Hetty and Ryan: Overcome

Surprise

Lilly dropped Hetty off at her house, wrapping her up in a final gigantic hug. She clasped her hands tightly around Hetty's.

"Follow your heart," Lilly cooed to her, exuding warmth and love. The words Hetty had spoken earlier at dinner registered in her mind - I want Ryan and I'm afraid I'm not thinking with a clear head.

One was a heart statement; the other was a brain statement. She understood what Lilly was advising her. Despite the obvious fact that Lilly had a biased desire to see her son happy, Hetty still trusted her advice. It reaffirmed what she already knew.

Hetty gave one last look towards the backseat, making sweet, meaningful eye contact with Ryan. She couldn't make out his expression, other than that he looked to be bursting.

* * *

Cooper was in bed when she arrived, his hair wet from a recent shower. He smiled at her when she walked in. Hetty couldn't help but notice how mild his smile was.

Cooper didn't look at her the way Ryan did. She wondered how she had believed herself to be so deeply in love with him, only for that love to be uprooted in merely a few weeks' time, beginning the first day she saw Ryan. It was confusing and unsettling.

Hetty didn't think it wise to have any momentous conversations when she had this much alcohol in her system. It would, however, be an excellent opportunity to pursue a curiosity.

"Hey, Cooper!" she greeted him warmly.

"Hey, babe." He seemed engrossed in the book he was reading.

Hetty hopped onto the bed near him, touching his forearm and kissing his cheek gently.

"How was your dinner? Who did you go with, again?"

"Rylee, a friend from college," she easily lied.

"Are you drunk?" he asked her, amused.

"Maybe a little. Don't worry, I got a ride."

Cooper laughed lightly, putting his arm around Hetty.

"Hey," she ventured, once again interrupting him from his book.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Is everything okay between us?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, it seems like maybe there's a... distance between us recently. Did you notice?"

"Nah," Cooper responded automatically. "Everything is good, baby. You probably just missed me when I was out of town."

His words rang eerily in the air. She had been disconnected for weeks, thinking about Ryan every second of every day despite her sincere intention to resist doing so. Hetty had expected Cooper to notice her distraction and say something about it. On the contrary, he seemed eager to convince her that everything was normal.

She got up to use the restroom. Sitting on the toilet, clasping her face in her hands as the room spun around her, Hetty suddenly realized that she had yet to have her period since starting at Walnut Grove. Well over a month ago. Six weeks, to be precise. The realization crashed down around her like a crumbling brick house, debris crushing her.

Her mind was screaming in horror. No, no, no, no, no, no!

* * *

Hetty felt queasy as she walked into the office the next morning. Based on how she felt, she imagined her face was a literal shade of green.

She made a beeline to her office and shut the door. Not more than fifteen minutes later, there was a knock. It was such an adorable knock that Hetty knew who it was before she opened it.