Best Friend's Brother - Chapter Eight

         I managed to keep my mind off of everything for about ten seconds at a time at the beginning and then I was managing full minutes before thoughts of Marcie plagued my subconscious.  The guilt was gnawing at me and by the time Friday came around four weeks later I felt like I was going to be sick.
         Quarter after eight there was a knock at my door so I slipped out of the ball I was in on the couch and went to answer the door.  I wasn't really expecting anyone but that didn't stop my friends from showing up out of nowhere.
         I opened the door and smiled.  “Bree!”
         She laughed and pulled me into a hug.  “Hey girl hey!  I haven’t seen you in forever!”
         I hugged her back just as tightly.  “Bree, it’s been like a week or so.  I know you’re busy with work and home life and everything.  Besides, we talk on the phone basically daily!”
         She giggled and closed the door behind her.  “But this is different!  Talking to you is great but I haven’t actually seen you in forever.  You’d think working so close to each other we’d at least go out to lunch together!”
         Like Whitney, Brianne worked at the elementary school near my building.  They’d had it all figured out by grade nine and somehow had managed to make it come true.  While Whitney was a kindergarten teacher and ran the school daycare in her “spare” time, Bree was a fourth grade teacher and a mentor to all the kids she taught. 
         We might work close to each other but we were never free at the same time.  She was right, it was frustrating at times.
         “So what brought you here?”
         “Whitney told me you lost your V card, girl.”
         I felt the blood rush to my cheeks.  “She did, did she?”
         She laughed at my expression.  “Did you really think I wouldn't find out?  She was bursting all week to tell me but she didn't say anything until today at lunch.”
         I laughed.  “Well I’m surprised she lasted this long.”
         “I know right?  That girl has trouble keeping anything from us.  I’m so glad we can trust her with the rest of the world, though!”
         I smiled.  “Truer words were never spoken.  That girl’s more loyal than a cat!”
         We walked through the house and down into the basement to where the games room was talking about the most random things we could think of.  Somewhere between our discussion about Leprechauns being friends with monkeys and Munchkins and arguing over whether Tom or Jerry was better, the pain in my gut came back stronger than before.
         I gasped and clutched my stomach doubling over.  Bree placed a hand on the small of my back.  “Are you okay, Claire?”
         I took a deep breath and the pain went away.  I still felt like I was going to be sick but it wasn't so bad anymore so I nodded.  “I think I might be coming down with something.”
         “Then you’d better be careful,” she said leading me over to the couch.  “We wouldn't want you being sick over the weekend.”
         I laughed and brought us back to the topic we had been talking about.  “So about Tom…”

         Saturday morning I woke up and ran to the bathroom.  I made it to the toilet just in time to puke.  A horrible way to start the weekend off but it let me feel a little bit better.
         I had to sit by the toilet for a couple of minutes before the feeling went away.  I was not going to have a good weekend if this kept happening.
         I stood up and walked back to my bed thinking that I should probably stay in bed for a while longer until I was sure I wasn't going to be sick again.

         Sunday morning I made it through breakfast before getting sick.  I was definitely coming down with something but I still didn't know what it was.
         
         At around three in the afternoon Sunday I felt well enough to get out of the house.  I called Whitney up to see what she was doing and found out that she was taking the kids to the park.
         “How long do you think you’ll be gone?”
         She laughed.  “Missing the kids are you?”
         I smiled at the phone.  “Every day I don’t see their adorable faces.  Not to mention how gorgeous their mother is!”
         “God, you’re such a suck up!” she exclaimed with a laugh.  “We’ll be home in about an hour or so.  Do you want to eat over tonight?”
         “You sure it’s good with the hubby?”
         “It had better be, you’re my best friend.”
         “Thanks, Whit.”
         “Anytime, Girl.”
         We hung up and I smiled.  I could always count on my best friends to be there when I needed them.  First Bree had made a big fuss over me Friday and now Whitney was inviting me over to crash her family time.  Obviously they thought something was up or else they were being way too nice to me for some reason.

         I rang the doorbell at quarter after five.  I heard someone yell something inside and then the door was opened.  Tyler was looking over his shoulder when he called, “I know, Whit.  It’s just Claire.”
         I pretended to be offended.  “Just me?  Man, I feel the love alright!”
         He laughed and pulled me into a hug.  “You look good, Claire.  Almost glow-y.”
         I raised an eyebrow and he shrugged.  “Sorry.  It must be the fact that I've got babies on the brain.”
         He ushered me into the house and I spotted Simon in a doorway.  “Hey there, Simon.”
         His smile was infectious.  “Auntie Cwaire!”
         I laughed and scooped him into my arms.  “Boy you’re getting big!  Soon you’ll be just as big as Jace and Anastasia.”
         He giggled.  “Me big boy!”
         I nodded and then kissed his forehead.  “You sure are.  Still a superhero?”
         He put his finger to his lips.  “Shh!  Secret!”
         I copied him and then lowered my voice.  “I’m sure nobody heard.  You’re too good of a Super to have someone like me slip up, right?”
         He nodded with his eyes wide.  “You’re my sidekick.”
         I laughed and carried him into the living room.  “That’s right, Bud.”
         As soon as I put him down Anastasia came around the corner followed soon after by Jace.  “Auntie Claire!” they called.
         I crouched down to catch them as they ran into my arms.  “Hey guys!  Have you been good?”
         Anastasia nodded but Jace shook his head.  I laughed and ruffled his hair.  “I just know you've been good, Little Man.”
         He smiled.  “Maybe a little.”
         I stood up and looked around but Tyler had disappeared.  “Do you know where Mommy is?”
         “Kitchen!” she called.
         I smiled at the kids as they went to their toys and then walked into the kitchen.  “Hey there, Whit.”
         She smiled at me over the island.  “Hey yourself.  You look positively flushed, you sure you’re okay?”
         I nodded even though the smell of so much food was making my stomach turn.  “Just fine.”
         She paused and looked me over again.  “You sure?  I think I heard Tyler make a comment as well.”
         I shrugged.  “He said I look glow-y but he’s got baby brains right now.  Which reminds me, you shouldn't be working so hard, Missy!”
         She laughed as I washed my hands to help her out.  Her laugh was a little off and a look crossed her face but I dismissed it, unsure whether I had actually seen something there or not.  “It’s fine.  I don’t have to worry about being overworked for a while now.  And unless I’m under bed rest there’s no way I’m going to force all the work onto Tyler to do alone.”
         I smiled at her.  “If you say so.”
         We worked quickly and talked little.  Dinner was ready quickly and was on the table twenty minutes later.
         “So Claire, anything interesting happen at work?” Tyler asked as I placed my first forkful of food into my mouth. 
         I swallowed quickly and smiled.  “Not really.  There’s a book coming out soon that I think Whit might like but I’m going to make her wait a while before she gets it.  You know, wait until she has nothing to do but lie around all day.”
         Whitney laughed.  “That will never happen and you know it.”
         I shrugged.  “Leverage to make you take a day off, then.”
         She stuck her tongue out at me and we both laughed.
         “How old are you?” I asked.
         She put the back of her hand to her forehead with her fingers splayed.  “Five!”
         We burst out laughing and the kids looked at us from their end of the table and then looked away quickly.  It only caused us to start laughing harder and before long tears were running down her face.
         “Enough,” she said breathless.  “If I’m going to be a grown up I need to act like one.”
         “Good luck, Love,” Tyler said before slipping some food into his mouth.
         The rest of dinner went by smoothly like that and I made it all the way through before feeling like I was going to be sick.  I pretended to feel normal but Whitney wasn't fooled.
         “Claire, you look pale.”
         “It’ll pass,” I insisted as I helped her carry the dishes into the kitchen.
         She paused and then shook her head. 
         “What is it, Whit?”
         “I don’t like you looking so pale.  I think you should stay here for the night.”
         I shook my head.  “I can’t.  It’s a school night for the kids and I have work first thing.  I don’t want to have to get up super early to run over to my house to get some clothes.  I swear I’m fine.”
         She sighed.  “You sure?”
         I managed to convince her I was fine about ten seconds before I had to run to the bathroom to throw up.
         Whitney was waiting outside the door when I finally came out.  “I think we need to talk.”
         I looked at her and grimaced.  “I swear I’m fine.  I’m sorry about that.  If any of your kids get sick feel free to blame me.”
         She shook her head.  “I’m not worried about that.  Besides, Tyler’s putting them to bed so we can talk.  Come into the living room for a sec.”
         I followed her cautiously, sure that I wasn't going to like what she was about to say.
         She waited until we were sitting comfortably before she spoke.  “How often are you throwing up?”
         I shrugged.  “It’s not too bad.  It’s only been a couple of days but I thought it was over.  Otherwise I wouldn't have risked your kids.”
         A look crossed her face and she patted my hand softly.  “Don’t worry about them.  It’s you I’m really worried about.”
         I raised an eyebrow.  “How so?”
         She took a deep breath.  “Don’t kill me, okay?”
         “I promise nothing until you tell me what’s going on.”
         Another deep breath.  “How long ago was it that you… slept with my… Matt?”
         I swallowed and felt my cheeks heat up.  “You can’t be thinking what I think you’re thinking.  Can you?”
         “Please answer my question,” she whispered.
         “Four, five weeks ago.”  My voice was equally as quiet as hers. 
         She nodded.  “You need to take the test, Claire.”
         I shook my head.  “It’s not possible.  I’m sure it’s just a little bug or something.  I’ll be just fine in a couple of days.  I swear.”
         She nodded but looked completely unconvinced.  “Keep me updated, okay?”
         I stood up and nodded.  “Of course.  I should get going, though.”
         She nodded, completely lost in thought.  “Talk to you tomorrow.”
         “Bye, Whit.”