Free Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love by Ariana Hawkes

churned again. Then it knotted and lurched and she leapt off the porch and ran into the bushes.
    Lauren reached for her hand as she returned and helped her to sit down, then looked into her eyes.
    “Honey, what’s wrong? Do you know why you’re sick?” she said. Raven shook her head miserably. Why do I have to get sick now, when I need to go to a job interview, for the first job I’ve ever wanted in my life? It was so typical , she thought. “Is it the first time it’s happened?” Raven shook her head again.
    “No. It’s been like this nearly every day for a few weeks now. But only in the mornings.”
    “How long has it been since your last period?” Raven stared into space.
    “I don’t know. A while I guess. I think I might have missed one.” She thought of her old bedroom, where she kept her tampons, and remembered that she hadn’t replenished them for a while. “Six weeks maybe.”
    “And, I don’t want to be intrusive, but, are your boobs any different? Like bigger, or more tender?” Raven passed her hand over them. They felt bruised somehow. She’d noticed that recently but hadn’t paid much attention to it.
    “Yeah, they are actually.”
    “Raven, is there any chance that you could be pregnant?” Lauren said very gently. Immediately, Raven’s eyes opened very wide and her jaw slackened.
    “Oh my god,” she whispered. “I had a one-night stand a while ago. When I was last in Hope Valley actually. But no. I couldn’t be.”
    “Let’s not freak out just yet.” Lauren squeezed her hand tight. “We’ve got a community doctor here. He’s very good and gentle. Let me give him a call and see if he’s nearby.” Raven nodded, too shocked to speak. Caitlyn sat down behind her and squeezed her other hand.
    Lauren took her phone out and spoke for a few seconds.
    “Dr Harley is on his way. He’ll be here in ten minutes,” she said. Raven sat quietly, while Lauren and Caitlyn said reassuring things to her. She couldn’t be pregnant. She just couldn’t be. They hadn’t used a condom, but Timo hadn’t come inside her. She laughed to herself. At the time, she’d been grateful, as she’d been so overwhelmed with the amazing sex they’d been having that she hadn’t thought about protection.
    The minutes ticked by slowly, but at last a European sports car pulled up behind Lauren’s truck, and a tall, strikingly handsome man climbed out of the bucket seat and walked toward them carrying a doctor’s bag.
    “Hello, Raven, I’m Doctor Harley,” he said with a kind smile, holding his hand out to her. She took it, aware how clammy her own hand was.
    “How are you feeling?” he said.
    “I’ve felt better,” she replied with a wry smile.
    “Lauren tells me that you’ve missed a period, and you’ve been having a couple of other symptoms, so I suggest that we get you to do a pregnancy test right now, and then I’ll take a sample to test in the lab as well,” he said. She nodded. He took two test kits out of his bag and passed them to her.
    “Here’s two to be sure. Just take them to the bathroom and pee on the end.”
    Raven stood up shakily and went inside.
    Some minutes later, she was back, carrying both sticks, her hands trembling so badly that they were almost a blur. Dr Harley took them and held them out, and the three women held their breath. A faint pink line appeared on each one at exactly the same time. Raven screamed and clapped a hand over her mouth.
    “Is that a happy scream?” Caitlyn asked.
    “I – I don’t know,” she stuttered and promptly burst into tears. Caitlyn rubbed her back soothingly.
    “Just take your time, hon. It’s going to be a big shock right now. You’ll need a while to get used to the idea.”
    “Raven, I’d like to get a blood sample. These tests are extremely accurate these days, but I like to go for the belt-and-braces approach, especially if the pregnancy is a surprise. Is that ok?” Dr Harley said. Raven nodded, and he prepared a syringe