4
4
Liberty
Shawn glanced down at my chest, then cleared his throat. I tugged at the Abernathy’s tank top that was part of our work uniform, feeling self-conscious. I knew what he was thinking. I’d noticed it, too, in the mirror when I got dressed earlier today. My boobs were bigger. I hadn’t known that happened with pregnancy. There was a lot I didn’t know. I needed to see a doctor, and as soon as my Medicaid was approved, I would.
“You, uh,” he said, running his hand through his wavy brown hair, “look good tonight, Lib.”
I had to see if I could get a bigger-sized tank top.
“Thanks,” I replied tightly.
He was a complete man-whore. When he had first started working here, he asked me out regularly. Even though he knew I had a boyfriend. Eventually he stopped and we’d found a comfortable working relationship. Then, when he found out we broke up, it resumed. I had finally gotten to a place where I didn’t dread seeing him, and now, I had to deal with his propositions all over again.
“Looks like sorority girls just sat down there. Your favorite,” I told him. “You take that end. I’ll stay on this end.”
He glanced down there, then back at me. “Was that a jab?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Not at all. Just pointing out the obvious.”
He took a step toward me and glanced back at my chest again. “If you gave me a chance, Lib, I could change your mind about me.”
Yeah, well, buddy, I am three years older than you and pregnant. Not happening.
I raised my eyebrows and shook my head. “Go see what the sorority girls want to drink.”
He sighed and gave me one last look before he left me to deal with the customers we already had. I finished refilling two of their drinks and was about to go get a case of beer when Virginia walked in from the back office. I wanted to groan in frustration. She always sent me home when there were two of us on a night like this. Which sucked because I needed the money.
Her husband, Tom Abernathy—whose father had opened the bar fifty years ago—would not send me home. If he were here and anyone was leaving, it would be Shawn. I was the harder worker. But Virginia liked Shawn’s looks even though she was thirty years older than he was.
“Liberty, you can go. Tonight is going to be slow.”
I started to beg her to let me stay, but her eyes dropped to my chest, and I changed my mind. I didn’t want her asking questions about my overflowing cleavage. The last thing I needed was for her to know I was pregnant. I knew they couldn’t legally fire me for being pregnant, but I had worked here long enough to know Virginia could find loopholes when she wanted something. She could cut my hours drastically or put me in the back, doing something that I didn’t get tips from. They liked their servers and bartenders to be young and attractive. She would have my pay cut until I had to quit.
“Okay,” I replied, quickly turning away from her and handling the customers I had left before going to get my purse.
Two of our regulars closed their tabs and tipped me. I wiped down the area and went to let Shawn know I was being sent home. He groaned and bitched about him not getting to leave. I thought about asking him to tell Virginia he wanted to switch, but then I thought about my boobs and changed my mind.
She was busy talking to one of the servers when I went and grabbed my purse and headed for the door.
It was already dark on my walk to the bus stop. The two-mile trek wasn’t convenient, but for now, it was all I had. Spending money on an Uber every time I went to and from work would eat into my savings. After one week at Sissy’s, I knew I had to save quickly and get out fast. If she let me stay a month it would be a miracle. It was clear she was already changing her mind.
The bus ride took thirty minutes when a car ride would have been more like ten. My eyes felt heavy by the time it stopped and I got out. Thankfully, the walk to her house was just under a mile. I made my way down the sidewalk and fought against the sudden fatigue. I’d been dealing with that lately too. Exhaustion coming out of nowhere.
Tonight, I would google pregnancy on my phone and read about other things I should be expecting. What else was going to change on me soon?
There was a classic Dodge Charger in the driveway when I finally made it to Sissy’s house. I knew she was dating some guy because she’d mentioned it the first night I got here. But there had been no signs of him.
This must be the guy. Nice wheels. That one had to be early to mid-seventies but looked like it had just been driven off the lot it was in such good condition. Dad had loved classic cars. He would have been our here drooling over that one. I doubted my sister even knew that about him.
Sissy was as gorgeous now as she had been when we were younger. She was also a successful pediatrician and had wealth to go with her looks. I was surprised she wasn’t already married.
The door was unlocked, so I didn’t have to dig out the key she’d given me. I stepped inside, quietly listening for any sounds. If she was going at it somewhere, I did not want to walk in on that. I moved toward the stairs but there were no moans or headboard banging coming from her bedroom.
I wanted a bottle of water, but I wasn’t sure if she had some romantic dinner planned.
I made my way down the hallway toward the kitchen, and I heard Sissy’s laughter. It was further down, near the great room. Sighing in relief, I went into the kitchen and grabbed a water. There was something in the oven that smelled fantastic, but I knew I wasn’t going to be offered any of it. My stomach growled, so I went to the pantry to get a protein bar from the box I’d bought on Monday before heading back to the staircase.
I heard the deep timbre of a man’s voice but couldn’t make out what he was saying as I went back to the foyer.
Climbing the stairs, I grew tired again and looked forward to a shower and bed.
I closed the door to the bedroom, then walked over and sat down on the bed to take off my shoes. My feet ached since I’d been on them since ten this morning, and all the walking I had done to and from the bus didn’t help. At least it was keeping me fit. Who needed a gym membership when they walked almost six miles a day?
I took a drink of water and lay back on the double bed. I would close my eyes for a moment, then go get a shower.
When my eyes snapped back open, I stared at the ceiling, realizing I’d fallen asleep. I sat up and looked at my phone to check the time. It was just after eleven. I’d been asleep for over three hours. Curling up and going back to sleep sounded appealing, but I sniffed my tank top and could smell the bar. Scrunching my nose, I stood up. I would sleep better if I was clean.
Opening the door slowly, I looked down the hall to see Sissy’s bedroom door closed. It hadn’t been when I walked by it earlier. She was either asleep or was in there with her date. I went back to get my bag of toiletries because she had informed me that I wasn’t to use any of hers. There weren’t any in the guest bathroom anyway, and I assumed she had taken them before I arrived.
Just as I stepped out into the hallway, I heard a loud moan coming from her room, and I paused before continuing. When I reached the door to the bathroom, she let out a scream that made me wince. The man must have a big cock.
“Oh, YES!” Her high-pitched voice made me cringe.
I hurried inside to close the door and muffle her sounds. I didn’t need to know what she sounded like while having sex. Although I was curious about the man she was dating. I wondered what he looked like. Was he a doctor too? Probably wore expensive Armani suits. Hopefully, he was hearing impaired.
The warm water sprayed from the showerhead, and I quickly stripped my clothing and climbed into the bath-shower combo. I had gotten good at rationing my supplies when I was younger. Abilene had only supplied me with toothpaste, soap, and deodorant every two months. I’d had to wash my hair with the bar of soap. As an adult, I spent very little on things like that. I could make them last much longer than the average person. Although I did purchase shampoo and conditioner for my hair. Having to brush my hair after just using soap on it had been horrible. The one time I’d asked for some conditioner, she’d slapped me across the face and called me a spoiled brat, then sent me to my room in the basement without dinner.
I was not going to think about that time in my life. It was behind me. I had survived without her help. When she had died, I hadn’t even shed a tear. She meant nothing to me. I had called Sissy to tell her I was sorry for her loss, and she’d hung up on me.
Feeling refreshed after rinsing off, I dried my hair with the towel the best I could, then wrapped it around my body. Sissy had given me one towel and told me that I wasn’t to touch her other towels. This one had a hole and several stains. It looked like something she cleaned with. I wondered what her towels looked like. I was sure they weren’t like this one.
I brushed my hair, then my teeth before putting my things back into my bag and peeking out the door to make sure the coast was clear. When I saw no one, I tiptoed out and headed to my room. Just before I reached it, I heard the click of a door behind me and turned to see a man stepping out of Sissy’s room.
Knowing I needed to hurry and get inside my room before he saw me, I started to turn away when he looked over at me and our eyes locked. Recognition slammed into me like a semitruck, and the bag in my hand fell to the floor.
The shocked look on his face quickly morphed into a disinterested glance before he turned and walked away.
I couldn’t breathe or move.
Liam.
My sister was dating Liam.
I slid my hand over my stomach as I finally sucked in some much-needed oxygen. Oh my God.