Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 16 (4 page)

Willow turned the most disgusting shade of green.
“
Pregnant?
”

“
It makes sense.
You
’
re late, you
’
re puking
—
”

“
You puke?
”

Chad shook his head at her.
“
Surely you
’
ve heard or read of morning sickness
.”

“
Yeah,
”
she whimpered.
“
I just thought it was fatigue and swelling or something.
Animals don
’
t vomit
.”
There was the merest trace of indignation in her weakened voice.
“
I
’
m thirsty
,
but I
’
m terrified to try to drink
.”

He brought her a glass of water and suggested she rinse her mouth with it.
“
Spit it back out.
Don
’
t swallow.
At least you
’
ve moistened things.
We’ll work on taking tiny sips of water or something when I get home
.
I
’
ll be right back
.”

With the gentlest kiss to the top of her head, Chad raced down the stairs, out the door and then stopped.
He thought he heard her voice.
Uncertain, he retreated back into the house, up the stairs, and paused in the doorway.
“
Did you call me?
”

“
Ditto,
”
she wailed.
“
That poor goat
—
the chickens
—”

“
I
’
ll get them when I get back
.”

“
I feel a tiny bit better.
Get them now
.”
Willow
’
s eyes pleaded as she spoke.

“
I
’
ll get
‘em,
and then I
’
ll check on you before I go
.”

“
Thanks
.”

In the barn, Chad grabbed a pail and raced to Ditto
’
s stall.
Without pausing to wash the teats, he milked the goat in record time earning him a few butts and a kick
,
but Chad hardly noticed.
In the summer kitchen, he realized that the milk was contaminated.
They couldn
’
t drink it.
He started to pour it down the drain and then thought of the soap.
Maybe it could be saved for soap.

The stove was empty.
No boiling water waited for him to scald the pail.
With a sigh of frustration, he grabbed a kitchen towel, tossed it over the pail, and forced it into the fridge.
He
’
d deal with it all later.

Willow slept with one arm curled around her pail by the time he climbed the stairs once more.
He paused.
Should he rinse it and clean up the bathroom before he went to town or after?
The stench in the room
grew worse by the second
.
He slipped the pail from her arm and took it to the bathtub trying not to breathe as he stepped over the mess on the floor.
Once clean and free of odor, he stepped out of the bathroom, closed the door, and replaced the pail back in the crook of her arm.
With her door shut
,
and the bathroom door shut, the air in the room smelled reasonably fresh again.

Chad raced back downstairs to his truck.
Guilt tried to worm its way into his heart
,
but
he was too excited
.
Pregnant!
A baby!
Chad couldn
’
t believe how blessed he was.
A wife and a child all within a month!
Well, he had a few more months of course, but still!
They were going to have a baby.

At the end of the driveway, he braked hard.
Pulling out his phone, he dialed home.
“
Mom?
What do you give a vomiting woman for morning sickness?
”

“
Well, saltines are good, and broth
—o
h,
wait, did you say morning sickness?
”

“
Yes!
Willow woke up puking
,
and we just realized
that
she
’
s a week late!
”
The pride and excitement in Chad
’
s voice
made him feel ridiculous—and he almost cared.

“
How bad is it?
”

“
She
’
s resting now but she spent a long time emptying a very empty stomach.
I need to get something in her that
’
ll stay
.”

“
Get some
Jell-O
too.
It
’
s gentle and it
’
s comfort food.
Oh, and 7-Up.
Don
’
t get Sprite or Slice
;
get 7-Up.
It just works
.”

“
I like Sprite,
”
Chad contradicted.

“
Get her
—
”

Chad
’
s laughter interrupted.
“
7-Up.
I got it.
Anything else?
”

“
A pregnancy test.
You
’
ll want to be sure
.”

He leaned his forehead against the steering wheel.
“
Is it important today?
”

“
Well, I know I
’
d want one as soon as possible just to rule out something like food poisoning.
I mean, she
’
s late so it
’
s pretty much a given
,
but it can
’
t hurt
—”

“
I have to go to Brunswick then.
It
’
s twice as far both ways
.”
Chad
’
s voice sounded uncertain.

“
Why?
”

“
Mom!
This is Fairbury.
If I buy a pregnancy test in town, they
’
ll have her baby shower planned before she pees on the stick!
”

“
I
’
m surprised they carry them then,
”
Marianne retorted dryly.

“
You
’
re right.
I bet they don
’
t.
Good thinking.
Gotta go
, M
om, I need to be back before she wakes up puking again
.”

Chad could almost see her as she
smiled to herself and blithely punched the numbers to her husband
’
s store,
while he
tore down the highway toward Brunswick praying that he wouldn
’
t meet Joe returning from a transfer.
No luck.
Just as he rounded the bend where he
’
d totaled the cruiser months earlier, he passed Joe and waved.

Within seconds, Joe was behind him lights flashing.
Chad waved his arm out the window
,
but Joe kept coming.
Finally, Chad pulled over and pounded the steering wheel.
Joe reached the window by the time Chad managed to keep his hands gripped to the wheel instead of trying to pulverize it.

“
Hey
,
Joe, I know.
Give me a ticket and let me out of here
, although,
”
he added with a growl, “technically we’re out of city limits here.”

“
What
—
Chad!
You
’
re supposed to be on beat!
”
Joe was not amused.

“
I need to get stuff for Willow.
She
’
s sick
,
and I need the pharmacy
.”

Joe
shook his head
.
“
Keep it to a reasonable level man.
She needs you to get back too
.”