“Oh damn. This is serious, and that’s a strong accusation. I assume you have your reasons for drawing that conclusion and didn’t just pull that out of your ass.”
“I have my reasons, and they’re legit. Ramina refuses to tell me anything. She said she would only betray her brother if he was cheating on me. Anything else needs to come from him.”
My mother nodded. “She’s a smart girl. You can’t expect her to drop a dime on her brother, who, based on their age difference, probably raised her.”
“I know, and I shouldn’t have put her in that position.”
“Has he called?”
“He was calling to check on me, but I stopped answering after the third day because he didn’t want to tell me what I wanted to know. Now he only texts to make sure I’m good and to tell me he loves me.”
“I wish I had some answers for you, sweetheart. All I can say is give him time. If he loves you, he’ll come around. In the meantime, why haven’t you taken a pregnancy test?”
“Honestly, Ma, I’m embarrassed to say.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m too old to be this confused about my body.”
“Girl, a woman’s body confuses the most educated doctors in the world. Don’t be embarrassed.”
I’d been lying down while we talked but sat up and made room for my mother next to me. She scooted from the edge of the couch and wrapped her arm around my shoulder, letting me rest my head on her chest.
“Rowdy and I always use condoms, but about a month ago, we slipped up. I planned to take a Plan B, but I forgot.”
“Most women don’t have symptoms until after they’ve missed their cycle, but a lot of the early pregnancy signs are the same as the ones you experience leading up to your cycle. What symptoms have you had?”
“I’ve been vomiting the past two mornings. My boobs are super tender and feel like they’ve grown two sizes. My past two cycles were super light, but I didn’t think much of it because it always happens at the beginning of the school year when I’m stressed.”
“So, you think you could be a few months along?”
“It’s possible, but we’ve been using protection.”
“I know you know condoms aren’t 100 percent effective.”
“I do, but don’t you think I would’ve known, or at least suspected I was pregnant sooner than two days ago?”
“Not necessarily. I didn’t know I was pregnant with you or Indy until I was about four months along.”
“Really? That’s crazy.”
“Part of the reason was because I suffered from PCOS, and my cycle came when it wanted to. I didn’t experience anysymptoms for the entirety of those pregnancies. Some women know immediately, some don’t. There’s no rhyme or reason to it all. Let’s find out if you’re actually pregnant so we can stop speculating.”
“If I’m pregnant, you won’t be disappointed in me?”
“Of course not. I’ll always be proud of you. Why don’t I go pick up a test so we can be sure?”
“Will you, Ma? That would be so helpful. I’m just not feeling up to it.”
“The pharmacy is right down?—”
My phone rang, and Ramina’s name flashed across the screen. I was immediately concerned because she usually only called me when Rowdy was with me and wasn’t answering his phone.
“Hey, Mina. Is everything?—”
“Rowdy was shot!” she shouted.
“What?”
