Page 85 of Arranged Silverfox
Olivia opened the door before I could bother to knock.
“There you are,” she ushered me inside and kicked aside some of Joey’s shoes, leaving space for me in her foyer. Olivia’s house was cluttered in a charming way that suggested people actually lived there. The foyer was crammed with coats and shoes. A bucket by the door held a few umbrellas. I spotted Joey’s frog-shaped one. I took my shoes off and walked into the living room, where Becca sat on the couch, checking her phone.
“Did you find everything alright?” Becca asked.
I set the bag on the couch, and the boxes jostled. “I think so,” I said. I handed Becca the bottle of water and one of the packages of peanut butter cups.
“Thanks,” she said.
“So, I just take one? Or maybe two in case one is faulty?” she asked.
“Um,” I froze. I was so focused on getting out of the pharmacy and getting to Becca that I never considered what would come next. Olivia saw us exchanging confused glances and started digging through the bag.
“Sebastian, what the hell?! She exclaimed. She grabbed a couple of boxes and looked at the label. “This is a test to see when someone’s ovulating, and this one is soothing itch relief powder for a yeast infection. Did you even look at the label when you were there, or did you just blindfold yourself with your tie and hope for the best?” Olivia sneered.
“I dunno! I grabbed a bunch and panicked,” I grumbled.
“Sebastian! You had one job!” Olivia said, clearly exasperated.
She rummaged around until she finally found what she needed. “Okay, at least you grabbed,”—she yanked a pregnancy test out of the bag, followed by another— “these.” She handed them to Becca. “Go ahead and take these. The bathroom is down the hall to the left. When you’re done, set them on the counter and come out here, there’s no use in watching it. I’ll set a timer for ten minutes,” Olivia explained. Becca’s eyes widened as she grabbed each test and walked down the hall.
“Wait.” I caught Becca’s wrist in my hand, “Do you want me to come with you?” I asked.
Becca smiled. “No. It’s okay. I’ll be out soon enough.”
Becca shut the bathroom door behind her, and I turned to Olivia.
“You look like you’re about to pass out,” Olivia observed.
“I-I don’t know how I feel,” I admitted.
Olivia placed her hand on my shoulder. “That’s okay. When I found out I was pregnant with Joey, I felt almost every emotion all at once, and they all sort of blended together until I felt numb. Becoming a parent is a huge change. It takes time to wrap your head around it,” Olivia consoled.
“Thanks. And thanks for letting us hide out here for a bit,” I said.
“Any time. The last thing I would want is either of you being hounded by a chorus of society harpies.”
Becca emerged from the bathroom and sat on the couch next to me. I flung my arm over the back of the couch, and Becca leaned against my chest. She yawned.
“How are you feeling?”
“A little better. At least we’ll know.” She grabbed the water bottle off the coffee table and took a sip.
“Do you still have those peanut butter cups?” She asked.
I grinned and grabbed the package out of the bag. She tore it open and peeled the wrapper off a peanut butter cup before taking a bite.
“I have never been hungrier in my entire life,” Becca noted.
Olivia nodded sagely. “That’s how I was during my pregnancy with Joey. Your body’s working overtime.”
“Speaking of, are you going to cut your shifts down at all if you are pregnant?” I asked.
Becca shrugged. “I’d like to work as long as possible, but we’ll see. I am exhausted.” She turned to Olivia. “Does that go away?” For the first time all night, I heard a hint of anxiety in her voice.
“Yeah. In my experience, I got my energy back after the first trimester. But no matter what, you’ll be okay. Just listen to what your body needs. Speaking of, I’ll see if I still have some prenatal vitamins around here.”
Becca looked up at Olivia with her eyes full of admiration. “Thank you so much, for everything.”