“Maybe your mom will take Marley to the park one afternoon so you can squeeze in a quick nap?” Bianca wondered.
“I wish. My mom books it out the door as soon as I get back,” Jeanie said with anger.
“If you ever need an extra set of hands…” Bianca started.
Jeanie waved her off, “It’s alright I’m used to it. But I’ll keep you in mind if I need an extra babysitter.” She smiled at Bianca tiredly.
Bianca walked Jeanie to her car and told her to text when she got home. With a sigh Bianca flopped into her car. She was exhausted as well. Trying not to make more of being tired than just working too hard and night classes, Bianca drove home. Her mind wandered to Alex again. The look on his face the last time she saw him was imprinted in her mind. He was upset, possibly angry, about something. But what? Was he angry at Bianca? No, that couldn’t be right; they hadn’t even fought before he left. Bianca pulled into her garage and cut the engine. She snagged her bags from the passenger seat and walked slow
ly into the house. There was no rush to get home to an empty house. That never bothered her before. Before Alex. Now the house seemed so empty and the company of her cat didn’t cut it. She longed for Alex to return and hold her. She missed having conversations while they ate dinner, or snuggling while they watched a movie on her couch. After only a few weeks, Alex was a big part of her life. The thought scared her a bit, the worry, or whatever it was, etched on his face as he left made her fear for their relationship. Running a hand through her hair, Bianca slinked up the stairs to her room. She had no appetite this evening and just wanted a hot shower and a warm bed.
After her shower, Bianca dressed in one of Alex’s t-shirts that he left in her closet. She pulled the collar up to her nose and sniffed. It still smelled like his cologne and natural scent. The smell made Bianca feel safe and cozy and she climbed into bed, pulling the comforter up to her chin. As she drifted off she remembered she was supposed to take the pregnancy test tonight. That would have to wait until morning.
*****
Bianca woke up with a start, the shrill ring of her phone filling the room. Looking around she realized it was still dark. Who was calling her so late? Suddenly worried about friends and family, Bianca snatched her phone from the night stand. It was Alex.
“Alex? Are you alright?” She answered; suddenly worried he was in some sort of trouble in Chicago.
“Bianca, slow down.” Alex said in a voice full of sleep. “I just wanted to hear your voice.”
Bianca relaxed back against the pillows, cradling the phone against her ear. “You scared me. It’s late,” She said.
“I know, it’s after three. I missed you and needed to hear your voice.” Alex said, something in his voice sounded defeated. Bianca suddenly worried about his health.
“You’re working too hard, Alex. Please come home. We’ll figure this business thing out together,” Bianca pleaded with him.
Alex took a moment to respond, “I can’t. I have another meeting tomorrow with a possible investor. I need this to work out. For us.” He added with a whisper.
Bianca frowned; he was working so hard because of her? Was that why he looked so angry the last time she saw him? Fearing he would resent her and their future child, Bianca questioned if she should go on with this plan. She knew Alex would be happier reenlisting in the Air Force, but he was trying to build a civilian career for her and to support the child they were trying to have. It was all too much for him and was wearing him down.
“Bianca? Are you still there?” Alex asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
“I’m sorry, Alex. I think I was dozing off,” she lied, unwilling to share her concerns at this time.
“I’ll let you get some sleep. I miss you. I’ll be home tomorrow evening.”
They said their goodbyes and Bianca hung up. One last glance at her bedside clock and she realized it was just after three a.m. Bianca was suddenly wide awake and after a half hour of tossing and turning she decided to get up and get ready for work. Friday’s were a welcome relief but starting it so early would come back to bite her around one-thirty this afternoon. Sighing, Bianca tossed the comforter back and climbed from bed. She needed a hot shower and some coffee, which would wake her right up. Stumbling sleepily into the bathroom Bianca spotted the pregnancy test she abandoned on the vanity before her shower last night. She shook her head, not wanting to deal with the disappointment of a negative test on top of the idea that Alex was working himself to death for her. Picking up the test and tossing it back into the vanity cabinet, Bianca started the shower. She stood under the hot spray for a long time, letting the water rinse away her negative thoughts. A little voice in the back of her mind told her to let Alex go, he would be happier without her and her baggage. She didn’t like that voice and wanted to smack it, but she knew it was probably right. Feeling the water begin to turn cold, Bianca switched it off and stepped out. Since she was awake so early she decided to throw on a t-shirt and sweats and slip downstairs for some coffee and a bagel.
The idea of breakfast had Bianca’s stomach in knots. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. Not wanting to kid herself into believing she was actually pregnant, Bianca chocked it up to anxiety about Alex. She forced her bagel and coffee down, ignoring the unsettling churning that her stomach was doing while she dressed for work. Fighting down nausea, she brushed her teeth. The second the toothbrush hit her tongue she gagged, barely making it to the toilet before she vomited. The second attempt left her dry heaving over the toilet for fifteen minutes. Something was definitely off. Glancing at the clock Bianca noticed she still had an hour before she had to go into work. The pregnancy test popped into her mind again. She should just do it and get it over with. At least then she would know if she had a virus and couldn’t go to work. The reasoning made sense, especially since she didn’t want to expose all of her students to a stomach bug.
Finally managing to get her teeth brushed, Bianca yanked open the vanity cabinet and retrieved the wayward pregnancy test. She looked at it with trepidation, as if it would jump up and bite her on the face. With a sigh of resignation, Bianca tore it open and retrieved the stick. The directions were pretty straight forward; two lines for pregnant, one for not pregnant. Positioning herself over the toilet, Bianca took the test, capped it and placed it on the counter. Now came the waiting. Three minutes would let her know if she was going to be a mother. Bianca set a timer on her phone and finished getting ready for work, resisting the urge to peak in the bathroom at the test. Her timer went off and she jumped, her nerves were shot this morning. Bianca walked back into the bathroom slowly, afraid she wouldn’t like what she saw. Squeezing her eyes shut, she retrieved the test from the counter and forced her eyes to open. She gasped. There were two lines. Bianca was pregnant.
*****
Alex ran a hand over his face, the slight stubble on his cheeks rasping against his rough palm. He was nervous. Alex didn’t get nervous often but his whole future was riding on this meeting and he didn’t want to fuck it up.
“Mr. Johansen,” the petite blonde receptionist came through the double glass doors in front of where Alex waited in the waiting room and looked at him expectantly.
“Yes?” Alex answered, standing.
“Mr. Abramson will see you now,” she replied curtly, turning on her heel and heading back towards the doors at a fast clip.
Alex hurried after her, not sure why she was in such a hurry. Maybe it was almost her lunch break. He followed the woman down a long corridor, past several offices and into another set of double doors at the end of the hall. Inside of the room was a large conference table around which sat three men, one of them Mr. Albert Abramson. The other two men weren’t familiar to Alex. They were possibly fellow investors but Alex wouldn’t know unless he actually grew a pair and walked into the damn room. Alex met Albert Abramson through a fellow Air Force pilot. He was the uncle of one of his captains to be specific. His captain referred him to Mr. Abramson when Alex approached him about going into business with him. Albert Abramson was the CEO of a successful real estate developing company. He also was a shareholder in several large businesses, businesses he helped get off of the ground. Alex hoped his business would be another one of those companies.
“Alex,” Mr. Abramson stood, extending his hand, “I’ve heard so much about you from Jimmy.”
Alex nodded and shook Mr. Abramson’s hand firmly. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Mr. Abramson,” he said, moving to the opposite side of the table from where the men sat and took a chair across from them.