Julianna returned from the store a little while later, and I quickly took the pregnancy test. It seemed like forever as we sat in the office, waiting for the results.
I found myself starting to calm down a bit, too. “Even if it is positive, I’ll figure everything out. It’s not how I would have wanted to get pregnant, but then again, a lot of good things happen at the worst time. For example, when I met Gavin.”
“That’s right, and look how that turned out. You went from wondering how someone could be so arrogant to falling in love.”
My biggest concern was income, though. After my student loans were paid off, I’d have more than enough funds to start my holistic medical practice, but a baby was expensive. Luckily, I was starting to have income from the investments my stockbroker had set up for me. “At least I’m set financially to raise a baby.”
“Honey, you have more than enough money to help raise a child. Money is the least of your worries now, and I don’t say that to be mean. I’m just pointing out that one stressor in your life is gone, so things are still looking up.”
I let out a sigh, hoping the alarm would go off any minute now. “Maybe I was being selfish in wanting a stress-free life, Julianna. That’s honestly what I thought would happen once I received the money. I thought that all of my problems would go away, yet here I am, waiting for the results from a pregnancy test.”
Julianna cocked her head to the side. “You didn’t really think that money would solve all of your problems, did you? Jake and I still have challenges with his business, like employees and cash flow issues.”
I nodded while checking the timer on my phone. “Guess I’m just worried about the yoga studio. There’s no way that Annie can come back right now. And if I am pregnant, there’s also no way that I can keep teaching all of these classes and doing the paperwork.
“I wouldn’t worry about the yoga studio, Crystal. You’ve done one hell of a job so far, and Annie will figure out what to do if you have to be out on maternity leave. There are plenty of other instructors who can step up to the plate, and you know that she wouldn’t want you teaching if you’re not feeling up to par.”
That was the only thing that scared me about being pregnant. I could deal with the weight gains and weird cravings, but I could not function if I was nauseous or had a headache. They were debilitating. I might as well set up shop in bed until I gave birth.
When the timer on my phone went off, I carefully picked the test up and saw two lines.
“Well…” Julianna smiled.
I calmly looked her in the eyes. “It’s positive! I’m pregnant.”
She had a hard time gauging my reaction. It was a combination of shock but also a bit of joy.
Julianna squeezed my hands. “It’s going to be okay, Crystal. You’re going to make an amazing mother, and don’t even worry about the yoga studio. It’s time for some of the other instructors to step up and take on more responsibility. Bethany seems pretty responsible, and Annie will be so happy for you.”
I nodded as a few tears ran down my face. “I’ve always wanted kids, too. I’m just surprised because I was taking precautions, that’s all.”
Julianna rolled her eyes at me. “That’s not foolproof, though. These things happen all of the time. My neighbor said that her daughter got pregnant, despite being on a birth control pill. It’s not that common, but it does happen. Most people don’t tell their boyfriend or husband to put on a condom ‘just in case,’ either.”
“I feel a bit guilty, though. Gavin trusted me to take my pill every day. What if I took it at the wrong time, too late in the day, and that’s why I’m pregnant?”
She shook her head at me. “Remember what we just discussed? Go with the flow, Crystal. That’s all in the past. What’s done is done, and this baby could be the best thing that happens to you. Just think about all of the women in the world who struggle to conceive, sometimes for years on end, and you’ve been blessed with a baby. To make it even better, the father is one of the kindest, most caring men in the world.”
That was one of my other big concerns. “I’m nervous about what Gavin will say, though. Me being pregnant is going to be a huge shock to him, and to top it all off, he’s in Hawaii. He’s also working long days. I don’t even know if Gavin would be a good father.”
Julianna threw her head back and laughed. “Are you kidding me? Gavin seems like he’d be the male equivalent of Mother Theresa. What are you worried about?”
I laughed a little bit, but only to ease my tensions. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I guess it’s just fear of the unknown. I’ll feel better once I tell him.”
My mind kept going back to the conversation we had right before he went to Hawaii. Gavin was right about us being in our honeymoon phase. It had started after we got back from Moldova, and I was terrified that something would ruin what we had.
“Something else is on your mind, Crystal. Spill it.”
“Before he went away on business, Gavin made a joke about us being on our honeymoon and said, ‘thank God we don’t have to deal with kids yet.’ At the time, I just laughed it off, but now that I’m pregnant, I’m starting to worry.”
The look on Julianna’s face only confirmed my fear, but she pulled herself together for my benefit. “That was just a joke, Crystal. How did he say it to you?”
“Well, he came to visit me after meeting with Mr. Truman to say he had to go away for a few months. I was up to my ears in paperwork, complaining about how hard it was to run a yoga studio and couldn’t even think straight. I told him that I was too busy working to spend that much time with him anyway. He joked about what Richard was going through with your sister, and that’s when he made that comment.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about, Crystal. He was just referencing the fact that Annie was dealing with a pulled muscle late in her pregnancy, and Richard had to take care of her. That’s all. If anything, I can see why he’d make that kind of joke.”
I knew Julianna had a valid point, but as I placed my hand over my stomach again, I was still worried about Gavin’s reaction. He was different than any guy I had ever dated, but he was still a guy who may very well freak out and run.
If that were the case, then my life was about to become as stressful as it had ever been. No amount of money could prepare me for being a single mother. My only saving grace would be if Gavin vowed to be with me for the whole pregnancy, and the sooner I told him, the better.
