Laced • Luke Dunphy

XII

TW: mention of puking

"Anything else?" The man behind the counter asks in a voice that makes it seem like he's said it too many times tonight.

I lean back a little and glance at the items stacked neatly in a clear plastic box next to the cash register. I pick out a small chocolate bar, slide it across the counter and smile at the cashier.

"Will you excuse me for a moment?" Luke gives me a bit of a confused look as I stand up and walk calmly out of the living room and into the hallway.

The minute I'm out of view, I drop the act and reach my hand out until I grasp ahold of the banister and lean my weight onto it. My knees are trembling and I do my best to go up the stairs without making too much noise.

I finally reach the landing and, letting myself fall onto my hands and knees, I crawl the rest of the way to the bathroom. I let go completely as I reach the toilet, pouring my guts out. Thank god I decided to do an updo today, I think as I push the door close with my foot, moments before another wave of nausea washes over me and spills out into the toilet bowl.

Once I feel everything is out, I get up and flush, quickly wash my face with water and a few pieces of toilet paper and go back downstairs.

"Had to go fix your hair?" Jay teases as I sit back down next to Luke on the couch. I look up at him and examine his face.

"Yeah, although I'm surprised you didn't have to," I say smoothly, trying to figure out which champagne class on the coffee table is mine.

"Wha- what's wrong with my hair?" He asks, his voice cracking, wildly fixing his hair. I find my glass and look back up with a playful grin on my face. He suddenly stops and glared down at me. Everyone laughs, Gloria hits Jay in the shoulder and he starts laughing as well, though he doesn't seem convinced.

"Okay, okay! Everyone, your attention please," Phil calls from the kitchen as he rummages around in a drawer, "I've.. got.. a little.. HA!" he finds what he's looking for and comes back into the living room, "surprise for Luke and Jamie."

Luke and I look at each other and smile. He places his hand on mine as he turns his head towards his dad, who is struggling to put find the right channel for the DVD player.

The screen lights up onto the words "Congratulations, Luke and Jamie!", which then fade away, and a video compilation of Luke and I starts playing.

Luke and I at Disneyland, Luke and I babysitting the twins, Luke and I at a Halloween party with matching costumes.. I can't help but smile the whole way through, laughing and whispering comments into Luke's ear.

"Ma'am? Excuse me, ma'am, that'll be $12.99" the cashier clears his throat and waves his hand to get my attention.

"Oh. Right, sorry." I mutter, taking out my wallet and shuffling through it. I put the money on the counter and he hands me my two items. I stuff the little box into my pocket and unwrap the chocolate bar, quickly eating it before I lose my craving for it.

"D'you have a bathroom?" I ask, looking around the store. He nods and hands me a key, pointing at a small door in the corner, mostly hidden by the aisles. I thank him and unlock the door, closing it behind me.

After the video finishes, Luke and I head back to my apartment.

A few days later, as we're driving back home from a small gathering with friends, I feel another wave of nausea hit me. I grab Luke's shoulder and clutch my stomach. He gives me a worried look.

"Hey, could we take a fast pit-stop at that gas station, honey? I must've had too much to drink." He nods and veers the driving wheel right, obviously trying his best not to make me feel worse.

I hop out of the car the minute the engine turns off. Luke is quick to get out, running after me as I rush to a small patch of grass next to the small, square building and hunch over it, placing my hands on my bent knees.

"It's alright, I know it doesn't feel good but it'll be over soon," Luke reassures as he rubs my back, holding back my hair and putting it into a bun. When I'm done, I wipe my mouth on a tissue that Luke has handed me and straighten my back.

"Thanks," I mumble, turning around and hugging him.

"No problem, JJ. Are you ready to get back into the car?"

"I'm just gonna go in a grab a few things." I say, smiling up at him. He nods and heads back to the car to wait for me.

And now I'm here, staring at myself in a small, cruddy, gas station bathroom. I take the small box out of pocket and open it, slowly taking out the thin stick of plastic inside. Since the toilet has no seat, I have to stand up a bit.

Once I'm done, I place the stick carefully on the edge of the sink and kill the time by reading the big, bold letters on the front of the box it came in.

"Pregnancy test".

•

A/n
Ok so this isn't actually the last chapter there's still one more.