Eligible Ex-husband - Marie Johnston Page 0,72
heats. We’ve been great. Tighter than ever, especially since the fallout with his parents. “He’s still busy, but making more of an effort. His assistant has started sifting through applicants, and they might move buildings soon, but we’re good.”
“And your work?”
“It’s just waiting for my go-live date. Everything’s done really. Once I launch, then I might be a little busier, but not until I sign a couple of clients. That won’t be until after school starts anyway.”
She takes her eyes off me and scans the gym. It’s only mid-morning and the place isn’t very busy. My mom took the girls so I wouldn’t be so terribly behind on training when I toed the starting line. If I didn’t come today, I knew I wouldn’t do anything, much less my training run. I didn’t do my long run this week. Or last.
She glances at the trainer working with her client by the mirrors, they’re the closest ones to us, then she quietly asks me, “Do you think you could be pregnant?”
I sputter and laugh, but my smile freezes. Could I be?
Aleah lifts a shoulder. “I remember when you told me what a surprise Abby was since you were on the pill. It’s none of my business though.”
“No. I mean, I don’t think…” Oh God. Nausea. Tired all the time. I don’t care who can see, but I palm a boob. Yeah, they’ve been a little more tender lately. “Shit.”
“Sore?”
I nod, my vacant stare stuck on the hot pink mat Aleah’s sitting on. “How could I let this happen?” We didn’t use a backup before because it never mattered if I got pregnant. Our plans for more kids got pushed to the side as a well if it happens… What if it happened?
While we’re divorced?
“No need to get worked up until you know for sure.” Aleah’s calm voice breaks into my thoughts. “But I think since you’re so worn out, we can cut the run a little short.”
“If I am pregnant, what do I do about the race?”
She lifts a shoulder and she’ll never know how much I need her unflappable personality right now. “It’s up to you and how you feel. Most moms are just fine. You were training before and we aren’t changing it much before you’d need to do it. Stay hydrated. Rest. But I’ll give you the official response and tell you to talk to your doctor.” She leans forward and gives me a wink. “Just make sure it’s a doctor that knows what they’re talking about.”
I roll back to my stomach and sink my head into my hands. “Oh my God, Aleah. I wouldn’t even know how far along I am.”
She chuckles. “You wouldn’t be the first one. Babies don’t always look at the calendar. But I’m going to repeat that you don’t know yet.”
I lift my head. “I need to find out.”
Her expression is rueful as she stands. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”
I force myself to take the time to clean up, but it’s the fastest shower ever. After getting dressed and throwing my hair in a ponytail, I breeze out of the gym.
Do I buy the pregnancy test and take it before I pick the kids up? Mom’s used to me running an errand or two after my appointments.
No, I’m going to buy it and take it in the store. I have no plan of what store I’m going to go to, but I drive in the direction of my parents’ place. I pass a grocery store with a pharmacy and swing in.
Finding the pregnancy test is no problem, it’s like there’s a homing beacon. My gaze darts around, looking for familiar faces. This act always feels so private. My life is in a major transition right now and I’d rather not share the news—if there is any news—with anyone else.
Self-checkout has an open till and I whip through, stuffing the test in my purse after paying. My luck is riding at one hundred percent. There are bathrooms by the entry and exit doors.
I scurry into the women’s restroom, crouched in on myself as if it’s going to help make me invisible. It’s empty, so I duck into a stall and rip the packaging open.
Going through the all-too-familiar process takes me back to finding out I was expecting Abby. I did the same exact thing. I didn’t want to risk bringing the test back to my dorm room, so I ducked into a department store bathroom and hid all the evidence when I