safe

Chapter 21

As I turn the little white stick over in my hands the tension is palpable.

I stop and look Glenn in the eye.

"What do you think it is?" I ask him.

"I don't know, turn it over."

"Not until you tell me what you think it is."

"I think it's positive."

"I don't."

"Why?" Glenn says worriedly.

"Because I don't feel pregnant, I feel normal."

"That doesn't mean you aren't pregnant."

"I just don't think I am!"

"Well let's see then." He says grabbing at the test.

"Here, you look at it first, i'm not ready." I whisper as I hand him the test.

He takes it and puts on a poker face, not showing any emotion what so ever.

"So?" i ask.

"Look at it yourself." he replies.

"Can't you just tell me? Seeing the test will make the answer feel too official."

"No, look at it." he says, handing over the test.

Before I can divert my eyes away I see the little pink cross.

"Wow, oh wow." Is all I can utter as I stare at the little symbol, hoping it is all my imagination.

"We are having a baby!" Glenn says, his reaction being the opposite of mine.

"Oh no. The baby is going to die and eat me from the inside out." I mutter in horror.

"Is there any way of knowing the gender before it's born?" Glenn questions, unaware of my meltdown.

"I have doomed the group."

"I want another little boy!" Glenn says, snapping me put of my state.

"You already have a kid?" I question angrily.

"Well Max and I have been hanging out recently, he is like a tiny adult." Glenn says.

"You think of him as your own child?"

"Well, I think that we are a family now. Oh and don't worry, Max and the baby will be equal parts of my life."

"Glenn, that is very sweet of you."

"It's no worries. Max is a great kid."

We sit in silence for a moment.

"I am going to go tell Rick." I announce.

"I'll tell the others!" Glenn exclaims.

"No, give it three days. Maggie is still very raw from the break up."

"I don't care."

"Glenn, just because you fell for me doesn't make her the enemy. she didn't do anything really bad. The break up was kind of my fault."

"Okay." He replies.

"You go to your cell and pretend everything's 100% normal." i instruct him as I walk to Rick's cell once again.

"Hey Rick!" I greet as I sit down on his desk chair.

"How'd it go?" he asks straight up.

"Judith is gonna get a playmate." I reply cooly.

"Wow!" he says pulling me in for a fatherly hug.

"Thanks."

"You know who you remind me of, my niece. I have a brother, he lived upstate somewhere. But his daughter was this cute little tough thing who swore like a sailor. She even looked a bit like you." He tells me with a smile on his face.

"My brother was a real hard ass, but she was very respectful of his rules. This one time she went to a party and got very drunk and she was scared of disappointing her Dad so she begged me to tell him that Lori had asked her over for an emergency girls night. she was the cutest little thing. slept on Carl's floor for the night. She looked after him like he was her brother."

"She sounds lovely." I tell Rick.

"Yeah... Well anyway congratulations!"

"Thanks! I am just telling you at this point, I will tell Maggie privately before Glenn announces it to the group. He is very excited."

"I bet he is." Rick laughs, "he loves you so much. I have talked to him twice this week and both times he talked about you, and this was before you guys were official."

"What?" i answer gobsmacked.

"I told you this before, he follows you around like a little puppy!"

"I was terrified of the idea of having a kid this morning, but he just made me feel so much better about it." i admit quietly.

"You should tell Maggie today and let the news have sometime to sink in." Rick suggests.

"Kay, I will."

"See ya Rubes."

"Bye!" I say as I go to hershel's cell.

When I get there I hear crying from inside the cell.

"Excuse me?" I say, tapping on the door quietly.

"Come in." I hear Maggie's voice call weakly.

"Hey Maggie." I say as I wave.

"Ruby, I am so sorry for saying those awful things to you, it's Glenn who was a douche to me. You didn't know." Maggie says with all the emotional strength she can muster.

"No Maggie, you had the right to be angry with whomever you wanted. I spoke to Glenn and he admitted that you weren't a bitch or anything he claimed you were. He just didn't feel that way about you anymore." I tell her as I stroke her back comfortingly.

"Really?" She says looking up at me.

"Truly." i reply.

"I have some other news to tell you Maggie."

"What?"

"I am pregnant, and it's Glenn's."

"Oh, okay." She says sadly.

"I wanted to tell you before I told the group, so you could process it a bit if you need." I further.

"Thanks, I really appreciate that, could you maybe wait a day before everyone starts talking about it please?" She asks shyly.

"Of course!"

"Thanks."

"I have to go, but if you need to talk know that i'm here." I say as I leave.

Wow... I think to myself. I'm having a baby!