, please! I wouldn’t believe you if you said the father was anyone else in this sleepy old town. You two were always meant to be, life just threw a few roadblocks at you.”

“I haven’t told him yet. I didn’t want him to go through that loss again if something was wrong.”

“Skylar, I’ve known you almost your entire life, so I”m going to be honest with you… You need to stop trying to protect that man and let him be there for you. I have a feeling you ran after the miscarriage and I think it had a lot more to do with Tucker and a lot less to do with you.”

“I couldn’t handle the way he looked at me,” I whisper, embarrassment overtaking me.

“He was young and dealing with tragedy. He didn’t pity you, he just hated seeing the woman he loved in pain. Tell Tucker he’s going to have a son in about six months.” She smiles at me.

“It’s a boy? Really?” Tears stream down my face, but I don’t care. All that matters is the little baby boy growing in my stomach and how excited Tucker’s going to be.

“Go tell him. Don’t keep him waiting.”

“Hello?” I answer the phone through my car, not even glancing to see who it is since I”m driving home from the doctors.

“Skylar, it’s Garrett.”

“Goodbye, Garrett.” I move to hang up the call, but he stops me.

“No! Skylar, wait!”

“What? What could you possibly need?”

“I”m moving. The apartment building is canceling my lease as well as the storage unit. They need it cleaned out by the end of the week or they’ll toss whatever is left. All of your things are in there.”

“And you’re telling me this now! Seriously, Garrett? I get three days’ notice?”

“Well, you wouldn’t answer my calls! What did you expect me to do?”

“I blocked your number, you idiot!”

“That’s what I figured… I had to borrow someone’s phone to call you… Skylar, I know there are things in the unit you’d want. I”m trying here.”

“You stopped trying the second you cheated on me, Garrett.” I press my lips together, trying to stay in control of my emotions. “I’ll be there in the morning. Don’t do anything with my shit.”

I end the call, immediately making another one. I”m surprised when Tucker’s phone goes straight to voicemail.

“Hey, Tucker, it’s me… I have to go back to Philadelphia tonight. Garrett’s an ass, I only have three days to get all my stuff out of the storage unit. I”m leaving now. I”m sorry, I really don’t want to go, but I can’t let them throw out my stuff. I love you. When I get home, I have something important to talk to you about. Bye.”

I hang up and glare at the road. I’m going to spend the next eight hours pissed off and hating Garrett with every fiber of my being.