Bad Company

Chapter 25: Happy Birthday

The apartment smelled like a mix of lemon Mr. Clean and Pinesol / homemade lasagna. My mind has been racing ever since I found out that I was pregnant. Two weeks have already gone by since I found out I was pregnant over at Christy's house. It was getting harder and harder to keep this from Billy, I even felt like he was starting to sense something was wrong. But luckily for me, Bones has been keeping Billy pretty busy so I didn't really get to spend too much time with Billy as I've pretty much been asleep whenever he's come home. Now, he's finally not "working" for Bones tonight so of course me being me, I'm nervous and trying to think of how to tell Billy or if I should even tell him in the first place. Whenever I get stressed out, I clean. Everything.

The curtains were wide open, allowing sunlight to shine through the freshly washed windows. My music was cranked, I was in a t-shirt of Billy's that I tied in the back and a pair of black short shorts, yellow cleaning gloves on and I was busy cleaning every surface I could find.

Of course I wanted to tell Billy, I mean... after all, this is his child too. But, given how he reacted the first time we ever had sex at his apartment when I brought up not being on the pill, I don't know if this is a good idea to tell him. He can't really tell me what to do anyway as I'm keeping the baby, obviously... but... what if he does? is he like that? surely he wouldn't tell me to do that... would he? Well... of course he would, it's Billy.

"Yo! Amber! You in here?" Joe called as he walked into the apartment and took his shoes off. "Holy shit, it smells... clean in here."

"I'm cleaning." I replied in a bland tone, walking by with a spray bottle of cleaner in my hand and a sponge in the other.

"I see that. What's that other smell?" Joe asked sniffing the air around him.

"I'm making dinner." I replied dully again with a shrug.

Joe nodded and casually walked over to the couch, "Where's my brother?" He asked, plopping down on the couch.

I shut the door behind Joe, annoyed that he hadn't done so, "I don't know. But he's suppose to be here soon."

Joe stood back up from the couch and squinted his eyes as he dug into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out his pack of cigarettes. I made my way over to the oven where I checked the lasagna while Joe placed a cigarette between his lips and lit it, "You tell Billy yet?"

I scoffed before stomping over to Joe, "No I haven't and can you not smoke in here?! I just cleaned this whole fucking apartment. Go smoke on the balcony!" I scolded, shoving Joe roughly in the shoulder.

Joe smirked and blew smoke in my direction making me cough up a storm, "See! that's why you need to tell Billy, Miss. Amber." Joe lectured, pointing a finger at me.

"Just go smoke outside before I shove that down your throat!" I threatened, clicking my jaw to the side.

Joe smirked but did what I asked him to do. I bit the inside of my cheek absent-mindedly as I thought about what Joe had just said. I winced as I watched Joe smoke out on the balcony, zoned out and in a trance of my own. It's been weird how Joe seems to be the only one "excited" and "happy" for me out of everyone. Christy and Megan are obviously excited but Christy is a realist... she knows this isn't going to go good once I tell Billy. Then again, she could be wrong... maybe he wants kids? Ugh, I doubt it... I'm worrying myself sick over this.

I sighed loudly as the oven timer awoke me from my thoughts. I exhaled a shaky breath, running my fingers through my hair as I made my way back into the kitchen where I traded out my cleaning gloves for oven mitts. I shot my eyes over in the direction of the balcony where Joe was coming back inside from, while I opened the oven door halfway and reached in for the lasanga dish.