Chapter 20: Chapter 20

I pour the pumpkin pie mix into the crust and slide it into the oven.

I can hear Nathan on the phone in the living room, talking to his brother about the business and I wipe the counter.

Thanksgiving.

How I loved it.

The turkey, pumpkin pies, corn and melted butter,...not to mention the scenery.

Autumn leaves, the dropping temperature...everything about it was just in perfect harmony.

Nathan walks into the kitchen, his hand over the speaker on the phone.

"What do you say about having Thanksgiving dinner with Fred and Betty?" He asks, referring to his brother and I blink in pleasant surprise.

"Sure, why not?" I say and he smiles before returning to the phone call.

The idea of having dinner with his brother's family always warmed my heart.

They were so welcoming and understanding...even after I apologised for leaving so abruptly the other time.

I open the fridge in search of what else to make, so we can offer it in addition with the pie.

But then my gaze settles on the jar of pickles and I take it instead, unable to resist my sudden cravings for them.

Nathan walks in and his brows shoot up at the sight of me stuffing my face with pickles.

"Babe, that's the third jar you've emptied this week." He says chuckling when I hide my face.

"I'm sorry, I...I just suddenly realise how amazing pickles are." I say and finish the one in my hand.

"You know what? I'm beginning to think you're staying at my place because of my pickles." He says as he comes around to hold me from behind.

"Nice guess, Sherlock." I tease, and then I feel the coolness of a metal chain around my neck.

When I look down, I'm staring at a gold locket dangling as a pendant to the chain while Nathan fixes it in place behind my neck.

"What's this?" I ask, turning around to face him and he smiles.

"I wanted to give you something special to show how thankful I am to have you in my life. Happy thanksgiving baby, I love you." He says and plants a kiss on my forehead.

I stare speechless at Nathan, with his eyes fixed adoringly on me. And then I open the locket.

The two spaces are occupied with the pictures of our silly selfies.

The first one is from when he carried me on his back after our second date.

And the second one is from the night we got back together, before we had dinner at his brother's.

"Oh...my goodness, Nathan. I...I...I don't know what to say." I say sincerely and he smiles at me.

"You don't have to say anything. I love seeing the expression on your face." He says and his words unexpectedly draw up tears I can't control.

"Nathan, I...I love you so much." I say and he frowns at my tears.

"What is it?" He asks.

"I don't know...I just...I'm just so happy." I say and he chuckles as he wipes my eyes.

"So am I, baby." He says and I reach up on my tiptoe and kiss him on the lips.

"Thank you." I say when the kiss is over and he smiles at me.

"As much as I want to stay here staring into your eyes, we have to start getting ready for the dinner at Fred's." He says and I sigh.

"Yeah, you're---"

Suddenly the pickles aren't sitting well with me and I run out of the kitchen in a haste.

"Lu?" Nathan calls from behind me while I dash into the bathroom and puke my guts out into the toilet.

*****

"Are you sure you're okay?" Nathan asks just outside his brother's house and I smoothen my hand over my skirt, nodding.

"I'm good." I say but when I look at him, he doesn't look convinced.

"We can just go back, they won't mind." He says and I giggle.

"I'm fine baby. We agreed it was the pickles...they probably weren't as good as they looked." I say with a reassuring smile and he smiles a bit.

"Okay." Nathan says and rings the door bell.

Just as we hear footsteps approaching, he holds my hand and turns me to look at him.

"If you begin to feel uncomfortable or anything, just let me know. Okay?" He says with concern and I smile.

"Okay." I say and the door opens.

"Lunar!" Emily screams and I giggle as I squat to her level.

"Hi Emily."

"Is that pumpkin pie?" She asks, smiling down at covered bowl in my hand.

"Sure is. Here, why don't you give it to your mum?" I say, handing her the pie and she smiles at me.

"Thanks, Lunar!" She says and dashes off just as Fred walks over.

"I hope you guys saved your appetite because Betty went all out for the dinner." He says, letting us in and when we walk into the dining room, I can see what he is talking about.

The table was stacked.

The aroma coming from it was inviting and it suddenly felt like I hadn't eaten for days.

Betty thanked me for the pie and then Nathan opened the wine and we all sat down to eat.

Dinner was amazing...Or so it was to me.

The food was amazing, the setting and the conversations. And for some reason, I couldn't get enough of the food.

After dessert, Betty took me aside.

"I have to say Lu, since the past month when I last saw you, you're looking....healthier." she says, pouring wine into a glass and I smile.

"Oh, God. You can say it...I'm adding weight like a pig." I say and she laughs as she takes juice out of the fridge and pours it into another glass.

"I wouldn't say it like that. You look really good." She says and hands me the juice.

"Yeah, until I can't fit into my own underwear." I say and she nods, staring at me through observant eyes.

I sip from the juice now, realising that I'm drinking juice.

"Did you make this?" I ask.

She had never given me juice when I come over, so giving me one now must mean it's pretty special.

"Well, no. It's just...." Betty trails off and sighs.

"What?" I ask, sipping the drink.

"Well I noticed your...um...appetite during dinner." She says and I laugh.

"I know....I know. In all fairness, it shows you cooked a good meal." I say and empty the glass of juice.

"Listen, Lunar..." Betty says softly and puts her hand on mine.

It's then I see the look in her eyes. Like she's begging me to understand something.

"Yes?"

"Are you feeling...okay?" She asks and it dawns on me now and I can't help but laugh.

"Oh, Nathan must have told you about my throwing up incident." I say with a giggle but her expression becomes more serious.

"It's fine. I just had a bad batch of pickles." I say and she blinks.

"Pickles?" She asks.

"Yeah. For some reason I'm just beginning to love them." I say and she sets her glass down as she walks closer to me.

"Lunar, I think..." she starts and sighs again.

"Listen. Maybe, you should---" Betty starts again but Nathan walks into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, Betty, but Lunar and I have to go. It's a long drive back, and..." he doesn't finish because Betty nods.

"Of course." She says and Nathan leaves to get the car keys.

"Betty, what is it? What were you trying to tell me?" I ask and she bites her lip thoughtfully.

"Lunar...I think you should go to a pharmacy." She says, her eyes begging me to understand.

A pharmacy?

What for?

*********

Betty's concern and her words are still racking in my mind when I wake up the next morning.

'Lunar...I think you should go to a pharmacy.'

Why did she make it sound so serious? It was just a---

I sit up now from bed as I feel a bile rise up in my throat and rush into the bathroom.

There goes my dinner.

"Urgh." I groan as I wash my face and stare at my reflection in the mirror.

Maybe Betty was right.

I should take something for this stomach bug.

When I walk into the bedroom, Nathan is fast asleep. I could take a quick trip to the pharmacy and back before he wakes up.

Carefully, I grab his keys and my jacket and head for the pharmacy.

The quiet drive to the pharmacy allows thoughts to prick into my head and it occurs to me that I didn't visit dad for thanksgiving.

The wave of guilt brings tears to my eyes and I'm crying by the time I park the car.

I have to see him.

I'll ask Nathan to come with me.

With that thought in mind, I take a deep breath and wipe my eyes as I head into the pharmacy.

A white haired man is standing behind the counter and he looks up at me when the bell rings.

"Hi." I say to him when I get to the counter and he smiles.

"Good morning."

"Can I get something for a stomach bug?" I ask and he frowns.

"Stomach bug? Do you have a prescription?" He asks and I sigh.

"No, but I've thrown up twice now and I can't keep ignoring that." I say and the man chuckles.

"You can't just pin nausea on a stomach bug. There are many other illnesses that can cause nausea. Do you have any other symptoms?"

"Not unless you count a huge appetite and food cravings as one." I joke and he nods.

"As a matter of fact, you can. These are very good symptoms of pregnancy, but I suggest you go to a hospi---"

I do a double take.

"What?"

"Pregnancy." He says simply and starts searching for something while I let out a chuckle.

"No, I think you're mistaken. I'm not pregnant." I say and he resurfaces with a pregnancy test.

"So, you haven't had unprotected sex?" He asks simply and I try not to blush as I think back.

Unprotected sex?

"No, I haven't. I..." I trail of now as the memory hits me.

The day we had sex in the shower...after dinner at his brother's.

Oh no.

The man is observing me.

"It's not certain, but you should try the test and also visit a hospital." He says as he hands me the test and I frown at him.

"I'm not pregnant." I say firmly.

"Listen,...It's perfectly normal to be in denial abo--"

"No, you don't understand. I'm not pregnant. I'm just not." I insist.

"Miss--"

"I can't be pregnant. I....I...." my words trail off.

Now it all makes sense.

The pickles, mood swings and tearing up, throwing up, morning sickness....Betty's concern.

That's what she was trying to tell me.

"There's a bathroom in the back if you want to clear your doubts." He says and I take the pregnancy test as I look at him.

Speechless, I walk remotely to the bathroom and look down at the package, reading the instructions.

One line for negative.

Two lines for positive.

But...I'm not pregnant.

I'm not pregnant.

I'm not pregnant.

I chant the words in my head even as I take the stick out and pee on it.

When I'm done, I drop it on the sink and wash my hands as I observe it,....waiting.

Within seconds, two red, straight lines come to view.

Two lines for positive.

I'm pregnant.