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Life's Little Surprises
"Oh, come on... You're making way too much of this."
"No," he replied, shaking his head. "You have no idea about anything I'm going through. You couldn't ever understand."
She eyed him silently for a moment, knowing that he was speaking the truth. After all, she was a woman... What would she know about being a man? Nonetheless, she gave him a sympathetic glance and responded.
"Believe me, no woman is going to know the difference."
"But I do," he insisted. "I just feel... Aww, forget it!"
"No, talk to me... What?"
"It's just that... Well, I feel like less of a man." He looked down, hating the feelings of inadequacy coursing through him.
She gazed up at him, trying to meet his eyes, though his ducked head made it difficult. Then, allowing herself to sink to sit on the edge of her bed, she reached out, almost without really thinking, and began unbuttoning his jeans. That action caused him to finally meet her gaze, and she pulled him down to her, their lips meeting.
As I walked through the park on my way to meet Candice for lunch, I couldn't help but reflect on the events of three weeks earlier that had completely shaken my life. After I confessed the truth to Jeff, I'd somehow managed to go to the party Lisa Marie had organized. While there, Trish and Candice knew something was wrong and had dragged the truth out of me. My heart was broken, but it was my own fault.
I spotted Candice sitting on a bench up ahead and waved. She did the same and rose to walk with me.
"Hey... Thanks for meeting me," she said.
"Where to?" I asked with a smile. "I should probably rush lunch, though, I'm late getting this week's column out."
"Well," the brunette said as she stared straight ahead, "I'm three weeks late."
I stopped in my tracks at that to stare at my friend. Yet I couldn't seem to utter a word.
"Yeah... I'm pregnant."
This time, my jaw actually dropped as I stared at Candice.
"You're what? When have you even been having sex?!" I grimaced as the words left my mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," I said, reaching out for her arm. "But...?"
"It's AJ's," my friend admitted. "I ran into him after Lisa's party and we grabbed a drink together... He was feeling so down because of the operation, and... having only one ball now, and... God, I am such an idiot!" She smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand.
"I guess he only needed one ball," I joked.
"Apparently so... God, why didn't I use a condom?" Candice groaned.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"Are you kidding? I'm getting rid of it... I can't have a baby now," the brunette stated. "I just made partner at my firm, and... I don't even know if I want kids."
I eyed her with sympathy. The truth was, it was difficult to respond to all of this. I was still shocked by the news.
"Could you imagine me as a mother?" Candice continued. "Amy, I don't have a maternal bone in my body!"
I shrugged.
"Sweetie, it's completely up to you..." I was silent and deep in thought for a moment. Then, "Are you going to tell AJ?"
We were just entering a pizza parlor as Candice shot me a quick look.
"Why? I'm not keeping it."
"I know, but still," I replied. "Don't you think he has a right to know?"
We grabbed regular slices of pizza and sat down at a table to eat. Candice took a sip of bottled water and faced me.
"I don't know," she said. "I mean, yes... But do you really think it's a good idea for me to tell him?"
I simply eyed her and said nothing.
"If I tell AJ, then he'll want me to have it," she elaborated. "Amy, I can't, it's... it's just not the right time in my life." She bowed her head and looked down at the table. Her hands came up to brace her brow, and I could feel her tension and stress.
"Sweetie... Hey." I reached out for her arm and stroked it.
"I'm okay," the brunette insisted. She squared her shoulders and picked up her pizza to resume eating. "I am... Amy?"
"What?"
"Would you go with me when I go to... you know?"
"Oh... Sure. I'm here if you need me," I said.
After lunch, I returned to my apartment and Candice returned to her office. The moment she sat down, she picked up the phone and dialed the number for a clinic her doctor had given her.
"Hi... I'm pregnant, and... Well, I need not to be. I'm calling to schedule an abortion..."
*
The next morning, things were a bit awkward at Mom's On Park Avenue. Lisa Marie was pretty chipper as she spoke about her boss, whom she also happened to be sleeping with.
"He is just so unlike anyone else I've ever been with," she said. There was a prominent smile on her face, and she appeared to be gushing.
"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Trish asked.
"I am not... I just happen to find him hot. Mmm, his abs are amazing!"
"Oh, never mind," the blonde said as her mood took a down-turn. She appeared upset, which was pretty customary lately.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" I asked.
"Randy and I... We've been having some problems lately," she explained. "It's nothing that can't be fixed, I'm sure... We've just been fighting a bit lately. A lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm still not pregnant."
I met Candice's eyes across the table.
"Oh, honey, I'm sure it will happen soon enough," Lisa Marie said.
"Yeah... Just give it a bit more time."
Trish sighed heavily.
"I don't know, guys... I really don't know," she complained. "Maybe I should just wake up and face reality... Maybe it's just never going to happen. Maybe I'll never have a baby."
Again, Candice and I locked gazes.
"I'm never going to get pregnant... I'm never going to be happy!"
We met eyes yet again, but this time, it didn't go unnoticed.
"Okay, stop," Trish said, her gaze focused on Candice. "I don't know what's going on here, but you keep making the eyes. So, out with it, Candice, just spit it out."
I held my breath as my friend spoke. I wanted to brace myself for this because it wouldn't be pretty.
"Nothing," the brunette replied. "I wasn't 'making the eyes.'"
"Yes, you were! You're probably thinking I'm being ridiculous, aren't you?" the blonde snapped defensively.
"I'm not, I swear... Trish, it has nothing to do with you."
"Oh, come on!" Trish cried. "I'm a big girl and deserve to know what's going on! Just tell me already before I scream!"
Candice met my eyes again and took a quick inhale before realizing this was it. She had dreaded this moment.
"God, this really couldn't have happened at a worse time," she murmured.
"What? Tell me!" our friend insisted.
"I'm pregnant," Candice finally said.
There was a brief shocked silence around the table. Of course, Trish responded first.
"What? You're pregnant? How is that possible?"
Lisa Marie shot her a look.
"Oh, honey, if you have to ask that, it's no wonder it isn't happening for you!" She laughed, but I shot her a look that told her to stop. It was clearly not the time to crack jokes.
"I slept with AJ, and it was a mistake."
"A mistake?" Trish said, and the anguish in her voice was as painfully obvious as it was in her brown eyes.
"Yes... I'm having it taken care of in a few days, and..." Candice's voice trailed off.
Trish just stared at her.
"So, you're getting rid of it... You mean you're not even going to consider keeping it?"
The brunette helplessly shook her head.
"I have my career to worry about... Trish, this is not a personal attack on you. I know you're having a rough time, but-"
"I'm out of here," the blonde replied, quickly jumping up from her chair. Her voice was low and more angry than I could ever remember hearing it. She tossed some bills on the table and left.
Lisa Marie and I looked at Candice helplessly. None of us quite knew what to say.