Mimi's Daddy Ch. 34: Pregnancy Test

Covered in grit and dirt from working on the farmhouse, Mimi tip-toed into her mom's kitchen. "Do you have enough in the pot to feed one more?"

Her mother startled and turned toward her. "What are you doing here?"

"Begging."

Her mother swatted her with a kitchen towel. "Don't you have a man at home waiting to eat?"

"He is working late, like he has been doing most days."

Grumbling, her mother compressed her lips. "That young man needs to focus more on learning his brand new wife, instead of becoming a king of industry."

"He's just dealing with an expansion." Mimi reached for the lid of the closest pot. "It's kind of Jen's fault. Her social media campaign has increased his business, as well as the rescues."

"There is plenty to eat, but you need to wash your hands and face first."

After washing up, Mimi returned to the familiar cozy kitchen. Her mother's pot full of greens smelled different. Mimi leaned closer and sniffed. "Did you put something weird in this today?"

"No, a chunk of ham hock and a bunch of collards from out back. A little onion, garlic, vinegar, the normal recipe."

Mimi lifted a spoon from the spoon rest and stirred the big pot. "It's just." She sniffed again, wrinkling her nose. "I don't know. There is an off smell."

Her mother looked at her. "Oh really? How long have things been smelling weird to you?"

Mimi shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't thought about it." She pinched a strip of soft greens from the spoon and plopped it in her mouth. "Ugh. Ma, the vinegar is strong."

Her mother reached over and pinched her own sample from the spoon. She popped it into her mouth and thoughtfully chewed. "Tastes fine to me." She was looking at Mimi strangely.

Mimi dropped the spoon back into the pot and touched her face. "What? Is something on me?"

"Girl child, how long has it been since you had your time of the month?"

"I haven't thought about it." Mimi counted back. "It was before the wedding."

Her mother put her hands on her hips. "I think we should run to the Mega Mart after the crew's been fed."

"Why? Sometimes, I'm late. I'm sure it's fine." Mimi ran her hand down to her belly, brow furrowed. "I'm infertile."

"Uh, huh." Her mother arched her brow. "Do it just to amuse me."

***

Mimi sat on the toilet. Her mother waited just outside the bathroom door. Her Mother had banished everyone from her parent's bedroom and the tiny bathroom that was attached.

"This is silly, Ma, a waste of money." She peed on the little stick, anyway. "How long do these things take?"

"The package said about five minutes. Come on out and sit with me a minute while you wait."

Leaving the stick on top of the box it came in, she stepped into the familiar space of her parents' bedroom. Her mother patted the bed next to her. She was seated at the foot of the bed, her hands in her lap.

"Have you and Adam talked about kids? I know you two hurried things."

"It wasn't an issue. Wade and I did everything we could to get pregnant, and my body just didn't."

"What if your body with Adam... did?"

Mimi couldn't sit down. She crossed her arms over herself and looked out of the window. The twins were playing ball with Noah. "I can't think about that. It took me a long time to come to terms with my situation." She frowned at her mother. "I don't even want to be taking this test."

"Chalk it up to the odd whims of an old lady. And on the off chance I'm right, prenatal care is important."

Mimi smirked. "You aren't old, not yet."

"They say grandkids keep you young."

"Stop, Ma. Those kinds of words sting."

Her mother came over and stood behind her. She hugged her from behind and sat her chin on her shoulder. "Whatever the answer is. It's going to be okay."

As soon as the timer on her phone went off, Mimi raced back to the sink and the tiny doom stick resting on its edge.

Tilting it into the light, the second thin pink line didn't disappear with more illumination. It had to be an illusion. Mimi couldn't stop staring.

"Are you going to let me see?" Her mother stood on the bathroom threshold.

"It's an error. Sometimes these things are wrong."

Her mother reached for her wrist and turned the stick toward herself. "Looks positive to me."

"It can't be."

"Pee on the other one in the box."

"I don't know if I have any pee left."

"I'll get you water, then."

Two sticks and four pink lines later, Mimi was sitting stunned on the edge of the tub. "How is this possible?"

"You need to make an appointment with your doctor and get a medical test to be sure."

"This can't be happening."

"The first always feels that way."

"Ma, Adam doesn't want kids."

Her mother snorted, "Lots of men think that until they hold them. It's a lot of responsibility."

"What am I going to do?"

"Make a doctor's appointment and talk to your husband."

Her mother smiled at her. "Aren't you happy? You've always wanted this."

"What if I have to do it alone?"

"Mimi, Adam is a grown man. I think he knows what happens when you have sex."

"But what if he doesn't want this?" She couldn't stop pressing her hand to her belly. Her body felt the same.

"Do you want this little spark?"

"I do."

"You wouldn't be the first to do a fine job raising a tot on their own, and your farm is just down the way from ours. Think about all the built-in babysitters you have." Her mother brushed her hair back from her forehead. "You won't be alone."

***

When Mimi got home, the only sign of Sarah was the low thump of music coming from her room. Adam was seated at the table, most of the way through a sandwich. He asked, "Did you eat?"

Mimi nodded. "I did." She sat down at the table, unsure how to start the conversation. "Can we talk?"

"We can. In fact, we need to." He put his sandwich down and went and gathered a manila envelope and placed it in front of her. "My lawyer completed the divorce paperwork. I know we still have several months, but I wanted you to have it early so you could have your lawyer look over the details. She stared at the thick envelope, unwilling to touch it. Did he want this? Did he want to divorce? That is what they had agreed to.

He picked up his sandwich. "I changed a few things, but nothing I think you will mind."

She swallowed, her tongue turned to sandpaper. She reached over and took his water glass and drank the remaining half of the glass.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Mimi nodded, feeling dizzy. She wouldn't touch the envelope. Poison.

"I've been thinking about the farmhouse."

Mimi watched his face as he talked, so practical. Her heart was breaking, cracking in her chest.

"I'm giving it to you. There won't be payments between us. Consider it a gift for helping me keep a roof over my mom's head."

She'd burn the house down to keep him. Why didn't he feel the same way? She couldn't stop staring at the yellow envelope as if it contained tiny snakes. If she opened it, there would be no chance of getting all the hurtful things back in.

He reached over and took her hand. "I thought you would be happy."

She nodded. "Thank you. That's very generous."

He nodded as if he was pleased with himself and wiped his hands on a napkin. "Now, what did you have to tell me? What do you want to talk about?"

Nothing. She wasn't even sure there was a baby.

"It's not important right now."

"You sure?" He gathered his plate and the now empty glass. He swayed the glass back and forth. "Would you like more water, or perhaps some wine, to celebrate our dreams coming true?"

Mimi felt the world crumbling around her. Isn't this what she wanted? Better than what he agreed to. Inside the papers, the farmhouse was hers.

"I don't want wine."

"You sure?"

She touched her fingertips to her temple. "I have a small headache." She looked at him, trying to wrap her mind around the idea that he would walk out of her life in a few months. "Water would be good."

She could do this. Her hand settled over her belly under the table. Women did it every day. She could raise a baby on her own. She had always wanted to be a mom. He could just move forward in his life, build his business, and attend fancy parties. She wouldn't ask any more than the house. She would make it into a home for her little spark.

He placed a glass full of cool water on the table in front of her. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm going to go lay down, Adam." She wasn't going to cry in front of him. That would hurt too much. She picked up her glass and, eyes blurry with tears, headed to the bedroom.

"I've got to finish some layouts before I can join you." He was already drawing out sketches and paperwork and laying them across the table. Numb, Mimi stumbled down the hall. Curling up on the bed, on her side, she whispered to the baby. "If you are really there, don't you worry. I'm going to keep you safe."

***

Wrapped in a towel, a puppy snored on her lap. Mimi settled a hand on his warm, plump body. Jen touched Mimi's shoulder to get her attention. "Are you even listening?"

"I'm sorry. My mind is in other places."

"While you were back in the storeroom, your doctor called. They want you to call them back." She flumped into the seat next to her behind the desk, "Did your yearly check-up go okay?"

Mimi nodded. She hated lying to her friend, but she didn't want to talk to anyone about a maybe, possibly, could be situation, like a pregnancy. There would be time. "It's about blood work results. I'll call them at lunch."

***

Sitting in the heat of her car, her phone resting on her thigh, Mimi watched the wind sway of the budding trees. If Mimi called, she would know. When they said no, her heart was going to crash. She had delayed as long as she could. Her sandwich was gone, her chips and carrots. Pretty soon, Jen was going to come looking for her. She picked up her phone, dreading the words she knew she was going to hear.

They bounced her through to the nurse. She had been going there since she turned eighteen and had graduated from her pediatrician.

"Mimi, I'm so glad you called."

"Jen told me you had left a message."

"I have wonderful news for you." Mimi's heart skipped a beat. The nurse said, "Congratulations Mom." The entire world froze. A baby.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, but many people wait to share their good news until they get further along than you are now." Mimi's head buzzed, and she saw little white dots. Her heart was beating fast. "We are going to need to set up some appointments for wellness care."

A real person, a tiny little life, a miracle.

"Mimi, are you there?"

"Yeah."

***

The sun was burning the sky orange as Mimi sat on the hill, looking out of the valley. Her hill, thanks to Adam. Her tiny family, thanks to Adam. Mimi had everything she had ever wanted, and yet she wanted more. She wanted the husband to go along with the sweet life package.

"This is where you are going to grow up, little spark."

She lay back in the field. The brightest stars were just speckling the sky, blinking with promise. Getting everything she wanted wasn't turning out the way she expected. Sarah had moved the manila folder to the sideboard, probably. It could stay there forever for all Mimi cared. Let the paper molder. She didn't want the divorce. She wanted more than six skinny months. Even if he was more focused on work than anything else. God had some explaining to do.