The Results Are In

I grabbed my test off the counter and stared at it, a million thoughts ran through my head but none seemed to make any sense.

“Susan! Open the door!” Susan’s screams brought Chad running down to the bathroom and he was pounding on the door. I jumped back as I watched the door move with every hit, I thought it was going to come off its hinges.

Susan threw open the door and leapt up into Chad’s arms. “I love you!” She cried through her tears as she planted a kiss on him.

I watched them, wishing that it was me. For the hundredth time today I wished that Josh was with me, I wanted his arms around me, and I wanted to feel him next to me. And most of all I wanted him there so I could tell him what the test said.

“Darling what were you screaming about? Is something wrong? Was there a spider or something you needed help with?”

Susan laughed, “Oh Chad!” She kissed his cheek and wiggled to get down. Once she was standing on the floor again Chad looked pass her at me and then his eyes zeroed in on the pregnancy test sitting on the counter. He glanced at Susan and then back at the test. “Is that…?” Susan watched him with her hand up to her face, she was nervously biting one of her nails as he walked pass her to pick up the test.

I sunk down onto the edge of the tub again and watched as Chad stared at the test in his hand before he grabbed for the box and read it. He glanced from the box to the test a couple times and then he dropped both onto the counter and stared at Susan.

“Chad…” The second Susan said his name; he grabbed hold of her and moved forward until her back was against the door jamb. His face was so unreadable, I thought he was upset about the baby, I wanted to say something and was about to get up when he lowered his head and kissed Susan.

“Darling,” he whispered when he lifted his lips from hers. “Did I read it right? Are we…?” His hand trailed down her side to her belly.

Susan nodded, “Yes.” She threw her arms around his neck and held him tight. “We are having a baby!”

“What?” Krystal came into the bathroom and stared at her parents. “Did you say we are having a baby?”

Chad smiled and pulled her to them, “Yes, you are going to be a big sister again.”

“What about me?” Conner pushed the door back further. “Daddy?” He held his hands upwards, signaling that he wanted up.

Chad bent over and scooped him up. “You are finally going to be a big brother.”

Conner frowned, “Does that mean I won’t be the baby anymore?” When Chad told him that’s what it meant, a big grin spread across his face. “Yes!” He pumped his fist into the air before turning to his mom and telling her he wanted a little brother.

“No way!” Krystal cried, “We are having a baby girl!” Conner quickly came back and told her it was going to be a boy and they started to argue back and forth about the sex of the baby until Chad told them both that everyone was going to love the baby no matter what. The kids agreed but as they all moved down the hallway, I could still hear Conner and Krystal going back and forth about the baby’s sex.

I listened to them tell Zach and Jordan about the baby and I wanted to go and join all of them in the celebration but I found I didn’t have the energy to move. Yes, I was thrilled at becoming an aunt again, I love my nieces and nephew they are the world to me. My fingers twitched over the test that I held behind the shower curtain, where I hid it when Chad came into the bathroom.

I glanced at the open door and then pulled the test out to look at it.

“Hey Anna.” I just barely had time to hide it again before Zach walked into the bathroom. “What are you doing?”

I smiled, “I just can’t believe that they are having a baby.”

He nodded his head and sat on the edge of the counter. “You know,” he picked up the test box. “This is a two pack.” He looked inside and then turned the box upside down. “Where is the other test?” I looked up at him, unblinking but didn’t say a word. “Anna, is there something you’d like to tell me?”

I shook my head, “No nothing to tell here.”

“Ok,” he dropped the box on the counter again and stood up. “Come on, I want to take them out for lunch to celebrate.” He held out his hand to me. “I just have to go pick up Mary and the girls first.”

I stood up and moved towards the door. “So where were you taking everyone?” I asked but I didn’t get a reply. “Zach?” I turned towards him and froze. He was standing next to the tub with the test I took in his hands. “Give me that!” I went to grab for it but he held his arm up straight and I wasn’t tall enough. “Zach!” I tried to jump for it but that didn’t work either.

“Are you sure there’s nothing you want to tell me?” He asked as he stared down at me.

“It’s none of your business.” I told him.

“No? You think that just because you are 23 and no longer live under my roof that your actions don’t concern me?” I nodded and he shook his head. “Damn it Anna, everything you do concerns me and it will continue to concern me until the day I die.”

I turned away from him, “Well it shouldn’t.”

“Tell me.” He demanded.

“Why?” I spun around and glared at him. “You have it in your hand, you looked at it. Why do you need me to tell you that it’s negative?” I punched him on the arm and cried, “It’s negative and I don’t want it to be.”
He pulled me into his arms and held me as I sobbed my disappointment out on his shirt.