Yellow Dress//Bill Denbrough

E i g h t

rights 😌

There hasn't been a more breathtaking night in ages. Though there'a a chill in the air, the sky is clear and painted with a plethora of stars.

Under the royal sky is a young couple, so in love, watching the stars on a threadbare blanket.

Carn shiversin her thin nightgown, and Bill pulls her closer, pressing kisses to her temple.

They have never stargazed together before, but it's perfect. It's simple pleasures like these that are the heart of their relationship.

"I know this sounds cliché, but does it ever overwhelm you that the sky, the galaxies- the universe- is infinite? And all earthly beings are just minute little creatures. All this stress that we're going through is really nothing. I can't even wrap my head around the love I have for you, for our unborn child, for my friends and family- and all that compared to the expanse of the universe is... barely anything," Carn takes a breath after her monologue.

Bill stares at her like she grew a second head. "O-okay. Someone n-n-needs some sl-sleep."

"I'm serious, Bill!" she throws her head back in laughter. "I can get very philosophical, apparently."

"You d-do have a g-g-good puh-point, though."

"See? Thank you."

"B-but we prob-probably sh-shouldn't fall asleep o-outside, unless we-we want t-to fuh-fuh-freeze."

"I guess so."

He helps her up before folding the blanket and leading her to his bedroom.

It was a spur of the moment decision for her to spend the night. Carn's morning sickness had been worse than usual this week, and she needs something to put her at ease. Bill had heard that there was going to be a meteor shower that night (which was, unfortunately, fake news), so he invited her to stargaze in his backyard and spend the night. It was relatively easy to get Carn's mother's permission, all she had to do was ask if she could sleepover at Bev's. As for Bill- his parents couldn't care less about what he did (though they probably won't approve of him knocking his girlfriend up).

"Just so you know," Carn pipes up, climbing into Bill's bed. "I'm going to be using the bathroom a lot throughout the night."

"Th-that's okay," he chuckles, joining her.

"And another thing- I know you thought I was angry when you told Richie. But I wasn't."

"No?"

She shakes her head. "I mean... it's your child, too. You have just as much of a right to tell anyone as I do. Besides, all of our friends are going to have to find out eventually. And, as much as we're going to hate it, our parents."

"C-can you im-imagine what your mo-mother's going to s-s-say?"

"I have no clue, which scares me. We've always been super close my whole life, ever since my dad died when she was pregnant with me."

Bill sucks in a breath. He's only heard her talk about her dad once or twice.

"I'm not sure what kind of impediment this is going to put on our relationship, or if she'll be supportive and helpful, or what. What do you imagine your parents are going to say?"

He hesitates for a moment, wanting to be completely candid.

"I th-think that they're guh-going to p-p-pretend to c-care. They're g-going to yell and b-b-be a-angry, but it w-w-won't last."

"It's got to end well in some way."

"Yeah. Som-someway."

They lie there in silence for a few minutes, until Bill reaches over and turns off his lamp. Carn curls up into his side, always the small spoon. He wraps his arms around her somewhat swollen belly, softly rubbing it. It isn't long until they both fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

****************************

Usually Bill is the early riser, but it's Carn who wakes up first, sprinting to the bathroom. The absence of her shakes Bill from his sleep. He takes off to his bathroom, where he can hear her retching. He opens the door, and there she was, hunched over the toilet.

Bill is quick to hold her hair back, gently twisting it into a knot and giving her a soft massage. When she's finally done, she lifts her head up, cheeks pink.

"I'm so sorry. Morning sickness. It's disgusting."

Even though she's extremely humiliated, and quite pale, and her hair is a rat's nest, Bill still finds her gorgeous.

"D-don't be s-sorry. C-come here."

Carn lets him embrace her, sighing into his chest. "It's guh-going to be o-over s-s-soon. The sic-sickness anyw-way."

"Next there's just... making money to support the baby and giving birth and, uh, raising it on top of school."

"The due d-date is after g-graduation."

Carn thinks for a moment. "Oh yeah, that's true. Because its due early June and we get out in May."

"Exactly."

"College, though. All of those schools we applied to."

"W-we'll h-have to suh-see which o-ones we make it in-into and fig-figure it out f-from thuh-there."

She nods.

"I-I ap-applied for a j-job, you kn-know."

She pulls away to face him. "No! I did not know! Thanks for telling me!"

"S-sorry!"

"What is it?"

"It's a p-paid in-internship at the D-Derry pap-paper."

She's silent for a few seconds, joy dawning on her face. "Bill! That's perfect for you!"

"You th-think so?"

"Uh, yeah! Listen, writing is practically your passion. I know you're more into creative writing than journalism, but that's such an awesome opportunity. Think of all the advice you'd get, the people from the industry you might meet, the free coffee you'd get to drink every day."

"W-well, th-that's true. That w-would b-b-be incredible."

"Which part?"

"Th-the coffee. Al-always the cof-coffee."