Page 46 of Rhett Redeemed
“Do you think he liked me because I look like you?” I blurt out, asking the question that has been nagging me since I first found out who he was.
Her eyes widen, and she tilts her head, considering my words. “I honestly don’t think that would be why. You’re a gorgeous girl, Con, and we do have a few similarities, but it’s not like we’re twins. You are your own person, and I don’t blame him for liking you. You’re beautiful, and down-to-earth, and honest. And I don’t want to stand in the way of you and him.”
“Cara, I could never be with him knowing that he was your first love. It would be even more awkward, and even though you are saying it’s okay, deep down I would always wonder if it was. I don’t know, the whole thing doesn’t sit right with me.”
She puts her plate of cheesecake down and turns to face me, grabbing my hands in hers. “Con. I have moved on. Rhett and I will never be anything more than friends who used to date. I’ve made peace with that and he has, too.”
That’s news to me. “You don’t know that. He’ll always love you...”
“Yes, and I’ll always love him. But we realized we haven’t been in love in a long time.”
“Have you two talked?”
She nods. “And I take it you two haven’t, really.”
I shake my head no. We have talked, but not about Cara. Not really.
“I think you should. There is a lot he should tell you and I’ll let him do that on his own time. Once you do, you can decide if you want to be with him. And if you do, then be with him. I shouldn’t be a part of whether you two date or not. I don’t want that on me,” she says quietly. “Just think about that. And you can always be honest with me about anything.”
I nod. “Thank you for bringing it up. I feel better talking about it and not just pretending that nothing happened.”
Because boy, did it happen.
“Me too,” she agrees.
“Rhett and I decided to just be friends,” I let her know. Even though we slept together. That was just a onetime setback, right?
She seems to find that amusing. “Okay, let me know how that goes.”
We finish the movie and then she heads home, telling me to call her if I need anything. When she leaves I find myself in the bathroom, feeling nauseous. I must be getting a tummy bug, and I just hope I didn’t give it to Cara, too.
When I wake up the next morning I’m still not feeling great, so I call in sick at work and spend the day in bed, eating crackers and drinking ginger ale. I’m feeling much better by the afternoon, so I get some cleaning done around the house.
The next morning, I feel nauseous again, and a terrifying thought enters my mind. I get in my car and drive to the pharmacy to pick up a pregnancy test. I’ve been feeling nauseous every morning for three days now, and it’s not going away. I couldn’t be pregnant, though, could I? I realize that my period is a little late, but it’s not unusual for me to go a few days over. I decide to take the test just so I can relax instead of overthinking.
When I get home, I sit down on the toilet and pee on the stick. I place it on the sink while I wash my hands and then pace around the bathroom.
I’m overwhelmed right now. I don’t think I’ve ever been this scared in my life. I haven’t slept with anyone except Rhett in the last few months, so if I’m pregnant, the child is his.
Nothing like a pregnancy scare with a man you don’t think you can be with to really throw a wrench in the works.
“Please don’t be pregnant,” I whisper to myself, squeezing my eyes shut and taking a few deep breaths.
Please.
This is not what I need right now, and it would be the worst timing in the world.
Please.
After a few moments I finally force myself to look down at it.
Two little blue lines.
Happiness for others, devastation for me.
Under any other circumstance this moment would probably be happiness for me, too. If I were pregnant by any other man, this probably would have been a shock, but I would have adapted and been happy.
I don’t know how I’m going to adjust to having my sister’s ex-boyfriend’s firstborn child.