Just a Positive Pregnancy Test - London Casey Page 0,74
cancer and I’m dying. I need a break here and there.”
Buddy rolled his eyes.
Their quick love and amazing humor were something to see.
There was another knock at the door. Buddy jumped up and excused himself as he left the bedroom.
I smiled at Dot. “Hey. How do you really feel?”
“Let me ask you something, Mila. Do you like people asking you that question?”
“Ouch,” I said. “But point taken.”
“Tell me about the baby.”
“He’s active,” I said. “Very active. Morning, noon, night. I’m not sure what that means for us when he’s here. I’ll need a vacation after this pregnancy.”
Dot laughed. “Well, you’ll get a vacation after it. There’s just an eighteen-year delay on it.”
“Oh? Only eighteen years? That’s not too bad.”
“You really look beautiful, Mila. You and Olivia. Gosh, I can remember when you were born. Your father used to stop by here when your mother was pregnant. He wouldn’t shut up about you. He was so happy to have a baby girl on the way. A father with his son… the look in his eye is different than that with a daughter.”
“Well, I’m having a son.”
“And the look in your eye for your son… oh, that’s powerful. Believe me.”
Buddy knocked at the open door again.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Dot whispered. “If he knocks on that damn door one more damn time, I’m going to live longer than him.” She looked forward and smiled. “Come in!”
“Dot!” Crosby’s voice yelled.
I turned my head and saw him step into the bedroom, arms open.
“Crosby,” Dot said.
Crosby looked at me. “Mila.”
“Crosby,” I said.
Then behind Crosby came Tyler.
“Tyler,” Dot said.
“We had to come visit you,” Tyler said.
“Where’s Silas?” I asked.
“At the house,” Tyler said. “He’s fine. I promise.”
“So good to see you two,” Buddy said.
“I wish I knew I was going to have company,” Dot said. “I would have done my hair.”
She touched her thinning hair and laughed.
“You look great,” Crosby said.
He sat in Buddy’s chair.
“Dot,” Tyler said. “What are you doing here alone?”
“I’m not alone,” she said. “I’ve got Buddy here all the time now.”
“That’s now,” Tyler said. “What about before?”
“We don’t talk about the past,” Buddy said.
“Hey, Dot,” Crosby said. “Anything you ever need around here, give us a call. Seriously. Believe me, it’s not pity over the dying from cancer thing.”
“Crosby,” I said.
Dot smiled. “No. That’s fine. I like that. I’m going to die. Why dance around it?”
“See?” Crosby asked me. He stuck out his tongue.
I scratched my cheek with the middle finger of my left hand.
“What my dumbass brother is trying to say,” Tyler said, “is that you’re not alone. Even with Buddy here or not. Anything you need. I’m sure there’s work to be done around the house.”
“I can make a list,” Dot said.
“I can help,” Buddy said.
“Don’t get jealous, Buddy,” Crosby said. “We’re just trying to free up your time for bedroom time.”
Buddy pointed at Crosby. “Now that’s good thinking. I can get my rest to be ready for some wild nights.”
“Please,” Dot said. “Wild nights… three minutes of you grunting and then you watch a baseball game.”
“Holy hell,” I said, laughing and blushing.
“I’m just happy you all stopped by,” Dot said. “Please don’t just show up to be sad and think I’m dead or something, okay? Stop by all the time. Just to see me. Just to be here. Next time I’ll have some food and drinks ready too. I promise.”
“I just came to flirt with you,” Crosby said.
“Well then,” Dot said, smiling at Crosby.
“Great,” Buddy said. “I finally confess my love to her and she wants to trade me in for a younger guy.”
“Sorry, Buddy,” Crosby said. “I’m way more handsome than you. And I run a ranch. I’m like a pretty cowboy.”
“A pretty douchebag cowboy,” I said.
Dot squealed with laughter. Then she started to cough.
She reached for me, nodding, laughing, tears running down her cheeks.
“Knock, knock,” another voice said.
Before I could see who it was, I heard Dot say, “Well, hey there, Evelyn.”
Evelyn. As in Evelyn Rohrick.
I curled my lip when I saw her.
She kept showing up like an unneeded hemorrhoid.
“Sorry,” Evelyn said. “I didn’t realize you had company. I can come back later.”
“Good idea,” I said.
“Yeah,” Crosby said, standing. “That’s a great idea.”