Contractually Ever After

Chapter 11 - The test

Wade's been gone a little under 2 months. The beginning of June, just around the corner, we text occassionally, speak on the phone much less, but whenever we do I can hell he's not really present in the call. Penny stays nearly every night. She says its to "escape being 22 and living with her parents." I think she doesn't want me moping around waiting for my man to walk back through the door.

It's 4pm and yhe the front door swings open, right on que. Penny drops her bag off after finishing her days apprenticeship as a fashion designer.

"Wine ?"

I yell as she heads to the toilet.

"Bear s**t in the woods."

I laugh at her reply.

"Motherfucker."

I hear her yell.

I dash to find her.

"Jesus, what's up?"

"Period, got any tampax ?"

she asks.

"Uh, no I don't think so."

"okay, um, i'll just nip home and grab some, quicker than going to the shop."

She darts out of the door. Then I get thinking and counting.

Shit, the reality hits me. I haven't seen my period since March. I'm late. Really Late.

I rush up stairs into the spare room that Penny inhabits and look in her "emergency draw." I find the box I'm looking for and head to my room shaking whilst reading the instructions. It says to do with the midstream of a morning pee, but I need to know. NOW.

I'm sat on the edge of the bath staring at the stick in my hand displaying 2 bright pink lines.

I do the only thing I know and grab my phone to ring Wade. He picks up eventually.

"Ava, its nearly 11.30, I'm about to go into a meeting."

He states.

"Wade, I, I, I need you."

struggling to get my words out.

"I can't come back yet. And I can't just hop on an eight hour flight to fulfill your needs."

I try to reason again, not wanting to share the news over the phone.

"Wade, it serious, you need to come home."

I'm on the verge of tears, especially with him not being here to support me.

"I. Don't. Have. Time. what's so important you can't tell me over the phone?"

he snaps.

"Wade"

I sob, struggling to say the words and make them reality.

"Wade, I'm..."

I cry down the phone as Penny knocks on the bathroom door.

"Ava?"

she calls.

"I'm Pregnant Wade. Please come home, I need you. I'm pregnant."

I just cry waiting for a response from him.

"Oh right, okay, I'll call you back soon."

and he disconnects the call.

I walk over to unlock the bathroom door and see Penny frozen in shock.

"Pen, please say something."

I can see receiving serious news doesn't go well in this family.

"I'm going to be an Auntie ?"

she whispers.

"Apparently"

as I hand her the test.

"And Wade ?"

she eyes the test and eyes me carefully.

"Not coming. I wanted to show him, tell him in person. But he's not coming."

I sob on the edge of the bed.

"Can I keep this Avs, Please ? I'll treasure it, my first niece or nephew with my bestest friend as their mum."

I can see the genuine excitement in her eyes and I smile and nod at her.

She hurries off into her room, no doubt to keep it safe.

I walk down stairs finally composed myself. Ready to make dinner, I start frying off the mince and boiling spaghetti.

"spagbol, yum."

Penny finally graces me with her presence.

"Where have you been?"

I ask her, she disappeared into her room nearly 45 minutes ago.

"Oh, I had somethings to sort out."

I can read this girl like a book.

"You rang your mum"

I eyeball her.

"I rang my mum."

Penny huffs.

We eat in a comfortable silence until Reaper starts barking up a storm at the front door. I get my hopes up waiting for Wade to walk through and scoop me in his arms declaring his love for me. But it never happens or does his phone call.

Instead in walks Diane, with a load of papers and leaflets.

"Oh my beautiful girls"

She greets us, kissing and hugging us both.

"Congratulations my darling."

She gushes over me.

"Thank you."

I smile kindly at her

"Now we need to go over a few things, that's crucial in the first trimester. Let's start off figuring out in theory how far you are and we'll confirm if when I book the scan in for you."

Diane moves over to take a seat on the sofa infront of the coffee table, moving papers about.

"Shouldn't we wait for Wade ?"

I enquire, hoping that if she knows maybe she would have convinced him to come home.

"Ava, this baby won't wait for Wade, he could be back tomorrow or in a years time."

My jaw drops.

"You mean the next time I see him, I could possibly be here with a baby ?"

I look at Penny in panic.

"He'll come home Ava, and I'll be here every step until he does, I promise."

Penny walks over to me placing her arm around me walking us over to her mum.

We sit down and go over some information family history, medication check and we start to calculate my estimated due date.

"Last period Ava ?"

Diane enquires.

" March 1st."

Diane uses a wheel to calculate.

"Any idea on window of conception."

"Uh about a 3 week window."

I respond feeling uncomfortable talking to my mother-in-Law about this.

"What about the pill, mum ?"

Penny interjects.

"What pill?"

I retort, confused.

"The contraceptive pill, I put in the Ann Summers bag for you."

Penny looks at me stupid.

"I have no idea where that bag went too. I thought it was just lingerie inside."

I explain.

"Well that rules, that out."

Diane adds.

"Going off everything, I'd say your about 10 weeks and your due date is around December 6th. I'll get on the paper work filled out and have your 12 week scan booked for about 2 weeks time ! How exciting!"

Diane claps her hands and stands, gathers her papers ready to leave.

She kisses us goodbye and thanks me for gifting her a grandchild. I can't help but smile and rest a hand on my lower abdomen.

10 weeks.