Free It's a Waverly Life by Maria Murnane

felt like crying. Were we talking about my column? I certainly wasn’t. I held onto the Walgreens bag.
    “Have faith, Miss Waverly.”
    “Thanks, Red, I’ll try.”
    Suddenly a breeze stirred around us, and I wrapped my arms around myself to stay warm.
    “It’s interesting, isn’t it?” he said.
    “What is?”
    He turned his head, and my eyes followed to a storefront that was boarded up.
    “You can look at this as someone’s failed dream, or as the chance for a new dream to take flight. It’s all in your perspective,” he said softly.
    I stared at the vacant building. I couldn’t even remember what used to be there.
    He took his fedora off again and pointed up the street with it. “Now get yourself back inside to get warm, my dear. I don’t want you to catch cold.”
    “Okay, Red, thanks. It was…it was nice running into you.”
    He bowed his head again and smiled. “Always a pleasure, Miss Waverly.”

     
    When I got back to my apartment, I put the cotton balls away and set the pregnancy test on my kitchen counter.
    Should I take it and then call Jake? Or should I call him and then take it?
    I didn’t know what to do, but one thing I did know was that I didn’t want to be pregnant. Not yet, maybe not ever.
    I thought about what Red had said.
    Things will work themselves out.
    I contemplated the box on the counter.
    Red was right.
    First I would tell Jake. Then I would take the test.
    I pulled my phone out of my purse and called him, but it went straight to voicemail. This was no time to call McKenna or Andie first. I had to leave a message.
    “Hey, Jake, it’s me, Waverly. I think you’re in…Phoenix? Salt Lake City? I swear I’m going on NBA dot com right now. Anyhow…I’m sorry to have been a little MIA lately, but…um, I’d like to talk to you about something. Please give me a call—thanks. Um…I hope the Hawks are winning, wherever you and they are. Bye.”
    I hung up the phone and cringed. I was the worse voicemail-leaver ever.

     
    Jake called me back that night. When I saw his name on the caller ID, I thought of the unopened pregnancy test, still sitting on the counter. I took a deep breath and answered.
    “Jake, hi.”
    “Hi.” His voice sounded…off.
    “I’m sorry I haven’t called you back in a few days.” I immediately felt like I was going to cry. “I’ve been a little stressed out. How are you?” I sat on the couch and curled my legs underneath me.
    “Actually, I’m not so good. I have some bad news.” He didn’t sound angry, just…sad.
    “Bad news?”
    There was a moment of silence before he spoke again.
    “Waverly…” His voice trailed off.
    “Yes?”
    “My…my sister lost her baby,” he said quietly.
    Oh my God.
    I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
    Oh my God.
    Finally I was able to speak. “Oh Jake, I’m so sorry. What happened?”
    “She woke up in the middle of the night bleeding, a lot…so Tim called an ambulance…” His voice cracked a little bit. “And when they checked on the baby…there was no heartbeat.”
    “Oh my God…I…I don’t know what to say. Is she okay?”
    “She is now. She lost a lot of blood and is really weak, but she’s going to be fine.”
    I didn’t say anything.
    “It was a boy.”
    I still didn’t say anything.
    “She told me they were going to name him Jake,” he said softly.
    Suddenly I started to cry.
    “I’m…so…sorry,” I said, catching my breath and wiping tears from my face with my free hand. “I’m so…so…sorry.”
    “Thanks. I am too.”
    “When did it happen?”
    “Three days ago.”
    Three days ago. And I didn’t even know because I hadn’t returned his last call…for three days.
    “Oh Jake, I should have called you back earlier. I’m so sorry I didn’t call you back.”
    “It’s okay, really.” Again, he didn’t sound angry. Just sad, very sad. And tired.
    “I really wish I could be there with you right now. I wish I could…give you a hug,” I said