Page 86 of Beautiful Crazy
Standing up, I walk over to the counter, finding the word “pregnant” printed on the tiny digital screen, and it feels like my stomach is clear in my throat. My heartbeat is deafening inside my ears and a layer of goosebumps pop up all over my skin as I work on steadying my breathing, which only seems to be getting faster and harsher the longer I stare at the test.
I’m… pregnant.
Looking up at my sister, I find her already watching me. “Georg, I’m pregnant.”
Her eyes light up as her smile widens. “Hell yeah, you are.”
Glancing down at the test one more time, making sure I’m reading it correctly, I say, “I don’t… I can’t believe this.”
“Um, what?” My eyes lift, meeting Georgia’s, finding her looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Honey, it’s not like you and Everett have been exactly careful.” She snorts. “How many times in the last few weeks alone has that man filled you like a Twinkie?”
“Oh my god, Georgia.” I can’t help but laugh at the horrible comparison.
“I’m just saying.” She holds up her hands. “We’re all adults, and we know how babies are made. You had to have known this was going to happen.”
“I mean, yeah, but I’m getting older. I guess I thought maybe my odds were slimmer.”
“Gemma Anne,” she drawls. “You are thirty-four years old. I wouldhardlycall that getting older.” She pauses for a moment, her eyes softening. “What do you think you’re going to do?”
“Keep it,” I say without even thinking about it.
“You know that’s not your only option,” she offers. “You’re allowed to think on it and make the decision that’s best for you.”
“I know, but there’s no question. I’m keeping it.”
“Then I guess you better go tell the cream pie king.”
Barking out a laugh, I feel my shoulders relaxing, even if only marginally. Georgia has always had such a way of making people feel at ease without even realizing it. She lightens the mood so easily, and it’s probably the reason I drove here to take the test instead of going home and doing it alone.
“Please don’t ever call him that again.”
She laughs, hooking her arm around my shoulders and pulling me in for a hug. “Girl, you’re having a freaking baby,” she squeals. “That’s so fucking exciting and special. You’re making me an auntie again!”
Pressure builds behind my eyes and moisture fills them as the reality of this sets in. Even though this wasn’t planned in the slightest and I’m scared like hell to restart all over again with a baby, I can’t deny how excited this makes me.
I just hope Everett shares that excitement.
Thirty-Six
Everett
“Chocolate, vanilla, or swirl?” I ask Sutton, pulling my wallet out of my back pocket. His face is red and sweaty, hair sticking up in every which direction.
He taps his chin like he’s deep in thought. “Swirl!”
“That’s my favorite too.” Grinning at him, I say into the drive-thru speaker box, “I’ll take two swirl cones, please.”
“I can’t wait to tell Mom how many balls I hit,” he gushes from the back seat. The smile on my face is instant, as is the pride swelling in my chest.
Earlier this afternoon, I texted Gemma and asked if it would be okay if I took Sutton to the batting cages again after school. This time, I did a round too, and Sutton got to see just how rusty I am after not playing for so many years. Him, on the other hand? He’s kicking ass and taking names, and nothing beats watching his confidence go up each time we go. The season ends pretty soon, but he toldme today that he wants to try out for the team next year too.
Asked me if I’d keep practicing with him until then.
That question had me choked up in a way I didn’t anticipate.
Getting to practice with him, cheer him on, and just be there for him is such a rewarding feeling. It’s like I get to be for him what I always wanted as a kid. What I wasn’t sure I was going to get to give as an adult.
Handing one of the cones back to Sutton, I roll up the window and head back to our houses. It’s almost dinnertime, so I probably should’ve held off on the cones until after, but it sounded too good on this hot day.