The Truth Untold

23

Jessica got into the back seat without a word, while I jumped into the passenger seat. Leo was already sitting in the car looking anxiously back when Jessica fastened her seat belt. He looked at her howled face and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something. But then he looked at me and closed it again. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him pressing his tongue against the inside of his cheek, a habit I had seen on him before. He always did that when he was excited or nervous. With a sigh he started the engine and I smiled. Leo was a true angel. He didn't ask questions, though it would have been his right, and probably hoped inwardly that someone would volunteer to tell him what was going on.

"Can we stop by the drugstore nearby for a moment," I asked him.

He looked at me from top to bottom, then looked in the rearview mirror at Jessie and nodded.

"Thank you," I breathed and looked at Jessie staring emotionlessly outside.

Leo stopped at the parking lot, I quickly ran into the store and ignored the woman's slanted look at the checkout when I bought the pregnancy test. With the pregnancy test in my hand, I got back in the car.

"A pregnancy test?" Leo shouted shocked and looked at me with fear and horror. I wondered why he reacted like that, but then suddenly it clicked in my head and I gasped for air.

"No! Not for me," I explained and saw him relax with a relieved sigh. He had thought I was pregnant and I suddenly imagined what it would be like to be in Jessica's place. God, I don't know what I should do. I passed the test to Jess, as Leo finally needed to know what was going on and noticed how her gaze was scurrying back and forth between me and Leo.

It didn't take five minutes to get home.

"Are you coming up with me," I asked Leo as I unbuckled.

"If that's not a problem," Leo said and looked at Jess, who just shrugged her shoulders.

Arriving at the apartment, Jessie disappeared without saying a word with the test in the bathroom and I let myself sink to the floor in front of the door. Leo did it after me and sat down opposite me, one leg bent, the other stretched out leaning against mine. Suddenly I had to start laughing and Leo looked at me as if I were a strange kind of alien he had never seen before.

"What is it," he asked irritatedly.

"You thought I was pregnant," I giggled and he looked at his fingers in shame.

"Not funny, Green," he said and wrinkled his nose.

"What's your last name anyway?",I asked him after a short break because I noticed that he had never told me his last name before.

"Jeon, is our family name," he explained, and we looked at each other silently for a while.

"Crazy', I mumbled sometime and he looked at me frowning.

"You're into confusing me today, aren't you?" he asked with a smile.

I also smiled, leaned my head against the wall and said: "Almost a month ago my biggest worry was that I would forget a dance step and the only exciting thing was my TV show. And now? I met a guy, had a drama with a guy and my best friend is pregnant.

"Crazy," he whispered. "And me? A month ago I met a gorgeous girl who just knocked me over," he said with half-closed eyes and nudged my leg with the tip of his shoe. I nudged him back and we both had to grin.

Suddenly Jessie came out of the bathroom and Leo and I jumped up.

"I'm still pregnant," she said soundlessly, looking at us. "I think I'm going to kill myself," she announced and I sparkled at her.

"Don't say that. That's not funny," I said and looked at her in horror.

"Oh God, how am I supposed to explain this to my parents?" she asked now completely desperately and held a hand in front of her head.

"I think I'd better go now', Leo announced and I nodded, having noticed how uncomfortable he suddenly felt.

"Oh, Jess,' he said before he turned to the front door and she looked up at him. "You will become a great mother', he explained completely honestly.

"You really believe that," she asked completely unbelievingly.

"Of course. He asked back and Jessie stared at him in silence.

"Okay. See you," he said and disappeared through the front door.

I took Jess by the wrist and pulled her to the couch with me.

"How are you," I asked her, although I knew what the answer was.

"Um, I don't know to be honest. I mean, it's a disaster that I'm pregnant. But ... I am pregnant," she said and laid a hand on her stomach. I smiled at her.

"Milan will be happy too," I assured her.

"How in the world am I supposed to explain this to him," she asked helplessly and I didn't know how to answer this question.

"That fits somehow. I'm sure of it," I said and huged her firmly.

"Leo was a real angel today," she remarked, and I smiled immediately.

"Yes, he was," I explained.

"You are in love, Kathie," Jess said, still lying in my arms without looking at me.

I didn't answer anything because I knew she was right. At some point I had to accept this circumstance and yet I was afraid of it. For the rest of the evening we watched series, I cooked her favorite food and we chatted until late into the night. I had missed such days.