deplorable, I would
find him downright threatening. I got the distinct impression that when the
gene pool divided between the two Johnson brothers, Jason was mostly Millie,
and Reed was a lot more Buck.
“I’m sorry, I’ve been yapping
this whole time. You haven’t even had a chance to tell me about your day,” Reed
asked. My day was honestly uneventful, and the only thing on my mind was how I
was going to open up to him about this pregnancy, my emotions still not ready
to face the questions that came barreling at me once that little fact was out
in the open. And this conversation certainly wasn’t going to happen over the
phone.
Suck it up, Nolan. Keep
pretending.“It’s okay, you’re allowed to be irritated, and I’m glad you
can talk to me about your frustrations. My day was pretty boring, so you’re not
missing much.”
“Noles, every day I’m not with
you, I’m missing a lot, ” he was sincere, and when he said things like
that, it made my heart race. I believed him. I just hoped he’d still feel the
same and say those same words after we talked this weekend.
Reed talked a little more about
Jason and his dad’s leg. He said his father would be in the cast until the
holidays, but that he should start to be able to get around after that. Rose
was coming to stay at the house to help out, too, and Reed was hopeful that Jason
wouldn’t stay the entire time. I didn’t want to tell him, but I was pretty sure
Jason loved being in charge, and I wouldn’t put it past him to break his
father’s other leg just to hold onto the job a little longer.
I let Reed go as the sun was
setting, promising to call him before I left to come home in the morning. Most
of my dorm residents were out partying at the nearby apartment
complex—where the campus rules didn’t apply. Thursdays were more like
Fridays around here, with most of the classes wrapping on Thursday afternoons.
I took advantage of the peace
and solitude and hauled my bag of laundry down the hall so I’d have clean
clothes for the weekend. I kicked back in the laundry room for about three
hours while I put two loads through wash and dry cycles. I was able to finish
my poetry reading and even made my notes for our class discussion on Monday. I
was determined to pull my Bs back up to As—even if my grades didn’t
matter after this semester. “Push those thoughts back down, Nolan,” I told myself.
It was close to 11 p.m. by the
time I finally got everything folded and packed and was settled in my bed for
the night. I checked my phone one last time and found a short text from Reed.
See you tomorrow, Princess.
That was it, but it was enough.
I closed my eyes and fell asleep quickly for the first time in days.
The clock read 3 a.m. when my
eyes flashed open. I was suddenly and completely alert, but I had no idea why.
My pulse was pounding, and I stilled my breathing, listening for a noise.
Something must have startled me. I watched the small line of light that marked
where my door met the floor, studying it for foot traffic or a shadow, but
there was no one outside. Deciding it must have been a dream, I threw my covers
off and slid sideways from my bed. That’s when I noticed the blood.
My pajama bottoms were soaked,
and I could feel dampness on my sheets. Fully awake with adrenaline, I flipped
on the light next to my bed to understand. I was bleeding, and badly. I raced
to the bathroom and pulled my clothes off, still trying to understand. How
could I be bleeding? I checked for more blood, and it was heavy.
No, no, no.I was so
scared something was wrong. I was now more than two weeks late, so something
had to be wrong with me. I wrapped a towel around my body and went to my desk
to grab my phone. I needed Sarah.
I dialed, not even thinking what
time it was. When she answered, I realized. “Hello? Nolan?” she whispered
groggily. “What the fu…”
“Sarah, please come. Come right
now. I need you, something’s wrong!” I was
find him downright threatening. I got the distinct impression that when the
gene pool divided between the two Johnson brothers, Jason was mostly Millie,
and Reed was a lot more Buck.
“I’m sorry, I’ve been yapping
this whole time. You haven’t even had a chance to tell me about your day,” Reed
asked. My day was honestly uneventful, and the only thing on my mind was how I
was going to open up to him about this pregnancy, my emotions still not ready
to face the questions that came barreling at me once that little fact was out
in the open. And this conversation certainly wasn’t going to happen over the
phone.
Suck it up, Nolan. Keep
pretending.“It’s okay, you’re allowed to be irritated, and I’m glad you
can talk to me about your frustrations. My day was pretty boring, so you’re not
missing much.”
“Noles, every day I’m not with
you, I’m missing a lot, ” he was sincere, and when he said things like
that, it made my heart race. I believed him. I just hoped he’d still feel the
same and say those same words after we talked this weekend.
Reed talked a little more about
Jason and his dad’s leg. He said his father would be in the cast until the
holidays, but that he should start to be able to get around after that. Rose
was coming to stay at the house to help out, too, and Reed was hopeful that Jason
wouldn’t stay the entire time. I didn’t want to tell him, but I was pretty sure
Jason loved being in charge, and I wouldn’t put it past him to break his
father’s other leg just to hold onto the job a little longer.
I let Reed go as the sun was
setting, promising to call him before I left to come home in the morning. Most
of my dorm residents were out partying at the nearby apartment
complex—where the campus rules didn’t apply. Thursdays were more like
Fridays around here, with most of the classes wrapping on Thursday afternoons.
I took advantage of the peace
and solitude and hauled my bag of laundry down the hall so I’d have clean
clothes for the weekend. I kicked back in the laundry room for about three
hours while I put two loads through wash and dry cycles. I was able to finish
my poetry reading and even made my notes for our class discussion on Monday. I
was determined to pull my Bs back up to As—even if my grades didn’t
matter after this semester. “Push those thoughts back down, Nolan,” I told myself.
It was close to 11 p.m. by the
time I finally got everything folded and packed and was settled in my bed for
the night. I checked my phone one last time and found a short text from Reed.
See you tomorrow, Princess.
That was it, but it was enough.
I closed my eyes and fell asleep quickly for the first time in days.
The clock read 3 a.m. when my
eyes flashed open. I was suddenly and completely alert, but I had no idea why.
My pulse was pounding, and I stilled my breathing, listening for a noise.
Something must have startled me. I watched the small line of light that marked
where my door met the floor, studying it for foot traffic or a shadow, but
there was no one outside. Deciding it must have been a dream, I threw my covers
off and slid sideways from my bed. That’s when I noticed the blood.
My pajama bottoms were soaked,
and I could feel dampness on my sheets. Fully awake with adrenaline, I flipped
on the light next to my bed to understand. I was bleeding, and badly. I raced
to the bathroom and pulled my clothes off, still trying to understand. How
could I be bleeding? I checked for more blood, and it was heavy.
No, no, no.I was so
scared something was wrong. I was now more than two weeks late, so something
had to be wrong with me. I wrapped a towel around my body and went to my desk
to grab my phone. I needed Sarah.
I dialed, not even thinking what
time it was. When she answered, I realized. “Hello? Nolan?” she whispered
groggily. “What the fu…”
“Sarah, please come. Come right
now. I need you, something’s wrong!” I was
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