A Baby In The House

“You don’t miss your hometown?”

“I miss you and Carly.”

She could feel her mother’s eyes on her. “Everything going okay at work?”

She nodded. “Yeah, work’s going good.”

“You must be putting in long hours. You look tired.”

She was tired, but not because of extra hours at work. “I’ve been busy and then it’s been so hot. You know the heat always drains me.” Even with the new window air conditioner, she felt warm and swiped at her brow with a napkin.

“Maybe you want to take a nap before dinner,” her mother suggested.

She nodded. “I would, but first I need to talk to you about something.”

Her mother’s brow furrowed. “So you didn’t just come because you wanted to see me. I should have known.”

“Mom, that’s not fair. I come up here all the time and very seldom do I ever ask for anything.”

Her mother reached for her hands and gave them a squeeze. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Oh, before I forget.” She jumped up and went over to the tiny bookshelf in the corner. “I have a new book for you.”

Krystal read the title aloud. “How to Marry Your Soul Mate in One Year Or Less.”

“I heard the author talking about it on TV,” her mother said, her voice full of excitement. “She knows her stuff, Kryssie. Take it home with you and read it.”

She nodded and murmured a thanks, knowing perfectly well that she’d take it home and add it to the pile of self-help books her mother had given her over the years—most of them about how to find a mate for life. She knew it was important to her mother that Krystal find her soul mate. Really important. Which made it all the more difficult for Krystal to tell her she was pregnant, yet it had to be done.

She set the book aside. “Mom, I need to talk to you.”

Her mother frowned. “Something’s bugging you. What is it? Are you having money problems? Is that it? If you need to borrow some, I have a little put away,” she told her.

Krystal pushed a stray red strand of hair back from her face. “I don’t need money, Mom.”

“But you need something. I can see it in your face.”

Krystal took a deep breath and clenched her fingers, aware that the moment she’d been dreading had arrived and there was no turning back. “I do need something, Mom. I need your understanding.”

“About what?” she asked slowly.

Krystal tried to get the words out, but they stuck in her throat. She swallowed with difficulty, trying to stop the emotion that threatened to make this even more difficult than it already was. When moisture pooled in her eyes, she knew she’d lost the battle.

Her mother saw her distress and demanded, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

A tear slipped down her cheek and she swiped at it with the back of her hand. “I messed up big time, Mom.”

“Messed up how? You didn’t get fired, did you?”

She shook her head. “It’s not about work, Mom. I already told you that.”

“Then tell me what it is about. You’re sitting there looking as if you’ve lost your best friend. Is that it? Did you and Shannon have words?”

Krystal reached into her purse for a tissue and blew her nose. She knew there was no easy way to tell her mother and blurted out, “I’m pregnant.”

In the blink of an eye her mother’s hand slapped her face, stinging her cheek. For a moment, Krystal was too stunned to move. Then she jumped up from her chair, grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

She expected her mother to come after her, to tell her she was sorry, that she’d reacted emotionally and she regretted it.

But she didn’t. For all Krystal knew she could still be sitting at the kitchen table. She certainly wasn’t making any effort to stop her daughter from leaving.

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Krystal climbed into her car and started the engine. And for the second time that day she felt as if she were running away from home.

CHAPTER THREE

WHEN KRYSTAL PULLED IN TO Carly’s long driveway she saw her sister sitting on the porch swing. Beside her was Emily, her four-year-old daughter. As soon as they saw Krystal’s car, they came running across the lawn to welcome her.

“I’m glad you came here,” Carly said, wrapping her in a sisterly hug.

It was the only place in Fergus Falls Krystal could go. Since she’d moved to St. Paul she’d lost touch with many of her friends. Most of them had moved away, but of the ones who remained, none could give her the emotional support that Carly provided.

As children they’d been like other close siblings, rivals one minute and best friends the next. Being older by fifteen months, Krystal had often played the role of protector, looking out for the smaller, more innocent Graham girl. It wasn’t until the emotional turbulence of adolescence that their roles reversed, with a calm Carly being the one who kept a watchful eye on an impetuous Krystal.

“Did Mom call?” she asked, although she already knew the answer.

Carly nodded. “I’ll tell you about it in a minute.”

Emily tugged on Krystal’s hand saying, “Auntie Krys, guess what? I get to go with Grandma.”

Krystal stiffened as she looked to her sister for an explanation.

“Relax. She means Joe’s mother,” Carly explained.

“I get to eat supper at Grandma’s, then go get ice cream at church,” Emily boasted.

“It’s an old-fashioned ice-cream social.” Carly then said to Emily, “Go get your backpack from the house. I think I see Grandma’s car coming.” As she skipped away she said to Krystal, “You didn’t tell me you were planning to tell Mom you’re pregnant today.”

“I didn’t know. I just got in the car and came up here on the spur of the moment.” She shook her head. “Boy, was that a mistake.”

Carly placed a hand on her arm, her eyes full of compassion. “Are you okay? You’re trembling.”

“I know. I should probably eat something. I haven’t had anything since breakfast except for a milk shake,” she told her, not wanting to begin a discussion with Carly’s mother-in-law in the driveway.

“I’ll make you something as soon as Joe’s mom leaves with Emily,” she said with a comforting pat on Krystal’s arm.

Krystal nodded and tried to act as if nothing was wrong as the three women made small talk. It was a typical August afternoon with the humidity making it feel much warmer than the temperature indicated. By the time Emily and her grandmother finally left, perspiration tickled the back of Krystal’s neck and she felt light-headed.

Carly noticed her paleness and looped an arm through Krystal’s. “Come. We’re going inside where it’s cool and I’ll get you something to eat.”

Carly’s house was definitely cooler than her mother’s, but then it was nothing at all like the homes in the trailer park. It was two stories of brick with tall ceilings, lots of windows, and a design that was as elegant as any of the model homes she’d seen in the cities. It had everything she and Carly had dreamed about as children, including a swimming pool in the backyard.