BABY STEPS

CHAPTER 6 (PART 4)

"Hey, Hannah," I start, sitting my pad and pen down on the diner counter. "Do you guys hire pregnant people?" She laughed.

"No, why does a pregnant woman need a job?" I shook my head slowly, watching her mead the dough.

"No, but just, hypothetically, if someone who worked here got pregnant would they be fired?"

"No, silly!" She gave me a whole hearted laugh. "Well, at least not until their bellies start to get in the way." She shakes her head with a smile on her warm brown face, but I think she was only joking. "Why you questioning me girl?"

"I'm on my brake," I said. "I needed something to do."

"Well, if you really need something to do you can wash these dishes." At that, I laughed.

"Hello! Does the word break mean anything anymore?" I stood up from the stool I was sitting on, and then made my way to the front of the restaurant to get some air. Usually I'd be out here smoking, which, yes I did before. But now I can't. It's not really good for the baby.

Since it was September, it was already cold out. Denver usually gets cold really fast, and we usually get our first snow around Halloween. I pulled my jacket close to my body, and then decided to just go back inside. There was no need for all this air and I cannot afford to be sick right now.

When I got back inside of the diner, I saw him again. Ian. I blinked in surprise, and then started to scan through all the other faces for an orange haired girl known as his girlfriend, but I didn't see her. He was probably here alone, probably on his work break too.

He works at the mechanic shop down the street, just a few blocks away from the diner. I only know this because one time my Dad had problems with his car, and he was the one who worked on it. Even then we didn't speak; we just acknowledged each other's existence with a stare.

Last night, I didn't speak to Ian after our confrontation in the room. As promised, I borrowed Taylor's car and took Oliveyah home, then had to come ALL the way back to get her and drive her home, then stay there at her place because she was too drunk to function.

"Hi," I said softly, walking up to his table.

He seemed surprised at first, caught off guard to see me, but then he gave me a small smile. "Hi." His hair was filthy, a curly mass from all the grease. His T-shirt stained with both sweat and grease, it was a nice look for him.

"Can I sit down?" I asked, pointing to the booth across from him.

"Yeah!" He says, moving his menu from all over the table.

"So you're working?" I say, just to make conversation.

"Yeah, but I'm on break now and I was starving." He laughs, and I nod.

"Me too. I mean, I'm on break to."

"You work here?" He asked, partly surprised.

"Yeah, I've been working here since I was sixteen. My first and last job."

"Last?"

"Yeah. Last." He wanted me to explain I could tell, but I didn't. I didn't feel like it.

Someone came and took his order, and I just sat idly by in the corner, thinking about how I was going to tell him. I had decided recently, that despite what happened last night, he was not going to be the last to know. And since I was telling my friends tonight, I had to tell him now.

"You want something?" He asks suddenly, and I shake my head slowly.

"Just some water." And maybe a whole ice-cream cake, I thought to myself.

Moments later, she was back with his burger and fries. When she left, I leaned back in my seat, biting nervously on my nails.

I watched as he took the biggest bite out of his burger, how his brown eyelashes fluttered when he looked down, and then back up at me.

Sam was wrong. He is God. In blue jeans. I'm gonna have his baby. And she's gonna have his eyes. Maybe even his blond curls, but with my color. Or maybe a mix between the two. I should just tell him. Just get it over with. He's going to find out eventually.

"You know you shouldn't bite your nails," he says, still chewing his food.

"I'm pregnant."