Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Meanwhile, I heat up the soup and watch my mom watch TV.
“What are you watching?” I ask idly.
“Oh you know, this and that. There’s a really great new reality show called Garden State Cat Fights, and I love it because the characters live just in the next town over. Go Jersey!”
I sigh. Judy’s obviously hopeless, and I won’t be getting anything more out of her. I’m about to hang up when suddenly, another face fills up the screen, her brown eyes wide and happy.
“Sarah! What’s up?”
I grin at my little sister with her brown curls and chubby cheeks.
“Hey Colleen. I’m just a little under the weather, so I figured I’d take a minute to say hi.”
“Mom, I’m taking your phone upstairs,” my sister calls over her shoulder.
“Sure, honey,” Judy says off-screen, her voice distracted. With that, Colleen dashes up the stairs and closes herself in her room.
“I’m glad you called because I feel like we haven’t talked in forever. How are things?” she asks. My little sister is finishing high school in New Jersey, and I feel bad that she still has to live with my parents. But soon, she’ll be independent, and will be able to fly the coop.
“Really good,” I say with a big smile. “Better than good.” Of course, my sister knows about Braden and Grant because I’ve confided in her about my boyfriends. She was surprised at first, but surprisingly open-minded. She even says she wants to find a threesome now, although I shut down that idea pretty quick.
“I’m so jealous of you,” Colleen sighs. “It’s been crazy boring around here. I hate Jersey.”
I take the soup from the microwave and head back for the couch. My nausea isn’t as bad now, but I’m still a little too weak to stand, probably because I’m dehydrated from throwing up.
“Well, I am sick, so it’s going to be boring here too until I feel better,” I say in a rueful tone.
“Why, what’s going on?” Colleen asks, her voice worried. “Do you need to see a doctor?”
I shake my head and take a sip of soup.
“No, I think it’s just a bug. I’ve been kind of blah for a few weeks, but today the nausea got so bad that I threw up.”
Colleen bites her lip.
“But still, do you think a doctor should take a look?” she presses. “I mean, you never know, Sarah.”
I laugh.
“No, I’m okay. Honestly, it’s just a headache and today’s vomiting. It’s no big deal.”
But my sister still looks concerned, her brown eyes worried.
“But Sarah,” she begins slowly. “Do you think …well, could you be pregnant? It sounds a little like morning sickness, don’t you agree?”
That makes me stop.
“No, it’s not morning sickness. I’m not pregnant and Grant, Braden and I always use protection.”
My sister nods.
“Of course. But I’m just saying, you’re with two guys, and you’re with them all the time, so there’s double the opportunity.”
I’m shaking my head before Colleen finishes what she’s saying.
“No, no, no. It feels more like I’m seasick than anything. It’s just a virus or something.”
I take a few sips of the soup but suddenly, the nausea is back with a vengeance. I cover my face with my hands. “I gotta go, Colleen, I’m going to …”
The words get stuck in my throat as I violently throw up on the floor next to my couch with an ugly-sounding retch. My sister gasps, her mouth in an “O.”
“Oh my God, Sarah, you’re really ill. You need to go to the emergency room right now.”
“It’s nothing,” I say, wiping my mouth and trying to swallow the sour taste on my tongue. But this time, my sister won’t be convinced.
“No, I’m serious, Sarah. You need to go to the hospital because what if it’s worse than just a virus? It could be something fatal!”
I shoot her a level look.
“I’ll be fine.”
But my sister won’t give up.
“Please, do it for me, and you know I never ask you for anything,” Colleen begs. “You’re really pale right now and you look terrible, Sarah. Please just go. I’ll feel better if you get checked out.”
I harrumph a bit, still sitting on my couch. But then I change my mind. It’s not anything, I’m sure, but it doesn’t hurt to see a doctor.
“Okay, fine,” I say. “I’ll go to the hospital, but only because I feel really crappy. They might be able to give me something to help.”
Colleen nods happily. “Good. Keep me posted, okay? I have to go now, but I love you, Sarah.” She waves and I wave back.
“Love you too, little sis.”
With that, we hang up and I sluggishly reach for a sweater and my purse. Ugh, the hospital. I don’t want to go because it’s probably just a bug, but Colleen’s words echo in my head. What if I am pregnant? What if despite the precautions we took, I’m expecting either Grant’s or Braden’s baby right now? My face flushes and my hand unconsciously steals to my belly. That would certainly throw a wrench in things, but at the same time, I know my men will take care of me no matter what.