Lori and I both stay pretty quiet all the way home, because there isn't much to say. It's shocking, and that's about all.
I'm not prepared to have one baby let alone two, but I guess I don't have a choice. I'm going to have two babies in about six and a half months.... The thought is just truly terrifying to me.
"It's gonna be just fine, Stevie." Lori finally speaks up the moment we walk into the foyer of my home.
No else is around- Bridgets car is gone and I'm thankful for that. I don't want her lingering around, listening to drama that I'm not ready to spill.
"Do I have to tell Lindsey?" I wish I could go through this all alone, but somewhere deep down- I know I can't.
I've never been a single mother, and I wouldn't even know where to begin with twins. It's not that I need some serious relationship, because I don't. I don't even want one, but I do need some help and it would be great if it was the father. I know it sounds weird, but I'm so conflicted and confused.
"You have to tell him, yes." She nods her head as she leads me into the kitchen. "Why don't you just relax for a second and I'll make you some tea." She pulls a chair out for me, moving towards the stove before I sit down.
"He's going to think I'm crazy." I know he is- any man would.
He's probably going to flip out, and I wouldn't even be upset, because I want to flip out, too. I want to scream at the top of my lungs, because this isn't fair. I thought I was going through menopause, but no- I can't get that lucky.
Why would I be allowed to do anything spontaneous one time without serious consequences? It would be unheard of.
I can hear her sigh as she puts the kettle on the stove. "This isn't your fault and you can't beat yourself up over it." She doesn't understand. She can go home and escape this. "It takes two people to create a child... or children, so he's to blame as well." She lets her hands hit her thighs with a thud, almost like she's feeling defeated.
"I don't even know how to get ahold of him." That's true- I know his name is Lindsey and that's about it.
"Yes, you do." She nods, a small smile on her face. "You know where Mark and Adam work... He's their boss, so therefore- he works there as well." She always thinks of everything... I thought I could seriously fool her, but I was wrong.
"I can't just show up there, because then I'd really look insane." I protest, shocked that she would even encourage something so dangerous.
I don't want to see Mark- I have already had to see him once this year and that's enough.
"You are insane, Stevie." She has a point... I do feel pretty out of it and I probably act the same way. "And you can't just keep it from him. He might be a really great guy and even better dad."
I can't help but roll my eyes. "I'm sure he's already a great dad to a couple wonderful adults." I smirk, only because sometimes I just crack myself up. "And he's probably someone's really devoted husband as well..." I linger.
"Tomorrow morning, Stevie." Her hand falls on her hip and I realize that she didn't think my joke was all that great. "This isn't just one child we're talking about, it's two and he needs to know what he did." Suddenly she's back to being that brutally honest, not so sweet Lori I know and love. "It has to happen soon, which is why I think tomorrow would be best."
"You're right," I know she is, even if I don't want to tell him. "Maybe I just want these babies for myself?" I don't necessarily know if that's the truth either, but it sounded good.
"You don't, Stevie."
______
L:
"Good morning." Kim gives me a smile as I flow through the office.
"Good morning," I wave lightly, kind of in hurry before my morning meeting.
"Oh, wait." She stands up quickly, holding out her hand to stop me. "You have someone waiting to see in the lobby." She gives me this funny look, and I almost shrug.
"Tell them I'm in a bit of a rush, okay?" I have literally seven minutes to get upstairs, not much time for chit-chat.
"It's urgent," Her eyes grow wide, really wide which is scary.
"Send them in, Kim." I chuckle, shaking my head as I put one foot in front of the other.
Getting into my office, I toss my things onto the desk and it's literally a split second later when I hear the click of the door closing. Turning around, I'm left stunned... really stunned.
"Hi," she's standing not far from the door, wearing a white silk blouse, a pair of slightly ripped blue jeans while her hair lay in curls a little less tight compared to the night of the wedding.
But she's still gorgeous, nonetheless.
"Hey...what's up?" I don't know why, but I'm a little worried.
She seemed totally normal a couple of months ago...
"You're going to think this is crazy and that's okay, really." She moves further into the room, but she goes slow, almost like she's nervous.
I just look at her, totally quiet to let her go on. I don't know what to say, because this is almost a dreadful sort of moment.
"I'm pregnant," she sighs, tears so obviously threatening to fall. "And before you ask- yes, you're the father. You have to be the father." She shrugs lightly, and I can tell that she's more embarrassed than anything.
I bite down on my tongue, head actually throbbing at the thought of this.
This is a perfect example of karma.
"There's more..." Her words scare me, because what could be more than that? "I'm having twins." And that's not what I was expecting... not at all.