Tell The Truth

“Ok… Paul,” I said to my husband. I was nervous. Hell, of course, I was nervous, “You may want to sit down for this.”  Paul doesn’t deserve this he is so kind and caring. He would do anything for anyone. 

             “Ok?” He sat down at the kitchen table. 

             “I am pregnant.” He looked like he was filled with joy. I’m relieved he thought it was his, but I also felt so guilty that it wasn’t his. He shouldn’t have to go through this. He doesn’t deserve to be cheated on at all but, here I am. I know he would forgive me but that is not what I deserve, I deserve a divorce.   

             “When did you find out?” He asked and you could totally see the excitement in his eyes. 

             “Michelle’s bachelorette party, we all got super drunk and Erika happened to have pregnancy tests in her purse.”  

***

             “Michelle!” Michelle’s cousin, Erika, put her arm around her with a beer in the other arm, “I’m so glad you are getting married. I thought you never would!” She was wasted. 

             “Yeah! I’m going to have sex tomorrow! The best sex! Christian’s so hot!” 

             Erika put her hand on her mouth, “Let’s test and see if you are actually a virgin! I have pregnancy tests in my purse!” 

             “Yes!” Melonie screamed, “I bet you couldn’t wait. You and Christian went all hot and hubba hubba.” 

             “I could have done the dirty deeds and not be pregnant,” Michelle said.  I honestly don’t know if she was trying to make a point or if she was agreeing with them. 

             “That sounds very suspicious!” Melonie said. 

             “Give me that test, Erika and I’ll prove I’m not pregnant!” Erika gave her the test and we, almost all drunk except for me, followed her to the bathroom. We stood in there with her. “I can’t pee when you all are staring at me.” 

             We all left laughing. “Not pregnant!” Michelle screamed when she saw it, “In your faces!”  She walked out and rubbed it in our faces.  

             “My turn!” Melonie said, taking a test out of Erika’s hand. She was obviously scared. “I gotta make sure that we aren’t having kids,” she was talking about her husband. 

             Melonie walked into the bathroom and came out looking relieved, “Not pregnant! Oh, praise Jesus!”   

             “Lucy’s turn!” Erika yelled. 

             “No-no I’m not pregnant,” I said to the group. 

             “Go see!” Erika handed me a test and pushed me into the bathroom, “let’s see if Otis is going to have a baby sibling.” 

             I went in and took the test. I had trouble reading to see if it had one line. I walked out of the bathroom and I saw a faint second line, “I think it has one line but, I’m not so sure.”

             “Nope, that has two!” Erika said over my shoulder. “Let’s take this away,” she took away my cup. 

             “Give me another test, this is a prank.” She gave me another test. I went into the bathroom and took it. Two lines. Damn it!  

             I walked out of the bathroom, “I’m pregnant.” I could barely get those words out of my mouth. I was shocked we did everything we could to prevent we doubled up and I’m on the pill. 

             “Geesh,” Erika said, “When did you get home?” 

             “Last night.” I smiled in shock. “Does it usually show up after one day?” My heart was beating out of my chest.   

             “Takes at least a week! Shit! You whore, who you been sleepin’ with overseas?”

             “This can’t happen to me! This can’t happen to me! We do everything we can do to prevent anyone from knowing and then this throws itself at us. Oh gosh, why is this happening to me?” 

             “Sit down babe,” She walked us all to the kitchen. 

             “I’ll make some coffee,” Michelle said. 

             I sat down at Michelle’s kitchen table. She has a one-room apartment. She and Christian bought a house but because of their religious beliefs, they haven’t moved in with each other yet. 

             “So, tell us the story, we’ll get ya out,” Erika told me. I was shaking. Michelle put coffee in front of me. 

             “Oh wait,” Michelle said, “Coffee is bad for the fetus.” 

             “Then get me water!” I snapped at my best friend, Michelle.  She doesn’t care that we snap at each other all of the time. 

             “So, who’s the baby daddy? Or do you not know?” Melonie asked. 

             “I think you all know—”

             They had to think for a minute then Erika made this shocked face. She was as white as a ghost and so was Melonie and Michelle. 

             “The guy from your wedding? At your wedding, you bring this hot best friend and there is no physical attraction, and he made that huge speech at your wedding and stood and wanted you.” She laughed, “Wow!” 

             “How long has the affair been?” Melonie asked. 

             “Since a little after my wedding.” All of my secrets were getting poured out on the table.   

             “Of course, it has,” Michelle said.

             “You all know that I’m not the type of girl to cheat but I could not have done to Paul.”

             “Can’t leave him at the alter but can cheat on him oversees. How serious are you and your best friend?” 

             “I don’t know, we don’t talk about commitment. We start talking but then you get it. Oh, we are so careful too. I’m on the pill and we always try to double up.” 

             “Accidents happen dear,” Erika said, “Look at Michelle for example.” 

             “Shut up!” Michelle said. “So, what are you going to do?” 

             “I love them both. I don’t know. Paul makes me happy but Hudson he makes me so happy if you know what I mean.” 

             “That’s not what I was asking, what about the baby?” 

             “There are two options there, I could pretend the baby is Paul’s, or I could take Otis and run away with Hudson. Otis is young enough not to remember what Paul looks like so we could pretend that Hudson is his father as well as the baby’s.” 

             “That sounds like a lot of lies, just tell the truth.” 

             “I’ll probably do that. Why did I get myself in this big mess?” I was crying.   

             ***

             “So, we were at her party drunkish and we all took pregnancy tests turns out I’m pregnant, and—” he hugged me and gave me a kiss. 

             “We’re having another baby! We’re having another baby!” He was crying tears of joy.   

             “Yes! We are having another baby.” I lied to him.