Green Eyes, White Lies

Green Eyes, White Lies ~ Ch. 15

"Jenn, where are you going!?!" Samantha shrieked, "I need help with this ribbon!"

"Drank a big ole glass of tea," I explained as I grabbed my purse, "Angela's got the hang of it, ask her." I closed the door quickly to avoid any backlash and ran into the bathroom across the hall. I'd been helping all the other girls with their dresses and was still in my button up and running shorts with my hair and make up done. I locked the door to the small bathroom and pulled the pregnancy test I'd bought at the corner store that morning out of my purse.

I quickly took the test and then stood there staring at the small stick, waiting for it to do something, waiting to know if my life was about to change. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "It's occupied!" I called to whoever was on the other side. I heard some jiggling on the handle and some other movement and my eyes got huge as the knob turned and the door swung open.

And there sat little, sweet, angelic Monica with her hand on the bobby pin in the door. She stood up and laughed, "Don't look so surprised, I am related to you after all." She dusted her knees off and looked at me again but this time her eyes widened. I tried to hide it but I was too late. She closed the door and walked over to me. "Is that what you realized last night?" she questioned in a hushed tone.

"Yes," I sighed.

"It's not Ben is it?"

"No," I shook my head, "It's been too long. It has to be Jack."

"But you two haven't been together that long," she protested.

"The night of your accident," I admitted to her. "That was almost three weeks ago. That was the first time we," I paused, "You know."

"Didn't you just start dating him that day?" Monica wondered aloud.

"Yeah," I defended, "But it's Jack. How much better am I going to get to know him, really?"

I expected a scolding, but she smiled, "I guess you're right. Honestly, we've all been waiting for it. Well, not that," she clarified pointing at the pregnancy test, "But for you two to finally get together."

"Really?" I felt choked up. Figures everyone else would figure it out before me.

"Really," she swore, then looked inquisitively at the pregnancy test. "So what does a pink plus sign mean?"

"Oh my God," panic set in and I started hyperventilating, "Oh my God."

"Are you?" Monica demanded to know. I nodded and she squealed and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I continued to hyperventilate and Monica pulled away. "Deep breaths, deep breaths," she kept telling me in a calm voice as she demonstrated. I nodded and tried and my breathing became more regular. "Now why are you freaking out instead of being happy with me?"

"Because," I searched for the words, "I'm pregnant."

"This is why I am happy," Monica pointed out, "What I'm asking is why aren't you?"

Putting my hands on the counter behind me, I jumped to sit next to the sink. "What if," I admitted, "What if I'm a bad mom?"

"Are you kidding me?" Monica laughed at the question, "You're going to be the best mom possibly ever."

"You don't know that," I denied.

"Yes," she insisted, "I do. Who took me to the park? Who helped me with my homework? Who carried me home when I broke my arm?"

"I did," I mumbled.

"Yes, you did," she asserted, "And who held me while I cried myself to sleep every night for a year after dad left and told me everything was going to be okay when she wanted to cry herself?" I took in a deep breath and Monica took a hold of my hand. "You've already proved you are a great mother. I love our mom, and I hope to never know how she felt and what she went through. Trying to raise and support five kids on your own, that can't be easy, and I felt like I was falling through the cracks because I was the good kid. You made sure I didn't."