Pain - Reddie

forty

(richie tozier)
*july 21st, 3:36 am*
ring, ring, ring.
"why is bev calling me?" i mutter.
i pick up bev's call.
"rich, can you come over? i have a major problem," bev asks.
"sure, i'll be there in 10 minutes," i answer.
is she okay? is ben okay?
i write a note for eddie and my mom. i slide on a hoodie and i get in my car.
(remember the losers are 17 now)
once i get to bev's house, i climb in through her window since i don't want to wake her aunt. i can tell she's been crying.
"bev, what's wrong?" i ask.
"on prom night ben and i decided to try something, we used protection, but i'm late, richie. i don't know what to do, what if i'm pregnant?" bev explains.
i hug bev. i let her cry into my shoulder.
"hey, bev, it will be okay. i promise, even if you are pregnant, i know the losers and everyone else will give you help. i'll stay here, i'll text eddie and tell him," i tell bev.
"rich, if it's negative you can go home," bev tells me.
"even if it is i'm staying with you."
"thank you, rich. i'm going to go and take it now," bev says.
she descends into the bathroom, i pick up my phone to call eddie. i click his contact and i wait until he picks up.
"hello?" eddie groggily says.
"hey, baby. bev is having some womanly problems, so i don't think imma be home for a while. i wanted to tell you before you started to freak out," i tell eddie.
"okay. is it okay if i hang out with will then?" eddie asks.
"of course, baby. just be safe, i'll see you later. i love you!"
i hang up and bev comes out of the bathroom
"we have to wait five minutes," bev tells me.
"do you want me to call ben?" i ask.
"let's wait and see what it says," bev responds.
"if you're pregnant and it's a boy, can you name it richie junior?" i joke.
"no, richie!" bev shouts.
after about 10 minutes, we go in the bathroom. bev picks up the pregnancy test, she starts to tear up a little.
"richie, i'm pregnant."