Are You The One?

“What’s wrong?” Brittany asked alarmed.

“Eric asked me to move in with him. I said no at first but with your new job you can handle the rent and bills on your own so last week I told him yes.”

“That’s wonderful” Brit said feigning enthusiasm for her friend.

“Really? You’re not upset?” she asked.

“Of course not Tara. If you’re happy then I’m happy.”

Tara hugged Brit, tears streaming down her face.

“I was so worried that you would be upset,” she said.

“When are you moving?” Brit asked casually.

“This Sunday,” Tara admitted.

“That soon?” Brit questioned.

“Well, Eric bought us a house. In the city. In fact, it’s only about twenty-five minutes from here. Well with no traffic.”

“See Tara? You were worried for nothing. We’ll see one another.”

*****

After Tara moved Brit was lonelier than ever. She wasn’t ready to start dating, although she had gotten several offers. If she was being honest it was because Cliff was still on her mind. She often masturbated to the memory of their one perfect night together.

About a month and a half after their hookup Brit was at home alone, as usual, eating a carton of shrimp lo mein and researching her first article when she felt the need to throw up. She barely made it to the bathroom. She was on her way back to the kitchen when the second bout of nausea hit her. Afterwards she made her way to the kitchen and sniffed the lo mein. It must have gone bad. She drank a glass of water and feeling lightheaded went to bed early.

The next day at work she felt the need to throw up after eating an egg and cheese bagel. Her co-worker Jeanie told her she looked green. She was splashing some water on her face in the bathroom when her boss Diana walked in.

“Hey Brittany. Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah I’m fine. I think I have a slight case of food poisoning,” she replied.

“Oh that’s terrible. Hopefully you’ll feel better soon,” she said entering a bathroom stall.

Brit was drying her hands when Diana called out.

“Oh no. Brittany are you still there?” she asked.

“Yeah is everything okay?” she responded.

“Yes. Mother nature decided to come a few days early. Do you by any chance have a tampon?” she asked.

“Sure,” Brit said rummaging through her purse.

Suddenly it hit her. Brit did some quick calculations in her head.

“Brittany?” Diana called.

“Yes. Here you go,” she said handing Diana the small wrapped tube over the stall door.

“Diana?” she said softly.

“Yes?” her boss shot back.

“I’m not really feeling that well. Do you think I can leave early? I promise this is not a habit…my stomach is just in knots,” she said weakly.

“Of course. As long as your article is turned in on time.”

“It definitely will be. I promise.”

Brit went back to her office, grabbed her jacket and a few files and rushed to get to her car. She drove straight to the pharmacy where she proceeded to have a panic attack in the parking lot. She couldn’t do this. She picked up her cell phone and quickly dialed a number.

“Hello?” the voice on the other end asked.

“Tara! Thank goodness you answered. I need you.”

“Is everything okay?” Tara asked alarmed.

“I don’t know. Can you meet me at the apartment in about thirty minutes? Please?” she pleaded.

“Yes of course. I’m on my way.”

Brit hung up the phone and made her way to the pharmacy. Five minutes later she was heading home, trying her best not to think about what was in the bag.

Tara met her by the door.

“Why didn’t you use your key?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Brit is everything okay? You look sick. You’re so pale,” she exclaimed.

Brit opened the door to the apartment and collapsed on the couch in tears.

“Brit what is it? Did you lose your job?” Tara asked.

“Tara. I think…I think I might be pregnant,” she cried.

“Whoa. Pregnant? Who is the father?”

Brit hung her head avoiding Tara’s question.

“Brit?”

“Cliff,” she said softly.

“Cliff?” she asked in shock. “When did this happen?” she questioned.

“The night of the ball,” Brit exclaimed.

“Wow.”

“Don’t judge me,” Brit snapped.

“Come on. You know me better than that. So did you take a test?”

“I just bought one. I didn’t want to be alone.”

After Brit had calmed down and drank a glass of water she took the test. Brit and Tara waited patiently in the bathroom for the ten minutes to pass. It was the longest ten minutes of Brit’s life. 

Finally, it was time. Brit looked at the pregnancy test. It was positive.

“Oh my god Tara. The test is positive,” she said.

“Wow,” her best friend said taking the test from her.

There was a brief awkward silence where she handed Brit back the test and then Tara sprung into action.

“You know these things are never accurate. You should make an appointment and see your doctor,” Tara reasoned.

“You’re right. Sometimes you get a false positive right? And the line is not even that dark. Maybe it’s not even positive,” Brit said squinting her right eye as she examined the test.

But there was no mistaking the two red lines, no matter how faint they were. 

She made a call to her doctor who was able to squeeze her in the next day. She then called Diana and told her that she would be taking the day off.

“Brittany it’s fine. As long as I have that article on my desk by print time you can work from home if you have to,” Diana said to a relieved Brit.

She couldn’t believe that one night of giving into temptation may have resulted in a pregnancy. She was distraught and didn’t know what she should do. She wanted children but she had hoped that she would be in a committed relationship and married before that ever happened. She wasn’t overly religious but that night she prayed that she had bought a faulty test.