case Rip happens to come home early.”
“Good idea.” Laramie stands and grasps the bag. “Can you grab a couple of bottles of water? I drank two on the way here, but I might need more.” She holds up the bag as proof.
“Sure, I’ll be right up.”
In the kitchen, I grab four bottles of water just in case. She’s got several tests in the bag. Stepping into the bedroom, I see the tests spilled out on the bed, with one of the boxes open. “Laramie, I’ve got water.”
“I’m good for now. I’m starting with one, and we’ll go from there,” she tells me through the bathroom door.
Placing the water bottles on the nightstand, I take a seat on the bed and pick up one of the tests, reading the box. My mind wanders to my last period, and I freeze. I can’t remember. Wait, I do. It was the week before I took the bar exam. I remember being relieved that I wouldn’t have to deal with Aunt Flo while testing. That was— “Oh, no.”
“What?” Laramie asks, appearing beside me. I stare up at her, but I can’t seem to form words. “McKenna, talk to me,” she says, reaching for my hands.
All I can do is shake my head, over and over again. This can’t be right. This can’t be happening. I’m just starting my career, and then this thing with Rip is new. He’s going to think I trapped him. Just like my father. It’s too soon. I refuse to let him feel like he has no choice but to be with me because he got me pregnant. Oh. My. God. I might be pregnant.
“McKenna!” Laramie says forcefully. “Talk to me.”
“Lara—” I start and swallow hard. “I’m late.”
“What?”
I hold up a pregnancy test. “I… was thinking about you and how happy I was for you, and then I realized I couldn’t remember my last period. I had to think, and it was the week before the bar exam.”
“Okay. Well, that was stressful, as well as your gramps having a heart attack. You’re worried about your results, and you’re in a new-ish relationship. That’s a lot going on. I’m sure your cycle is just thrown off.”
“I can’t be pregnant.”
“Would it be that bad?” she asks. “I mean, you’d make me an aunt.” She smiles.
“It’s too soon. It’s my parents all over again,” I tell her, and her smile drops from her face. “I’m so stupid. Here I am trying to make something of myself, and instead, I let history repeat itself.”
“First of all, I don’t want you to refer to yourself as anything like your parents. You and I both know that you’re nothing like either of them. Second of all, my brother isn’t trapped. He’s in love with you.”
“We’ve been dating for like a minute, Laramie. This is what happened with my parents too. Dad felt trapped. He felt like his only option was to marry my mother. Only they never made it to the altar. He disappeared, and she slipped into a state of depression and got hooked on drugs after I was born. I caused that. It was me and my existence. I can’t do that to him. I can’t.”
“Let’s start with one of these.” She holds up a pregnancy test. “Before you start jumping to conclusions, let’s see what we’re working with. And as far as your existence, he’d be lost without you, McKenna. I know your parents messed you up, but believe this when I tell you that Rip loves you. If the test is positive, he’s going to love your baby too. Do you need to call Maggie?”
Laramie is the only person other than my grandparents who knows that I’ve seen a counselor since I was seven. It’s not a frequent thing, usually two or three times a year, just to keep those insecurities that I live with at bay. “Okay.” I wipe the tears from my cheeks. “I’m glad you’re here. I couldn’t do this on my own.”
“Regardless of the results, you won’t be alone. You have my brother, me, our friends, your grandparents, my parents. You have a huge support system.”
“What did your test say?” I ask, realizing I’ve made this moment about me when it was supposed to be about her.
“I haven’t checked yet.”
“Go. Go look.” I push on her arm, and she laughs.
“Come with me.”
She grabs another pregnancy test, I’m assuming for her to take another, and one for me, and together we make our way into the bathroom. Together, we