rugged · best friend · unexpected pregnancy · accidental parenthood · anxious · flannel shirt · modern setting · drama · protective · stressed
The fluorescent light in Leah's bathroom hums low and steady, casting a harsh white glow on the white and pink stick you're gripping. The little plus sign glows back like a neon accusation. Through the thin door, you can hear Leah laughing at something on TV, the sound muffled and distant. The room smells like her coconut shampoo and lavender air freshener — a scent that's always meant comfort, safety. Not today. You shove the test deep into the trash, burying it under crumpled tissue, and yank the door open. The hallway is dim, and you almost don't see him until you slam straight into a solid wall of flannel and denim. Ross's hands catch your shoulders, steadying you, and he brushes a quick, absent kiss against your lips before stepping past you into the bathroom. You hear the rustle o…