VIRAGO. glenn rhee

13. lori's deep secret.

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ACT ONE
(lori's deep secret)

IT HAD been thirteen minutes of silence. Thirteen minutes ago Glenn had told his friend about Lori's pregnancy.

While the man had tried to get her to talk, when she continued awkwardly staring at the floor he knew nothing would work.

That's why he patiently sat on the floor of her tent, staring at her in worry as he waited.

Thankfully when she cleared her throat, he sat up a little straighter. "How'd you find out?"

"Well—Uh—I had to go to the barn.."

"What for?"

"Just to—Hang out with Maggie.."

"She knew, right?" Veroníca asked, furrowing her brows as she watched Glenn nervously scratch his neck.

"Yeah—Uh—I think?" He paused for a moment, nudging her with his elbow as he smiled a little. "I mean, I didn't have time to ask, you know.. Walkers were like—right there."

Veroníca laughed a little at his attempt to ease her worry, her laugh dropping as she dramatically sighed. "And Lori, I mean, come on—I'm like her certified bestfriend—I think—And I wasn't the first to hear about it."

"If it makes you feel better, I don't think I was her first choice either."

"Well.." Veroníca took a deep breath, smiling at her friend. "You'd be mine, if I ever got pregnant i'd tell you first—Maybe.. I don't know, you did run to tell me the first chance you got."

Veroníca laughed as Glenn's mouth dropped open in shock. Eventually as the woman's laughing died down. Glenn spoke again. "What are we suppose to do?"

"We should tell Rick."

"No!—no.. It's just—Maggie will be really mad."

"Glenn. I understand you guys have.. a thing.. But, if they get out, we're all dead." Veroníca spoke calmly, smiling sadly at her friend. "Would it be easier if I told him?"

"I'll do it.. Just give me some time."

"Of course, If you change your mind let me know." At her words, Glenn nodded, smiling as she continued. "After all, i'd love to be the bearer of bad news!"

"Thank you, Ronnie."

"Not a problem." Veroníca then saluted the man, yawning before continuing. "Good talk, but I think it's way past time for me to be sleeping."

Glenn lightly laughed as he nodded, making his way out of the tent with a worried smile.

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   Veroníca groaned as she missed the target once more. The woman then dropped her hand to her side, sighing as her brother stepped a little closer to her. "You okay?"

"Yeah—yeah.." She paused, sighing once more as he raised his eyebrows. "Just a lot on my mind."

Aiden nodded, humming as he glanced behind the pair, checking for listening ears. "Fill me in when we get back to camp?"

"Definitely." Veroníca nodded, raising her gun again just as T-dog came up behind her.

"Are you purposely missing the target?" The man asked, a smile on his face.

At his question, Veroníca stuck a middle finger up at her friend as she lowered her gun again. "Making fun of someone with a gun is not a smart move, el tonto."

"C'mon, that's not really a threat, when you can't aim for shit." T-dog joked, earning a glare from his friend as he walked away. Laughing as he did so.

The woman then continued shooting, groaning once more as she missed again. "Hey, Vee, you ok?" Lori asked, patting her friends back.

"Yes, why does everyone keep asking me that?" Veroníca snapped, turning her head to look at Lori. "I mean—are you okay?" The woman paused, subtly glancing at her friend's stomach. "You'd tell me if something was bothering you, right?"

"Mhm.. Of course." Lori said, smiling which earned a smile back.

"Terrific."

"Great." Lori responded, a little confused as she made her way back over to her son.

As she did so, Veroníca turned to her brother, who was already staring at her with a curious look. As she made eye contact with the man she immediately started whispering to him. "Can you believe her? I mean, I thought we we're friends.."

"You aren't friends?" Aiden asked, still confused by the entire interaction. As his head tilted, Veroníca groaned as she crossed her arms over her chest.

She didn't say anything, instead she starting walking away from the shooting area. Knowing that if she explained, she would accidentally mention her friend's pregnancy.

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Veroníca picked at the meat on her plate, eating bits and pieces before pouring the leftovers onto Rory's plate with a smile. "You're not hungry?" The boy asked, smiling up at his mother.

She placed a quick kiss on his forehead before replying. "I guess not.. I actually have to talk to Lori about something." She said, earning a nod from the boy.

As she stood up, she watched as Lori walked away, covering her nose with her hair.

This made the woman speed up, catching up with her friend before pulling her into a nearby tent. "Veroníca?!"

"Lori."

"Are you okay?" She asked again, rubbing her friend's shoulder with a confused face.

"Yeah.. Uh—Well.. I know you're pregnant." Veroníca said, squeezing her eyes closed to avoid seeing Lori's reaction.

Lori's mouth dropped for a moment, she then closed it before replying. "Glenn told you?"

"He did.. Don't be mad at him, he was just.. Uh—he's not good at gossip." Veroníca said, peeking one eye open before reluctantly opening the other. "Not that this is gossip.. Because it's real.. Like that's a real little thing in there." She said, pointing at her friend's stomach.

Lori then pushed her hand down, glancing around before replying. "I haven't told Rick.. I—I can't."

"Oh.. That's okay.. Do you want me to tell him? Will that be easier?" She asked, holding onto her friend's hands with a sad smile.

"No. No, I need to be the one to.. I just.. I don't know what to do with it."

"What do you mean?" Veroníca asked, staring at her friend with a tilted head.

"I can't raise a child in this world." Lori said after a long pause. "You know what it's like.. Raising a baby.. It's harder when it's the end of the world, Veroníca. How is a baby suppose to be happy in this?"

"Rory's happy.."

"Not really happy. Not the way kids are suppose to be happy. We may have good moments, but at the end of the day, we're all still just waiting for our death. I mean—Why should a baby be born into constant fear? Constant hunger?"

At this, Veroníca frowned, pulling Lori in for a hug as she rubbed her back. "I can't give you an answer, but I can give you my full support. Whether you decide to keep it or not, that's your choice, okay? I won't convince you to keep it, or get rid of it. That's up to you."

Veroníca then pulled away from the hug, still holding onto her friend's shoulder's as Lori's tear-filled eyes stared at her in gratefulness. "Thank you, Veroníca."

"Anytime, Lori.. And hey! If you do decide to keep it, I can always be it's Godmother." Veroníca joked, making her friend lightly laugh.

"You wish."

"I do." Veroníca agreed, smiling as she followed Lori out of the tent.

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