The day started out with a test. One line, not two.
But just as I’m throwing the stick into the trash. A second line.
Faint. Undeniable. (Finally.)
Yay! And also ACK!
I should wait to say. Think it through. Decide what I want.
Go to the doctor.
Then tell the partner.
Go to work and then call the doctor.
Wait.
But because there is such a thing as possession by a demon, a voice yelled down to the partner,
“THERE’S A SECOND LINE.”
A similarly uncanny voice echoed up from the kitchen.
“NO THERE’S NOT.”
I ran downstairs to embrace — become a family, but partner was swigging coffee (eww the smell– wait, I love coffee— what’s going–).
“I looked, babe, there was no line.” Brown eyes echoed the concerned voice.
“I know, but then there was! There was a line. There was!”
“Listen, the line is supposed to show up right away, right? It wasn’t there.” Another swig of vile coffee. “That’s that. I mean I’ve been thinking, anyway, what’s the rush? We could do so much more if we didn’t have a–”
“What!”
“Listen, I’m running late, we’ll talk later, okay?” And with that the door closed.
Okay? Nothing is okay. I’m finally and–
Now maybe he doesn’t–
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
Now I’m late, too. In too many ways. Too late.
I’m in time to be late for the first meeting.
Everyone is drinking foul coffee.
Then Supervisor Sandy pulls me off the cursed project.
But it’s okay. I have secrets– this project is going to ruin everyone on it and I’m pregnant!
Back at my desk, I start to call the doctor– BUT–
I grab my phone and run down to the street, because that’s MORE PRIVATE than my desk.
“Yeah, so I took a pregnancy test and–”
“Hold, please.”
*crackly classical music*
The doctor is out doing an emergency c-section– (Right Now! Someone is having baby!!) But she wants me to come in and get blood work. Today!
The Post-it note on my desk says “Emergency.” (Don’t judge.)
Only three blocks down the brick sidewalk to the doctor’s office where they draw my blood.
Back at my desk, a Post-it inviting me to Sandy’s office, where I’m told I’m now the team leader of the doomed project. Whatever! I’m pregnant! I’m going to be a mom! I want to tell everyone, but you are supposed to wait. I’m not going to tell ANYONE–
I’m calling my mom when–
My ringtone announces THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE CALLING.
I ask them to hold on and race back down to the very private busy street.
“Ok, I’m here.”
“So, we got your blood work back–”
–Fast!
“You are what we call ‘a little pregnant.’”
–I knew it!
“What that means is you are about to miscarry at any moment.”
I push END and hurl my phone down at the sidewalk.
Through the broken screen all I can see now is–
NO SIGNAL.
INSTANT NOODLES 