Chapter 14
Chapter
Fourteen
It’d been another exhausting day, but to Sly’s relief, it hadn’t rained.
The weather experts predicted a long dry spell, which was bad for crops, but good for Sly.
No more mud for a while. This would be a good time to install that new drainage system—if only he had the funds.
He wished Carpenter would hurry up and pay him what he owed.
Otherwise, he’d be forced to take out a loan.
The thought weighed heavily on him, and by the time he wandered into the mudroom at sunset, he was grouchy, dirty, and running on empty.
His belly rumbling, he wandered into the kitchen, where Mrs. Rutland was slipping into her jacket to go home. He set his worries aside to focus on more pressing needs. “My mouth is watering. What’d you make?”
“Beef stew. It’s simmering, but should be ready in about half an hour. Be sure to soak the pan. I’ll wash it in the morning. Your salad and a coconut cream pie are in the fridge, and that loaf of homemade bread on the counter is still warm.”
Sly licked his lips. “What would I do without you?” he asked, and he was dead serious.
“Either learn to eat your own cooking, live on fast food, or get married. But I don’t want to talk myself out of this job. I’ll be here bright and early tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Mrs. R.”
After a quick shower, he stepped into clean clothes.
Barefoot, he took the stairs two at a time. In the kitchen he helped himself to a generous portion of stew and a thick slab of bread slathered with butter and jam.
As always, the food was delicious, but as much as he relished his solitude, tonight he wanted company to take his mind off his troubles.
Female company, and not just any woman. Someone who’d listen and understand, without making any demands on him.
Lana. He imagined packing up the meal and bringing it to her place to share.
She’d insist she was full, then steal a piece of his buttered bread.
She’d talk about her day and ask him about his.
He wasn’t about to analyze his emotions. He knew what he wanted and that was that.
So what if they couldn’t date or enjoy a short-term relationship? Who cared if their feelings for each other were too hot for friendship, or that they wanted different things? He could still drop by with dinner and say hello—if she was home.
He picked up his cell phone to find out.
“What if I’m pregnant?” Lana asked, propping her chin heavily on her fist. “What if I’m not?”
Several cartons of Chinese food from her favorite takeout sat between her and Kate on the table in the breakfast nook. Normally she relished every bite and often had seconds. Tonight, she was too wound up to do more than pick at her meal.
“Which would you rather be—as if I didn’t know?” Kate asked.
“Pregnant.” Lana wanted that with her whole being. There was only one problem. “If I am, I’m going to have to tell Sly.”
“Since he’s the daddy-to-be, that’s only fair.”
“True, but he won’t be happy about it.”
“He’ll certainly be surprised, that’s for sure. I’d want time to absorb a bombshell like this.”
“Of course there’s that. But once, when we were discussing having kids, Sly said he didn’t want any. He raised his brother, and apparently that didn’t turn out so well. He said that’d been enough fathering for him.”
“I’m guessing it was probably just talk.” Looking thoughtful, Kate picked a crispy noodle from her plate and popped it into her mouth. “But suppose he doesn’t want a child. What’ll you do then?”
Lana had already decided that. “The same thing I’ve been planning to do for months now—raise him or her by myself. That is, if I’m pregnant and stay that way till delivery time. What if I’m not?”
“Here we go again,” Kate muttered. “There’s only one way to find out. Take. The. Test. You’ve been stalling since I walked in the door.”
“Because we wanted to eat first.” Also, because she was nervous.
Kate scoffed. “I’m the only one who ate. Let’s do this.”
“I guess it’s time—after we clean up the dinner mess.”
“It’ll keep for a while. No more delay tactics. I want to find out if you’re pregnant almost as badly as you do. So, march your behind into the bathroom now, or I swear, I’ll drag you in there.”
Lana saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
Minutes later, she sat on the toilet lid, holding her breath while she waited for the results of the digital pregnancy test. Kate was perched on the edge of the bathtub, the timer on her watch marking off the minutes.
Naturally, Lana’s cell phone rang. Several bars of Shenandoah’s “Mama Knows” tinkled through the air.
She moaned. “That’s my mother. She always did have impeccable timing. I’ll let it go to voice mail.”
In what seemed seconds later, her phone rang again. Refusing to look at the screen, Lana rolled her eyes.
Kate eyed the timer, then nodded at Lana’s phone. “You’re popular tonight. You want me to pick that up for you? We still have a about a minute left.”
“Are you kidding? There’s no way I can talk to anyone right now.”
“Hand over your phone and let me check who it is.” Kate’s eyes widened. “You won’t believe this. It’s Sly.”
“I definitely can’t talk to him,” Lana wailed.
“Yeah, that’d be really awkward.” Kate returned her phone and Lana set it down.
Feeling as if she’d die if she didn’t find out soon, she glanced at her friend. “Now how many seconds to go?”
Kate checked the timer. “About thirty.”
Those moments dragged on forever, but finally, the timer buzzed. For all her impatience, she sat frozen in place.
“Well?” Kate asked. “Aren’t you going to check the results?”
“I can’t.”
“Hand that stick over.” Kate studied the LED display with a blank expression.
Uh-oh. Lana’s heart sank. She wasn’t pregnant after all. “Bad news, huh?”
“Actually, it’s the opposite.” Kate beamed at her. “Congratulations, Lana. You’re pregnant.”
Certain she’d misheard, she shook her head. “Say that again?”
Kate held out the results for her to read. “In big, bold letters, it says pregnant. Congratulations, Lana. You’re going to have a baby!”
Afraid to hope—she’d waited and suffered for so many years to be where she was now—Lana covered her mouth with her hand. “Maybe I should take another test, just to make sure.”
“Since you bought three different pregnancy test kits, be my guest. But the packaging and instructions on the one you just used claim that this test is ninety-nine percent accurate.”
“Which means there’s a one-percent chance it’s wrong.”
“All right, have it your way. Go ahead and retake the test. But I’ll bet my last paycheck the results come out the same.”
In the end, Lana took all three. Every time the results were the same.
“I’m pregnant! I’m pregnant!” Laughing, she hugged Kate hard. “I never imagined this could happen to me.”
“It seems all you needed was one night with a big, strong cowboy,” Kate said. “And what a cowboy he is. Between your pretty face and his rugged features, you’re going to have one gorgeous child.”
The words sobered Lana. “Have you forgotten what I said earlier? Sly doesn’t want to be a father. And don’t forget that only last Friday we decided not to see each other anymore. Then there’s the lawsuit.” She buried her face in her hands.
“Eventually the lawsuit will end,” Kate said. “Maybe Sly changed his mind and wants to keep seeing you. He just called, right?”
“Yes, and who knows why? All I know is, that decision was mutual.”
“So what? This pregnancy changes everything.”
“You’re telling me. I can’t even imagine what he’ll do when he finds out. But it definitely won’t be good.”
“You can’t be sure of that. When you discussed kids before, it was all hypothetical. This is real, Lana. A real baby the two of you made.”
“But Sly and I don’t love each other. We haven’t known each other long enough for that.”
Her bestie waved her hand in the air in a dismissive gesture. “You have the next seven or so months for that. Quit being so negative.”
“I get like this when I’m scared.”
“I know, sweetie. In your shoes, I’d be, too. But no matter what happens, I’m here for you.”
Profoundly grateful, Lana teared up. “You’re such a great friend.”
“Don’t cry, or I will, too.” Kate blinked furiously. “I’d like to open a bottle of wine and toast the pregnancy, but I guess that’s out.”
“For quite a while.” Lana nibbled her thumbnail.
“Sophie’s supposed to come over on Saturday.
What am I going to say to her? Sly’s coming too, to help convince her that I’m the right person to adopt her baby.
I’m not sure I can handle telling either of them about this, let alone both.
Then there’s Sunday dinner with my parents and Liz and Eric. ..” Lana groaned.
“Slow down, lady. You don’t have to reveal anything just yet. In fact, you shouldn’t. I think you should see a doctor and talk to him or her.”
Lana nodded. “I agree and will make an appointment with my gyno right away. She’ll be so surprised. Promise me you won’t say a word.”
“I swear on my grandpa’s grave.” Kate crossed her heart. “I’ll help you clean up the dinner stuff. Then, unless you want me to stick around, I’m heading home.”
“I’ll be fine, and I’ll take care of the cleanup. You’ve done enough.”
At the door, Lana hugged her friend. “Thanks for being here for me.”
“That’s what besties are for. I’ll probably be awake for a few hours yet, so if you want to talk later, call me. And thanks for letting me be the first to share in your excitement.”
As soon as the door shut behind Kate, Lana laughed out loud.
A baby!