Authors: Meg Jolie
“The timing makes perfect sense,” Quinn admitted. “That had to have been right around the time it happened.” She moaned. “So this really is my fault. I should’ve been more careful. I should’ve read the fine print.”
“Who reads the fine print?” Carly demanded. “No one! Well, maybe senior citizens. But no one else! These things happen. That’s why the call them—”
“Accidents?” Quinn interrupted.
“Surprises,” Carly corrected.
Quinn peeked up at her. She was openly staring at her stomach. A small half-smile was twitching across her lips.
“You know,” Quinn pointed out as she grabbed a pillow and placed it over herself, “you would not be this happy if it was
you
.”
“
I
am not nearly done with school. And
I
am not in a committed, long-term relationship. Or any relationship, really,” she pointed out. “There is a
huge
difference between you and me.”
A sigh escaped Quinn’s lips as she pulled herself into a sitting position again. Even though she was continuously grumbling about Carly’s positive attitude, it was exactly what she needed.
“Thanks,” she finally said. “I couldn’t have gotten through this day without you.”
Carly pulled her into a sideways hug. Quinn leaned into her so she could place her head on her sister’s shoulder.
“You’ve always been there for me through all of my melodrama,” Carly readily admitted. Quinn forced out a soft laugh. While Quinn had always been the quiet, steady, stay-out-of-trouble sister, Carly was known for her melodrama. “I promise I will be here for you through absolutely anything.”
“Maybe I should call him…” Quinn finally muttered. She sat up straight again, wondering where she’d last left her phone.
“Maybe you shouldn’t,” Carly decided. She twirled her long hair around her finger as she released her sister. “Maybe we should go for a drive or something. We’re locked up in here like a couple of teenagers who have nothing better to do.”
“We
don’t
have anything better to do,” Quinn pointed out. “But, I told him I’d be here.”
“So does that mean he’s coming back tonight?” Carly demanded.
A soft knock on the door startled both of them. The doorknob jiggled but because Carly had locked it, it didn’t budge.
“Girls?” Margo asked.
Carly bounced off the bed to let their mother in.
“Oh, you are both in here,” she said with a soft smile. “Quinn, Jake’s here.”
“I didn’t hear the doorbell?” Carly pointed out. She wandered over to Quinn’s window to peek outside. As if she needed to check on the validity of Margo’s statement.
“He’s been here for a little bit but hasn’t gotten to the door yet. Your dad’s outside fiddling with the sprinkler system. He intercepted him. They’re out there chatting. I just thought Quinn would want to know he’s here. In case she wants to go rescue him from your dad,” Margo explained with a wink.
“Okay, thanks Mom,” Quinn said. She forced a smile onto her face.
This is good, right? It has to be good
, she thought. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
“If he comes in, I’ll let him know,” Margo said as she retreated.
Quinn got up from the bed and checked her face in the mirror. She’d scrubbed off her make-up after she’d splashed her face with icy cold water. No sense trying to put more on. It wasn’t as though Jake hadn’t seen her without it plenty of times. She’d probably just ruin it again with more tears, anyway.
“You should definitely go rescue him,” Carly said from where she was peering out the window. “Dad’s yammering away and Jake looks like he’s about ready to bounce right out of his skin. Come on,” she said as she turned away from the window. “You need to go talk to your man.”