43. Wrinley
Wrinley
“ W rin! Let me in, bitch!” my best friend shouts from the other side of my apartment door.
Yeah, I’m at my apartment. I had to agree to do some questionable things for Axel just so he’d let me come back here. Part of that agreement was taking the bike. Honestly, I think he just likes calling me his ‘pretty little backpack’ . Who am I fucking kidding? I love it too.
It’s for the best, though. While I have every intention of telling Ari about the pregnancy, since I’m pretty sure I’m starting to show a little bit, I’m not quite ready to tell her that her brother is the baby daddy, or that I’m in love with him.
If the truck was parked outside, there’s a chance she’d recognize it and have a lot more questions.
“I’m coming,” I shout with a huff as I rush to let her in.
She’s been particularly pushy since her mother’s birthday dinner.
Between what she told me and what I heard from Axel, it was an epic moment.
One for the books. All jokes aside, I’m so grateful she finally found the courage to stand up to her.
Now she can take her life back. I already see the difference in her and I couldn’t be prouder.
Now I just have to break my news to her and I’m honestly not sure if she’ll be happy or not.
I undo the forty locks that now adorn my door–thanks to my psycho of a man–and before I can turn the knob, the door flies open and her arms are around me, squeezing the fucking life out of me.
“Oh my god, I missed you! It feels like we haven’t seen each other in forever.”
“Don’t be dramatic, Ari.”
She releases me and I make a poor attempt to work out in my head how long it’s actually been, but come up empty. I’m totally going to blame everything on the pregnancy brain.
“I’ve always been here. You’d just been too busy with Daddy Prime to hang out much.”
Her shoulders slump forward and her face falls in a look of defeat.
Fuck.
“I’m sorry. Dammit. I’m an asshole. I should’ve known it’s too soon for jokes.”
Her lips purse but she doesn’t respond.
“I’m sorry. Can you forgive me? I won’t bring it up again.”
Her bag drops to the floor with a light thud as she makes her way to the fridge to grab us some drinks.
When she pulls out a couple of High Noon’s that have been sitting in there for god-knows-how-long, panic runs through me.
I was hoping we could catch up before we got to the biggest news, but that’s clearly not happening now.
Her arm outstretches to hand me one of the drinks and I freeze. My eyes bore into the beverage like it personally assaulted me and I’m not sure how to handle it.
“Wrin, take it. It won’t bite,” she jokes before searching one of the cans intently. “How long have you had these things anyway? I’m pretty sure you had them the last time I was here and that wasn’t recent.”
I take one from her and set it back down on the kitchen counter, staring a hole through it before I reply, “Actually, this might have more bite than you think.”
“Wrin,” Arabella calls from behind me, concern lacing her voice.
I should turn around and tell her the truth like an adult.
Women get pregnant all the fucking time.
It’s literally no big deal. My muscles tense as I realize I’m probably just projecting my guilt about fucking her brother onto this baby, like she’ll know it’s him the second I tell her.
“Wrin, look at me,” she calls again, this time her tone is absolute–a distinctly new thing for her and at this moment, I equal parts love it and hate it.
I make a point to turn slowly, my eyes locking with hers.
“What the fuck is going on? Why are you acting so weird?”
I release a heavy sigh before spitting out, “I’m pregnant.” Now it’s her turn to freeze. She just stares at me. It’s unnerving and I can’t tell if this is good or bad. “Are you okay?”
She shakes her head quickly before setting down her beverage, striding right over to me and placing her hands on my shoulders. “No, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I think I am.”
“How far along are you? When did this happen? I have so many questions. Wait… who is the fucking father? Wrinley Anne Jaymes. How long have you known about this?” Her hands are still resting on my shoulders as she stares intently at me while word vomiting every question that comes to mind.
“Slow down there, killer. Can we sit?”
She pulls her hands back and nods, then follows me to the couch. We both sit and I can feel her studying me with curiosity. “Wrin–”
“Wait,” I interrupt quickly. I need to get this out now, or I never will.
“I don’t know how far along I am. Not exactly.
I guess that probably answers your first two questions.
I’m going to the OB soon to have ultrasounds and whatnot done.
The nurse said we’d get a better idea of how far along I am at that point.
I have a couple instances in mind as to when it actually happened, but I don’t want to say just yet, if that’s okay. ”
She smiles and gives me a tight nod. “Of course it’s okay. Do you… know who the father is?”
“I do.”
“Okayyyyy, care to elaborate on that?”
Christ, she’s really pushing the envelope here. That little niggle of guilt in the back of my brain pops back up, trying to convince me she knows I’m deceiving her. Fuck, okay. “Remember the Fallopian Fiddler?” I raise a questioning eyebrow, awaiting her response.
“Oh my fucking god. Are you telling me that the same guy that took your virginity is the one that knocked you up?”
My head moves up and down slowly. “Yes, that’s the one.”
“Is he being responsible about this? Do I need to call Axel and have him… you know… do something about it?”
I can’t help but choke out a laugh at that bit of irony. “What is it that you think he can do?”
“You know how sometimes a person can give you a vibe, but you don’t exactly know what it means or have proof that it means what you think it might mean?”
“Uh, yeah,” I answer simply. I know what she’s talking about, but in this instance, I know way more than just the vibe of the man in question. “I know what you’re talking about.”
Play it cool, Wrinley.
“But, no. I don’t need your brother to take care of my baby daddy. I can handle him just fine. I promise.”
“Okayyyy, if you change your mind, let me know. I think he almost likes me these days.”
“I find it hard to believe he never liked you. I think you two just see the world differently and maybe now you’re closer to being on the same page about things.”
She eyes me curiously and my pulse spikes. Shit. I said too much.
“First, you two show up together at my intervention and now you’re defending him? You two have always hated each other. Did I cross into the twilight zone?”
“Hate is a very strong word,” I scoff. “Does anyone really hate anyone?” Okay, now I want to roll my eyes at myself, but I think better of it. I need to make this less of a deal or she will definitely know I’m lying to her.
Her eyebrows raise in question… or maybe that was surprise. It’s kind of hard to tell what she’s thinking right now. “Yes, Wrin. The world is literally filled with people that hate other people.”
“Fine, you’re right. I think these pregnancy hormones just have me softening a little around the edges. I swear, creating life really does a number on the body and the brain.”
Her face relaxes and I know I’m in the clear.
She releases a heavy sigh before asking, “Are you scared?”
“Yeah.” It’s the most honest I’ve been with my best friend in months. “I’m terrified. I miss my mom and all I wish is that she could be here to help me with this… I didn’t have enough time with her to teach me how to be a mother.”
She reaches out to pull my hands into hers, squeezing them tightly.
“Wrin, your mother was the epitome of love and warmth. Why do you think I tried to spend so much time at your place when we were kids? She always made me feel welcome and never treated me differently because my mother was an asshole. She supported you and your dance, even when you sucked–”
“I did not suck, bitch.”
“Girl. You were awful for a little while there. I think you just needed to figure out where your legs were, but that’s not the fucking point and you know it.”
“Then what is your fucking point?” I huff, already ready to be done with this conversation. I love my best friend, but now that she’s found herself, she’s considerably more annoying.
“My point is… she taught you everything you needed in the fourteen years you had her. She lives on inside of you. You’ve got this. And when you don’t have it, I’ll be there to help you.”
“You have enough stuff of your own going on.”
“I do, but you’re my best friend and I’ll always have time for you.”
A choked laugh escapes me. “What about Ryker? I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m nuts.”
“Oh, he totally thinks you’re crazy,” she chuckles lightly. “But you’re my best friend. I happen to know that man loves me and will put up with anything and anyone who is important to me.”
“Okay, if you say so.”“Do you need me to go to your appointment with you?”
“No, thank you. I’m making baby daddy take me. It’s the least he can do for knocking me up.”
“Just know I’m here if you need me.”
“Thank you. I love you and I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become.” She pulls me into a tight hug that lasts for a good few minutes before I break away and ask, “Can we binge Gilmore Girls and murder some junk food now, please?”
“Yeah, Wrin. We can.”