If We Ever Get an Hour Together (A Van McCann fanfiction)

At Your Feet

Lucia: 

I stood in the restroom stall, hearing the door open and shut as more women came and went. Gabi was waiting at our table outside, the words she'd said still pulsing against my own throat. 

Pregnant? 

I thought of Van touching Gabi, giving her the same looks he'd given me, his hands touching her thighs. I dry heaved, leaning against the stall wall. Cold sweat was dotting my forehead. There was no way I could tell Gabi now. She was dead set on thinking she was having Van's child. 

And was she? No way, no way. That would be some severely fucked up plot twist in the motions of the universe. A baby with Van's eyes, Gabi's mouth. Calling me Aunt Lucia. Oh god. I stumbled out of the restroom stall just as another woman came in, her heels slapping harshly against the ground as she took a step back when she saw me. She probably thought I was insane. I straightened up, and this must've given the woman some ease as she finally made her way to the stalls. 

After washing my hands with the hottest water I could fathom, I found myself playing with the spoon in my iced coffee back outside. Gabi was picking at a plate of some fruit salad, and I found my mouth drying whenever I tried to speak. "Are you ok?" Gabi was worried now. For me, when she had a million other bigger things to worry about. 

"Why don't you take a pregnancy test?" My voice cracked. I swallowed. 

She dropped her fork, leaning forward. "I'm scared." Her voice was small. I rubbed my eyes. 

"Why are you scared? You just pee on a fucking stick." My voice was harsh, even I cringed internally. Gabi didn't say anything, just picking at the same piece of banana again. My phone rang. I looked at the caller i.d. 

"Who is it?" Gabi usually never asked who called me. 

I took a deep breath. "Van."

"Van? Why...?" 

I answered quickly, taking a deep breath. "Hello?"

"Hi babe. Busy?"

"I'm with Gabi." 

"Oh." Van's voice seemed to grow smaller on the other end. "I'll call you later."

"Yeah, that'd be for the best." I looked at Gabi. She had her arms crossed and was leaned back against her seat. I cleared my throat. "Bye."

"Bye." 

"What does he want?" Gabi scratched her cheek. 

"To talk to me about some stuff."

"Did he ask for me?" Her tone was hopeful. I hated it. 

"No." She seemed to deflate. I felt good but then immediately wanted to vomit. 

"Take a pregnancy test."

"It's too soon." She shook her head. "Besides, I'm just like two weeks late."

I bit my cheek. Gabi's mouth was turned down, her brow scrunched up. Probably putting two and two together about Van and I. "I should go, Gabi. Go home, take it easy."

"Easy. Yeah, you make it sound like I could do that." Her chair scraped back. 

I walked quickly away from our table, feeling my nerves ease momentarily just leaving her behind. Why did it seem like every time I left Gabi I was fleeing from her?  

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I don't know if it was Gabi's words or something from the restaurant, but that same night I slumped over the toilet, unable to stomach anything. Isabel checked up on me periodically, running a hand through my hair and trying to soothe me while my throat burned. I called Van while I'm on the couch, miserable. "Hey you." His voice was relaxed.