Page 105 of After We Fall

“There’s no judgment here, Meredith,” I say.

She skims a foot in and out of her shoe but remains in the same spot.

“You also don’t have to do this now.”

She lowers her head. “It’s not what you think.”

“I’m not thinking anything. I’m just here with you.”

“My doctor advised me not to get pregnant again,” she says to the marble tile, her voice cracking. “It would put me at great risk. I need to know. Something in me just needs to know right now.”

Fear trickles down my spine. That’s not what I was expecting to hear. They’ve only been married five weeks. News of an early, unexpected pregnancy has the potential to rock any newlywed. I was already cataloging ways I could help them. But this news . . . this is bigger than me.

“Let’s take this one step at a time.” I open the door to the largest stall at the end.

Meredith follows my lead, taking the box from my hand as she passes. She turns to close the door but stops it halfway. “Thank you, Penelope.”

I retreat to a plush, fabric-covered bench with high rolling sides.

“Is this awkward?” Meredith’s voice travels through the door. “You knowing what I’m doing in here, and me talking?”

I cross my legs and pat down the fabric at my knee. “I’ve never been one of those people who goes to the bathroom with their girlfriends, so I don’t know.”

“Oh.”

But her voice sounds lighter, so maybe I should keep her talking. “I could take a stab at it for you.”

“Well, it’s just that . . .” She grunts. “I’m wearing Spanx.” Another grunt. “So . . . this is not exactly . . . the easiest task to accomplish.”

I purse my lips, containing my laughter. Meredith has always had a way with the awkward.

“Okay.” The door swooshes open, and Meredith stands, holding the plastic test out in her hand. “That’s done.” She steps to the sinks. “I broke out in a sweat doing it, but it’s done.”

I press commands on my phone to start a timer.

After washing and drying her hands, she sits next to me and crosses her legs in the same direction as mine.

Facing forward, we stare at the opposite wall.

“It might not show anything,” she says. “Those tests are best in the morning.”

“We’ll deal with that when it becomes a factor.”

She heaves a sigh. “What am I going to do?”

Without looking at her, I pass the M&Ms I had purchased at the hotel store. “You’re going to eat chocolate for the next minute and a half, then we’ll deal with the next step.”

My chest presses in with the weight of each of the next ninety seconds. A small headache nudges its way to my awareness, and I take deep breaths to keep it at bay.

She rips open the package, pours a handful of candy into her palm, and pops it into her mouth. After a few chews, she grabs my hand. “How does this happen?”

Not knowing how to respond, I remain silent.

“I’ll tell you how it happens,” she says.

“I don’t think that’s necessar—”

“You marry a literal movie star and go on a honeymoon. That’s how it happens. I mean, what was I supposed to do? Marry Hercules and just look at him the rest of my life? That would be blasphemous!”