The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You

Holly
I laid down on the couch and clutched my stomach at the smell of blueberries. It was driving me crazy, all these different smells were making me feel even worse then I already was. “Breakfast?” Frankie held out a plate of blueberry pancakes and a shot up from the couch, making it to the sink just in time. Frank rubbed my back and I rinsed out my mouth, trying to take small steady breaths before I would puke again. “Jeez Holly… are you still sick?”

I leaned my elbows against the sink and hovered there for a while until I my stomach settled. “Yeah… I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I mean… It’s been a few weeks already and I haven’t gotten any better.” I turned around, wiping my chin with the back of my hand. “I’m going to go brush my teeth…” I walked out of the kitchen, passing Helena on my way.

“Are those…peanut butter M&Ms ?” I asked, my eyes widening. She nodded slowly and moved the bag out of sight. “Can… Can I have some?” I reached out and she stepped back. “Uh Holly… you’re looking kind of crazy.” Helena slipped passed me towards the living room and I frowned, stomping up the stairs like a child.

I finished brushing my teeth and grabbed a blanket off the bed, “Guys! Let’s watch a movie.” I smiled and jumped down from the last step onto the carpeted floor. Helena gave me a weird look from the love seat and then turned back to the TV. “What movie?” Frank asked, spraying something in the kitchen that smelled like clean laundry. I smiled and thanked him while holding up The Invisible. Frank groaned and stuck his tongue out at Helena when she cheered.

I tossed it to her and walked into the kitchen, grabbing a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a spoon. “You can start now!” I called to them, shutting the silverware drawer and dancing a bit on the way out of the kitchen. I sat down on the couch, placing my legs on Frank’s lap. “Are you feeling alright baby?” I smiled and nodded, digging into my ice cream. I thought about what he said to me, saying it over and over. Are you feeling alright baby? Are feeling alright baby… I practically choked on my ice cream and sat up, coughing.

I tried to get Helena’s attention by lightly banging my spoon on my bowl but she was too engrossed in the movie to notice so I did the only thing I could think of. I took my spoon and threw it into the kitchen, catching Helena’s eye when she jumped from the noise it made as it hit the floor. “Oh no… I dropped my spoon. Helena can you come help me get it.” I quickly stood up and ran into the kitchen, ignoring Frank as he laughed, “What the hell… you totally threw that in there.”

Helena followed after me and looked at me like I’d grown another head. I pulled her by the sleeve of her shirt to the back corner of the kitchen so that Frank wouldn’t hear us. “Jeez Holly, You don’t have to pull.”

“I um… I think I’m pregnant.” I mumbled, looking at the ground. She laughed and I smacked her arm.

“Oh shit… you’re serious?” I nodded and bit on my lip.

“I don’t know… what to do.”

“Well we go get a test, duh… come on.” Helena grabbed my hand and pulled me upstairs. “Get dressed, and I’ll think of an excuse in case he asks where we’re going.” I nodded and traded in my boxers for jeans and slipped on my converse.

“Are we going to watch this movie or- where are you going?” Frank asked, standing in the doorway. I pushed past him and walked down the stairs.

“Um… the store.” I mumbled, making my way over to Helena.

“Why?” He asked, stopping on the last step and folding his arms across his chest. I looked to Helena for help and she just shrugged.

“We um… we ran out of water.” I turned to the door and he laughed.

“Babe… we have a sink… that has water.” I let out a nervous laugh and glanced at Helena.
“Yeah but um it’s just not the same…. Bye.” I opened the door and we ran down the steps, slowing to a fast walk once we hit the sidewalk. I wrapped my arms around my waist, hoping that it wasn’t what I was thinking. I was only hoping it was the flu or something.

We stopped in the middle of the isle and stared wide eyed at the number of shelves that occupied different kinds of pregnancy tests. Thy ranged from different types, styles, digital and even colors. “Wow… I never knew they had so many.” I mumbled, picking one off the shelf and looking it over and then setting it back.

“Yeah… and they come in all different types.” She lifted the little basket in her hand up in front of her and picked up one off the top shelf. “How about… One of these high tech bullshit expensive ones and then a few of the cheap ones?” I nodded and watched as she knocked each one off the shelf and into the basket.

“I’ll need something to drink.” I laughed.

“Okay and I have to grab something of my own,” she mentioned as I was walking over to the big refrigerator things lined up on the back wall that held all kinds of drinks.

I walked to the other end of the coolers and grabbed a bottle of coke, noticing that in the next section over there was whipped cream. I smiled a little and grabbed a can before setting off to find Helena.

“What’s with the whipped cream? And if you think that tiny bottle is gonna give you enough pee to take these test “ she showed me the basket that held four pregnancy test in it, “then you are sadly mistaken” she explained. I looked down at the bottle in my hand and then up at her.

“Your right,” I said and put the coke back into the coolers and grabbed a cold two liter bottle of it. I smiled at her as I handed her the whip cream.

“And again, what is that for?” she asked me. I only smiled and dropped into the basket, “oh… ohhh[/]… eww Holly.” I could only smile and headed towards the front registers.

“How are you feeling?” She asked, bumping sides with me as we were waiting for the line to die down.

“Scared.” I admitted, twisting my fingers and biting my lip harder.

“Jesus Holly, you’re gonna end up with a bloody lip, knock it off.” I sighed and stepped forward as she walked ahead and set the basket on the counter. I started to unload a few things until I grabbed a small box. I was confused until I read what it contents were.

“Helena? What the hell?” I asked her showing the back.

“Just in case of emergencies,” she explained and I only shook my head.

“Are you sleeping with Robbie?” I asked her in all seriousness.

“No, I just want them just in case that does happen, I will be prepared,” she said and grabbed the box, slamming it down on the belt. I sighed and hoped that she knew what she was doing. We pushed our order towards the cashier and she could only give us a dirty look. I mean it couldn’t look good when two younger looking girls had four pregnancy tests, a two liter of soda, whip cream and condoms. It was only asking for trouble. Helena paid amount we owed and we bolted out of the store.

“Quick… just shove them all in your purse.” Helena laughed, throwing the pregnancy tests at me. I shoved them in somehow and zipped the top. “You ready?” She asked as we turned the corner and saw the house come into view. I shook my head no but stuttered out a yes. What if I was pregnant? How could I possibly tell Frankie? These were the questions that keep repeating in my head as we reached the porch. I took in a big deep breath and nodded for her to open the door. She opened it slowly and I heard swearing in the living room followed by a loud crash. I started up the stairs with Helena close behind; we were almost to the top when I heard Frank calling my name.

“Holls… is that you?” He walked out of the living room and smiled, “Thought I heard you… where’s the water?”

“Uh… they ran out.” I replied, turning around for a second to curse myself.

“Oh um… don’t mind us. We’re just gonna go do… girl stuff. So um.. Just carry on what you were doing.” Helena interjected, pushing me up the stairs.

I stopped and turned around, “Wait… I picked this up for um… later I guess.” I took the whipped cream can out of the plastic grocery bag and threw it to Frank who had this huge grin on his face. At least that was going to keep him off my back for just long enough to find out the results of the test. After he walked off to put it in the fridge we ran to the bathroom and locked the door behind us. I sat down on the toilet as Helena sat on the tubs edge and I began to drink the whole bottle of Coke.

“Okay… let’s do this.” I whispered, taking the last drink of my Coke.

“It’s too quiet.” She complained walked back out into the room to put on music. “Make sure while I am gone, you go pee. Okay?” I nodded thinking she could see me behind the closed door and took out one of the boxes, not even bothering to read the instructions. I held it in until I peed on all four sticks and set them in cups on the sink.

“Done.” I squeaked, setting it on the edge of the bathtub to pull up my jeans. Helena walked back in and closed the door. She locked it up we were still able to hear the faint music of From First To Last in the background.

“And now… we wait.” She sighed, getting comfortable on the counter making sure not to tip one of the cups. A million thoughts flew through my mind as I put the lid down and sat on the toilet, but my mind was racing too fast to let me focus on any of them. “How long?” She asked, getting her phone out of her pocket. I picked up the box from the floor and read it.

“Two minutes.”

Two of the longest minutes I’ve ever had to wait through.