Chapter
48
“Ashalyn!”
Ashalyn jumped as she felt a cold hand grab her
shoulder. She whirled around to see
Serena standing there. “Jeez, Rena, you
scared the crap out of me!” she cried.
“Sorry,” Serena apologized.
“But I need you to help me with something.”
“Sure, what?” Ashalyn asked.
“Come with me,” Serena said, pulling Ashalyn towards their
hotel room. She led Ashalyn into the
bathroom. She unzipped her small makeup
bag, which was lying on the counter, and pulled out a box. Looking down, she handed it to Ashalyn.
Reading the label on the front of the box, Ashalyn gasped
and looked at Serena in shock. It was a
home pregnancy kit.
“Rena?” she asked.
“You… you’re…”
“I don’t know,” Serena said, looking up at Ashalyn. “But I think I might be. I missed my period this month, and I’ve been
feeling sick the past few days, and…”
She trailed off, looking guilty.
“I need to find out,” she said finally.
Ashalyn nodded.
“Okay,” she said. “Let’s do
this.”
***
Serena paced the bathroom, staring down at the tiled floor,
waiting for the results of the pregnancy test.
Ashalyn perched on the edge of the counter, holding the
indicator in her hand. “Uh… Rena,” she
said suddenly.
“Yeah? What does it
say?” Serena demanded, rushing over to her friend.
Ashalyn said nothing, just showed Serena the
indicator. There was a little plus sign
on it.
“Oh my God,” Serena whispered. “That means…”
“You’re pregnant,” Ashalyn finished, smiling cautiously at
Serena. “Congratulations.”
“Oh no,” Serena moaned, burying her face in her hands.
“Rena?” Ashalyn asked, gently laying a hand on Serena’s
back.
“What am I going to do?” Serena asked miserably. “How will I tell Howie?”
“You don’t think he’ll be happy about it?” Ashalyn asked.
“We’re not married or anything,” Serena moaned. “What will everyone else say?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Ashalyn said. “I’m sure Howie will be happy. He’s gonna be a father, Serena. And you’re going to be a mother.”
Serena shook her head.
“I can’t have a baby now,” she cried.
“I don’t want a baby now.
How could we let this happen?”
Ashalyn said nothing.
“Rena, you need to have a talk with Howie about this. Now.
You can’t let it wait.”
“Now?” Serena asked.
“Yes,” Ashalyn said with a nod. “Now.”
***
“Hey, babe,” Howie said, smiling as he let Serena into his
hotel room.
“Hey,” Serena said lifelessly. Howie studied her and saw the worry in her
eyes.
“Oh God, has something happened to El-“ he started to ask
in fear.
“Oh, no! Nothing
like that,” Serena quickly said. “It’s…
something else.”
“What?” Howie asked.
“What happened?”
“Howie,” Serena started.
Suddenly, she grabbed his hand and led him to one of the beds. They sat together, and Serena started
again. “Howie… I’m pregnant,” she
blurted finally.
“Pregnant? You mean,
you… I… I’m the father?” Howie stuttered.
Serena nodded. “I’m
so sorry,” she whispered tearfully.
“Sorry? What for,
honey? This is great news!” Howie
exclaimed, a wide smile crossing his face.
“I’m gonna be a daddy!”
Serena stared at him in shock. He was happy about this news? “But, Howie-”
“But what? Aren’t
you happy about it?” Howie asked.
“Well… of course I am,” Serena replied, with forced
enthusiasm. “We’re going to have a
baby.”
Seeing Howie so excited about the news made Serena feel
better. But in a way, it made her feel
worse, for she wasn’t at all happy about the news, and Howie was thrilled. What were they going to do?
***
“Guys, there’s something Rena and I have to tell you,”
Howie said, trying hard to keep himself from grinning like an idiot.
It was later that day, and the whole gang was crowded in
Elyssa’s hospital room, for the “big announcement” Howie and Serena had. Ashalyn was the only one who already knew
it, and she sat watching Serena and Howie and feeling bad, for she saw how
excited Howie was and knew Serena was not.
The others all stared at Howie and Serena, waiting in suspense
for him to go on. Taking Serena’s hand
gently in his, Howie said, “Rena’s going to have a baby.”
A murmur went through the group, as they all looked at the
couple in shock.
“Congratulations,” AJ was the first one to say. “That’s awesome.”
“Thanks, J,” Howie said, grinning at his best friend.
The others echoed their congratulations and good
wishes. All the while, Serena sat
there, nodding and smiling fake smiles, pretending as if she were just as happy
about this as Howie was. But deep down,
she was not.
***
