White Lies

Fairest Through and Through

The ice in her glass clinks, melting and watering down her Apple juice. The bartender gives her a quirky "you're odd" look when Blanche leans over the bar, close enough so he hears properly.

"You want two fingers of Apple juice on the rocks?" He looks about to call the mental institution.

She berates herself for not asking for a Shirley Temple. "Yes, in a whiskey glass, of possible."

"You fûcking with me?"

Blanche raises her hands and shakes her head. "Not at all. I'm not allowed to have alcohol but I don't want to look like a loser, so I want a pretend alcohol. Please." The bartender mutters under his breath, gives her one last curious look, and after, produces the drink she has asked for.

Trisha pops around every ten minutes or so, telling her the exact same thing, "I don't think he's here, yet."

Always a 'yet'. "Maybe he doesn't come here anymore?"

"No, I talked to a bunch of people and they said they've seen him a lot lately." Trisha regards her. "Unless if you want to go?"

"I am getting tired." The plan was to find Hunter and tell him of the pregnancy, but want nothing in return. No compilations, no expectations, no heartbreak.

Her heart has been broken far too many times by Perry. She doesn't know Hunter much, or at all, but he was tender and almost caring before she left his apartment. All he has to do is listen to her.  Blanche doesn't have any idea how he will react. She doesn't even completely know if it's the right thing to do--telling him--but she also needs to know a few things. A talk with Troy has led her to make the decision. Troy said he would want to know if Trisha got pregnant regardless how it happened. Because of that, she finds herself with Trisha and a motley crew of bar patrons tonight, drinking apple juice in a small tumbler.

Trish gives her another concerned look. Her friend has been doing that for weeks, since finding out about her condition. Trish even went to the doctor with her to confirm, not that Blanche could deny the results of the ten pregnancy tests she has taken.

Dr Armande said that she is a picture of health, and the growing tadpole-size being in her should be too. She is young, without any current or previous worrying health conditions, but when asked about the father, Blanche clammed up and fear rolled into her veins. What if Hunter isn't as healthy as he appeared? What if he has genetic health issues that could potentially harm?

"Let's go home. I want to have a proper sleep tonight and not wake up until noon tomorrow." Carefully, Bee slides off the stool and leads her friend out the door.

They pass a tall man with dark brown hair. He has the size and shape of Hunter, but while Hunter has sex appeal emanating from his pores, this man's boyish features only makes him "cute", like a big teddy bear. And he is the same bouncer who has seen her and Hunter leave the bar together.

"Wait. I know him. He was here when Hunter and I left the bar that night. Maybe he knows?"

Trisha peers at the man. "I'm on it." They walk up to the burly guy, Trish puts her hand on his massive tattooed arm. "Hey." Blanche wants to roll her eyes at how flirty Trisha can get, but they are relying on that skill at the moment.

"Hey," the bouncer looks her up and down and licks his lips. "How's it going, beautiful?"

"I just have a question. Do you know Hunter?"

The guy grins. "Hunter?" He peers at Blanche, then back at Trisha. "Why do you want to know?"

Trish pulls herself closer to him, her right boob touching his biceps. "Has he come by lately? My friend tells me he has some wicked tattoos and I was hoping to ask where he got them."