Avi Kaplan: A Collection of Short Stories

Pink or Blue

You keep forgetting to blink.

Because blinking meant it was real and maybe if you didn't blink and continue to stare, it would disappear and everything would go back to normal. Or maybe this was all a fluke and the tests were wrong. Kind of like how condoms were only 98% effective, maybe pregnancy tests were only right 98% of the time.

Maybe you peed on it wrong.

Blowing out a sigh, you look towards the door. Avi would be home soon and then you would have to tell him. Or, you could tell him nothing and pray he doesn't notice you turning into a beached whale.

You'd been married for little over a year and you love him more than fuzzy blankets on a rainy day (which was a lot), but you didn't know if you were ready for babies. Sure, you'd discussed the idea of children with Avi always teasing any babies you'd have would come out covered in hair. You'd swat him playfully and he'd stick his tongue out at you and that would be the end of the conversation.

Hearing the front door open, you step out of the bathroom and catch Avi as he's draping his jacket over the back of the chair. Quietly, you walk up behind him and slide your arms around his waist, kissing the spot between his shoulder blades.

"Hmm, hello," he hums, turning to face you.

"Hi," you smile.

"I'm going to grab a quick shower and then we'll make dinner," he says, leaning down to give you a quick kiss.

Avi reluctantly unwraps your arms from around his waist and walks towards the bathroom. You bite your lip nervously, knowing what he's going to find sitting on the counter. Once you hear him call your name from the bathroom, you know it's game over. Running a hand down your face, you mentally prepare yourself.

"Uh, babe? Could you come here a minute?" his voice calls out to you and you're not sure if you're imagining the slight panic in his tone.

Entering the bathroom, you lean against the door frame, your eyes slowly passing over Avi holding one of the pregnancy tests. You almost start laughing at the lost, panicked look on his face.

"What's this?" he asks, his voice soft.

"Uh...my pee on a stick?"

Avi screws up his face is disgust and sets the pregnancy test back down on the counter. "That's...gross."

You move from the door and hop up on the counter. "If you think that's gross, I have no idea how you're going to handle a diaper full of poop."

Avi comes to stand between your legs, but he continues to stare down at the two tiny sticks sitting next to your hand. He looks up at you and whispers, "Those say you're pregnant."

You cup his cheek and smile. "They do."

Tears line Avi's eyes and he leans in to kiss your forehead. You close your eyes at his touch and sigh. "I'm...I'm going to be a dad," he breathes against your skin.

Nodding, you wrap your arms around his shoulders, your fingers brushing his hair and your own tears start to fall. "We're going to have a baby."

"I know," he murmurs into your hair.

Wiping your eyes, you pull back to look at him. "So, how long before we let Scott and Mitch know?"

Laughing, Avi answers, "Never."

+++

You're standing in front of the full length mirror in nothing but your bra and panties with your five-month belly sticking out. Looking up, you catch Avi's intense gaze staring back at you through the mirror and you frown. "I feel hugely unattractive right now, stop staring."