Epilogue
PRESLEY
Four Weeks Later
“Thank you,” Daphne said as she stepped out of Dice’s bathroom at the clubhouse. “I still have some leftover trauma from the mushrooms and kind of panic every time I feel nauseous.”
“Is that often?”
“More than you would think,” she said nervously.
“Are you pregnant?”
“I don’t know,” Daphne admitted. “Maybe. I’m too scared to take a test.”
“Why?” I laughed.
“Because I already have a baby!” she blurted.
“Okay, take a breath,” I told her. “What symptoms are you having?”
“Nausea, obviously,” she said. “But I’m also hungry all the time. I’m tired, moody, and my boobs hurt. Oh, and my last period was weird.”
I stood frozen, staring at her. I had every symptom she listed except nausea.
She gasped and pointed an accusatory finger at me.
“We need to get tests,” I whispered and pushed her finger down. “Where’s London?”
“With her grandparents,” she said. “I can tell them I need to run to the store to get more wipes for London.”
“Perfect. I’ll ride with you.”
“No!” she blurted. “You stay here. We don’t want to draw any attention.”
“Okay,” I said. Her response seemed odd to me, but I chalked it up to nerves and waited for her to return from the store.
By the time Daphne got back, Ink had arrived, and I was a nervous wreck trying to act normal. We were originally going to ride together, but Daphne called and asked me to come to the clubhouse because she wasn’t feeling well. Since Ink wasn’t ready to go, I left without him, much to his chagrin.
Daphne: Bathroom
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ink asked when I excused myself to the restroom.
“Yes, I just need to pee. Why?” I asked, unintentionally sounding defensive. “Sorry, I really need to pee.”
“I thought your head might be hurting again.”
Headaches.
“Nope. Just need to pee,” I said and hurried to Dice’s room.
“I just did mine,” Daphne said, handing me an unopened pregnancy test. “The bathroom’s all yours.”
I could not believe I had an almost eighteen-year-old daughter and was taking a pregnancy test.
I finished up and washed my hands, doing my best not to peek at either test on the counter.
“How much longer?” Daphne said as she stepped into the bathroom.
“Yours is probably ready now,” I told her.
She shook her head. “No, I’ll wait for you.”
Two minutes later, we checked our tests. ‘
Positive.
Positive.
We stared at each other blankly.
“I have a baby,” Daphne said flatly.
“I have an adult,” I replied in the same tone.
“Presley!” Ink called from down the hall.
“Shit! Get rid of those!” I said and rushed out of the bathroom.
I met Ink in the hallway outside Dice’s room. “There you are,” he said and took my hand in his. “We’re ready to eat.”
“Oh, great,” I said distractedly.
He led me to a table in the center of the room and ushered me into a seat. “You’re kind of pale,” he said. “Are you sure you feel okay?”
“Yes, I’m … I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not,” he said and pulled me to my feet.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurted.
Ink froze and slowly turned around. “What?” he whispered.
“I’m pregnant, not sick,” I told him.
Ink pulled something from his pocket before he dropped to one knee. “Marry me.”
“Ink!” Ariel shouted. “You were supposed to wait for me!”
“Your mom’s pregnant,” he said dreamily.
“What?” Ariel shouted.
I leaned down to kiss him. “Yes!”
“What’d we miss?” Blaze asked loudly, stepping through the front doors with Raven by her side, and what sounded like someone screaming in the distance.