2°: Chapter 9

Luna went straight to the bathroom.

-Honey, are you okay? -She asked, waiting for an answer from Lily, who had run into the bathroom to throw up.

-Yes...yes..." she said coming out of the first bathroom, "I'm...fine. -She said and burst into tears.

Luna looked at her sweetly.

- I know you're going through something difficult, Lily. But think of the good things, he's your son, you're not going to be alone, not anymore. -She said trying to make Lily feel good.

-I know, but... it's not how I would have liked it. My boyfriend... -she said sadly.

-I know, but he can understand. He'll understand you, Lily. You have a right to be happy.

-You're right. -Should I tell him? -She asked, looking at Luna tenderly.

Luna nodded.

-He'll really appreciate the fact that you're honest with him. It's worse if you keep it from him.

-Do you still have the test? -she asked.

Lily had taken it a week ago in a supermarket bathroom with Luna.

-Sure, it's in my purse. I left it at home, but I can give it to you tomorrow.

-Portia...can I pick it up today?

-Honey, of course you can. -He said hugging her.

Luna felt her heart break when she saw Lily cry. She was practically like her sister, and it hurt her to see her cry.

-Now, come on, let's go enjoy dinner. You'll see that everything will be perfect, you'll be happy. -He said, smiling. Lily smiled broadly, wiped her tears and touched up her makeup.

---

James was lying on his bed, thinking about that damn pregnancy test. He was furious, she had lied to him. He would have been happy if he had found that test without having heard anything, but he had heard Luna on the phone hours ago, saying something that had broken his heart and now he could confirm it. He turned and stood up. He hurried into the bathroom.

He lifted the toilet lid and quickly lowered his head to let the vomit out.

She's pregnant, not you. ---He thought.

---

Luna laughed out loud as Denise talked about memories of freshman year at Domicile's. She had enjoyed the dinner. Lily had also had a good time.It was already 12 o'clock at night and the time had flown by. She thought about what James would be doing.

He would probably be watching some TV show or who knows.

----

James was tossing and turning in bed. The uncontrollable urge to vomit had gone, but so far he'd had terrible anxiety. What if she left him? He'd been without it long enough. He believed his pessimism was caused by nerves, and thanks to that, so was the nausea. I looked at the time, 12:20. When would dinner be over? I wanted to put the pregnancy issue to rest. I didn't know how Luna would react to his questions. James knew he could get pretty heavy when he asked things that seemed important, but he had to do it.

He looked at his cell phone again, texting Peter.

"-Doing anything? - James."

He waited for a reply, he needed to talk to someone.

"Here. Something wrong? - Peter."

James began to write.

"I need to talk about something. It will sound strange, but I need advice.-James."

"You finally accept that I'm a good counselor.-Peter."

James put his phone aside. Yes, Peter was a good counselor. Whenever he was in a somewhat important situation, he helped him. And James was grateful. Although sometimes he did whatever he felt like doing.

--

Luna went outside with Lily.

-I told her I had to tell her something important. I'm really very nervous. -Lily said, looking at the floor.

-You have a right to be. But you'll see that everything will be fine. -She smiled.

Luna waited for Lily to be picked up. In the meantime, they used to talk about their memories at Domicile's. They had had a pretty good time. Lily had told her that she was thinking of quitting, she couldn't continue at Domicile's with a pregnancy, and it was true, she wouldn't be able to continue working, she would no longer be fit to be a "Stay at Home Mom" when she would be a real mother. After a few minutes, they came by to pick up Lily. Luna walked back into the restaurant.

-

-She is pregnant.

-How ....

-I've seen it. And it's true, Peter. It's all confirmed. I must tell her now. -James said, touching his forehead.

Peter sighed.

-James, you've changed.

-What do you mean?

I mean you look like a 17-year-old teenager finding out his girlfriend is pregnant.

James sat down on the couch in front of Peter.

-How do you want it to be? It's not mine.

-You don't know that...

-I do, damn it, Peter. Didn't you hear me? -He said, looking at the floor.

-You need to calm down. Only she knows, and if so, she'll tell you.

---

Luna said goodbye to her friends. Each one was leaving. Some in cabs, others with their boyfriends.

Luna smiled as she pulled her phone out of her purse.

"Hi honey, can you come pick me up?" - I sent James over to her.

She went outside and sat on a bench outside the restaurant. Her phone vibrated.

"I'll be there in a few minutes.- James." Luna looked at the time on her phone. 12:45. She was amazed to see the time, it had gone by so fast. She had spent it perfect, it had been a while since she had hung out with her friends like that. A few minutes passed and James still wasn't there. She stopped for a while to stretch her legs. She walked a few meters and then returned to the bench.

-Hey, pretty girl...what are you doing here alone? -Said a man approaching Luna.

She looked at him with disgust. She'll ignore him, if she went along with him it would be worse.

-Could you come with me and....

-Can you stop? -She asked, giving him a dirty look. The man gave a laugh.

-Don't talk to me like that. -He said, coming closer. He grabbed her arm tightly.

-Let go of me, asshole. -She said trying to get away.

The guy just laughed. He tried to get closer to kiss her. Luna pushed him hard. The guy wouldn't let go and Luna got more and more nervous.

-Let go of her. -She exclaimed as she grabbed him by the neck.

The guy fell to the ground. James looked at her.

-Are you all right? -He asked approaching her.

The guy stood up and quickly left the way he came.

-Y...yes. Thank you. - She thanked him and tried to kiss him. James turned his face away. Luna looked at him strangely, "Is something wrong? -She asked as she took his hand.

James looked at her and sighed.

-No, I'm sorry. -He said and kissed her. A short and empty kiss.

James walked to the car, opened the door, Luna got in and then, he got in on the other side.

The drive was pure silence. He felt too uncomfortable. Something was wrong.

-What have you done? -Luna asked him.

-Nothing, I watched some TV, Peter went home... nothing else. -He said omitting obvious details.

-Oh well.

-How did you have a good time?

-Good, it was fun. -He smiled.

James fell silent.

They arrived at the house and both got out of the truck at the same time. Luna knew something was wrong with James, he had been distant. They entered the house and Justin started up the stairs.

-James..." Luna said. He turned around. -- Is something wrong?

-No." He looked at the floor.

Luna walked over to him.

- I know something is wrong with you.

- I don't want to talk about it now, okay? We'd better go to sleep. -He said and quickly went up to the second floor.

Luna walked up behind him. She went into the room.

- Why don't you want to talk? I'm...

-I just don't want to.

-But...

-I don't want to talk about it, dammit! -he said angrily. Luna looked at him in surprise.

-Just...

-Stop it. -He answered sitting on the bed, placing his elbows on his knees, while covering his face with both hands.

-You're acting like this all of a sudden, James. I don't know why!

- How can you not know?

-I can't...

-I know, you can't read my mind, can you read a pregnancy test? -He asked sarcastically, standing up. Luna looked at him for a few seconds.

-What are you talking about? -I asked in surprise.

-Don't play dumb, Luna...I, I saw it...I've seen it. -He said frustrated.

-Well, show me, because I'm not pregnant.

-Stop lying to me. You have the nerve to deny it, when I heard you talking about it, a few hours ago. And... it's not mine, Luna...you...

-What the fuck are you talking about?

- Jesus Christ, Luna. -She said and left the room.

James rushed downstairs. He reached for Luna's purse. He took out the little box. He went upstairs and Luna was sitting on the bed. James laid the test on her lap.

-Explain that to me.

Luna looked at the little box. She began to breathe.

-No...it's not mine.

- Then clear this up for me.

-Why do you always have to be right? -It's not like that! You don't know what you're talking about!

- It's not like that, Luna!

-You're always trying to prove that you're right about everything, James. -I'm not! I'm not pregnant! -She said, beating her chest. James hated that.

-How can I trust you when I heard you talk about even the possibility of a DNA test, Luna? How?

-You're dead wrong...

-No! I know what I heard... I know what I heard, Luna.

Luna felt her eyes water. James was acting crazy, and to top it off, he wouldn't let her talk so he could explain everything.

- Well, you don't know anything. -She said looking at him. James looked at her angrily.

His face changed from angry to confused. James leaned against the wall. He placed his hand on his forehead and started trying to breathe better.

-James? -Luna asked.

He clutched his chest gently and then tried to speak. Luna knew in that instant that James was having a breathing attack. She tried to help him but he gently pushed her away.

-Let me help you, please.

-N...no...

James sat on the bed and tried to keep Luna away. His face began to change color and Luna began to really despair. That was not normal. She quickly started trying to give him air. He quickly leaned back as she calmed down.

Luna burst out.

-I'm not lying to you! That fucking pregnancy test isn't mine! It's Lily's! She's pregnant and she doesn't want to tell her boyfriend because it's from another guy!

James's eyes widened. Surprise knocked the wind out of him.

-What?

-If you would just listen to me this wouldn't happen. -He said and stood up quickly. She went straight to the bathroom. James stood up and followed her. He went into the bathroom.

-Why do you have the test? -He asked confused.

-She doesn't want to have it so her boyfriend won't see it. -She said looking at him. He looked regretful.

-I...

-What? You're sorry? -He said looking at him. You never listen to me, James.

-I'm sorry. I overheard you talking on the phone today, and...then the test...I....

-You could have just asked.

-How would I ask you that? -He said and looked at her. She sighs.

-You could have just asked what a pregnancy test was doing in my purse.

-I'm sorry. -He said looking at her.

- I thought you were going to die. -She said, referring to the attack.

-It's happened to me often. -He replied, moving closer to her.

Luna leaned her head on James's chest and hugged him.

-I'm sorry. -James said.

-It's okay...but next time, have the decency to listen to me," she said looking at him.

He kissed her forehead.

Luna took off her dress, put on her pajamas and went straight to take off her makeup. James was already lying down, staring at the ceiling. She came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, lay down next to him and turned off the light.

She smelled James's sweet perfume.

-Luna-he said in a whisper.

-Yes?

-.... Would you like to have a child with me?