The Day Has Come (Counting on Hockey #4)

Chapter 26: Test

Today is Cole's and my first day off from working at Xcel in three weeks. We've either had practice, or a game, or we had our circus trip for the season. We won six out of eight of them, losing against the Sharks and the Stars.

Not setting an alarm last night for this morning felt so good. Cole and I both slept until about 10:00, then started our day slowly. I need to go to the grocery store, the book store, the drug store, and the Farmer's market for their first batch of fruits and vegetables for the season.

I dress in skinny jeans, a black t-shirt, a red and blue flannel, and a pair of brown knee high boots. I air dry my hair and pull it into a side braid once it's dry. Cole is in the shower now, I have a surprise for him when I get home, and I absolutely can not tell him before, whether or not this surprise is fulfilled or not.

I leave Cole a note saying that I'll be back soon and for him to start his day off however he wants, I don't really know what he has to do today. My first stop is the book store, where I need a new book, after having gone through my five others in the past three weeks on the trip. I pick out Wayne Gretzky's newest book, a fictional story about John Lennon, Bernie Sanders' new book, and the newest Harry Potter book. After having gone through the book store twice, I shove the bag of paid books into my messenger bag and head to the drug store.

I don't even think I'm ready to admit this to myself yet, but I think I might be pregnant. My last cycle was supposed to start a week ago, and I haven't even had cramps. I've been feeling nauseous, but I haven't thrown up yet. I think it was the night before we left for the circus trip, when we had thought we wouldn't have another time to be together like that for another month or so.

I pick up two pregnancy tests and pay for them quickly, putting them into my book bag so Cole can't see anything. I don't want him to see anything and get excited if I'm not really pregnant.

I make my way from the drug store to the Farmer's market in the park closest to our apartment building. After picking up strawberries, spinach, pineapple, and rhubarb, I go to my final stop of the day.

I look over my grocery list before I get out of the car, and the fact that I might be pregnant with Cole's child runs through my head a thousand times. I know I could never see having a child with someone else, but it's kind of throwing me off. I'm only 24, and both Cole and I are so busy. I can't stop and have a child. I mean, I would if I had to, but I don't know how much work I would still have to do, home or not.

My shopping trip through the grocery store takes just about an hour, having to go through each thing perfectly, making sure coupons are ready to be used, or having every single thing we need, since we don't have time to stop at any point if I forget to buy something.

After an hour of shopping, I put all of the groceries into the trunk of the car and sit in the driver seat of my car. I decide to call Cara, knowing she will know what to do about my predicament.

"Hello", Cara answers the phone.

"Hey Cara. I was wondering if I could tell you something", I say into the car Bluetooth speaker.

"Of course. Is everything okay?"

"Cara, I think I might be pregnant?" I spit out. "I don't know what to do".

"What does the test say? It's either yes, you are pregnant, or no, you're not pregnant".

"I haven't taken the test yet", I reply. "But, my period is a week late and I've been feeling nauseous the past week. I would be a month pregnant if I was".

"Then take a test", Cara laughs lightly. "You can't be freaking out if you don't know yet. You shouldn't be freaking out anyway. If you are pregnant, then you're pregnant. There's nothing you can do about it, except be the greatest mother you can be. We've talked about this, and you're ready. You can't be afraid that Cole doesn't want children, because you know he does. He wants a little girl who he can spoil beyond belief. You've known that for years. Take that test and call me when you know the results, no matter what. I have to go deal with a dirty diaper. Bye, Love".

"Bye Cara". She hangs up the phone.

I drive home slowly, through the busy city streets of Saint Paul, into my apartment building's private garage, and carry the bags of groceries to the elevator. I set them all down on the floor and wait for the elevator to bring me to my floor. When it does, I grab everything once again and go down the hallway. I kick the door as my sign for Cole to open the door. He does and helps me with the groceries in the kitchen.

I see Cole is watching some rerun of a game, and he goes back to it after helping put away the groceries and giving me a kiss. I find this a perfect opportunity to take the tests in the bathroom.

After taking both of them, I pace around my bedroom for five minutes to wait for the result. My phone timer goes off and I rush into the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet lid, I look down at both of the tests. One in each hand.

"Cole", I yell. I wait. "Cole".

"What, Sweets?" Cole says frantically from the bathroom doorway. He looks down at what's in my hands.

"I'm pregnant".