Rescue Me

“Pregnant?” I gasped. “You think I’m pregnant?”

“It would make sense Anna!” Zack snapped at me. “You’ve been really happy and secretive. What else would it be?”

“Good lord Zack!” I shook my head. “If I was pregnant, you would know. Everyone would know! Hell, if I was pregnant, it would be Josh’s and do you think that he would keep it quiet?”

“If he didn’t know he -”

“Zack,” I hissed. “If I was pregnant, I wouldn’t keep it from him. I couldn’t keep it from him - it would kill him not to know. And it would kill me to keep it from him.”

“Are you sure you aren’t pregnant?”

“Yes,” I nodded. “When Josh and I broke up, I didn’t want to take any chances. I bought a couple tests and took them - they all came back negative. And so did the doctor’s test the next time I went to see her.” I took a deep breath. “I’m not pregnant Zack. That’s not the reason I’ve been happy.”

“I don’t understand Anna. If it’s not that, then what is it?”

With a sigh, I told him to go back into Chad’s house. “I’ll be in a minute.” I turned from him and pulled out my cell phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Jordan,” I threw over my shoulder. “I was supposed to be over there right now but…” I shrugged. “I’m calling him to tell him I’m not going to be over tonight because after I tell you all what’s been going on, I’m going home. He won’t like it but…”

“Ok,” Zack said after a moment. “I’ll be inside waiting. Cass!”

I waited until Zack and Cassie disappeared inside Chad’s place before I dialled Jordan’s number.

Only one ring went in before I heard Jordan’s voice asking me if everything was ok. “Are you still coming over Babe?”

“I wish I was on my way but…” I groaned. “Something has come up here and I don’t think I’ll be able to make it tonight.”

“Are you sure? Can’t you deal with whatever it is and then meet up with me? If only long enough to say ‘hi’?”

“Jordan, the thing is…” I started to tell him what happened since I told Cassie about us - leaving out the fact that they all thought I was pregnant. “Now I have to go and tell them all about us before they put me under lock and key for something they think I’m doing.”

“You aren’t happy about telling them?” He sounded hurt.

“No Jordy, it’s not that I don’t want to tell them - I do. I just didn’t imagine this being the way that I would come to tell them. I guess I always thought that you would be there with me. I wanted you to be by my side when I told them. Otherwise, I’m afraid that they won’t believe me.”

“I could come over,” he offered.

“No, it’s ok. It’s getting late and you have to work in the morning. I can handle this; just don’t be surprised if someone tries to call you tonight to confirm that you are really my boyfriend.”

“I could come over Anna, I don’t mind. Really.”

I told him once again that it was ok. “I’ll see you tomorrow night. I’ll try to be on time too.”

“Ok Anna, I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you Babe.”

Smiling, I told him that I loved him too. “Good night Jordy.”

I took a moment by myself after I hung up the phone to think about what I wanted to tell my family. I knew that I couldn’t put them off anymore and I knew that it was time to let them in on my happiness.

Walking through the front door, I heard whispered conversations and I was willing to bet that they were all about me. When I walked into the living room, all conversation stopped and everyone turned to stare at me. Cassie jumped from the couch between her parents and came over to me.

“They’ve been trying to get me to tell them what’s going on,” she whispered when she reached me. “I didn’t tell them anything but Aunt Anna,” she squealed. “It’s so exciting! I don’t know how you managed to keep it a secret for a month!”

“Yeah,” I was a little nervous. What I was about to tell them was a big deal for me. “Hey everyone,” I stepped forward, into the center of the room. “I know that you have all been -”

A rapid knocking on the front door cut me off.

“Who could that be?” Susan asked Chad.

“I don’t know,” Chad replied as he pushed off the couch where he was seated comfortably next to his wife. “I’ll see who it is.”

Moments later Chad returned with Jordan on his heels. “I think this one is for you,” Chad threw over his shoulder as he returned to his wife.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered as he approached me, his hands coming to rest on my waist when he stopped.

“Did you really think I was going to let you do this alone? When you wanted me here?” Wrapping his arms around my waist he whispered, “We are in this together Babe, always.”