Free Pregnancy Plan by Tina Gayle

up to welcome her customer from behind the cash register.
“Good evening, John Paul. How can I help you today?”
    The tall, gangly teenager visited the store
regularly. His father, a plumber, sent him in to purchase parts for
his business.
    “ Well—I was wondering—if you might be
looking for some part-time help.”
    Jillian considered the idea as she watched
him shuffle on his feet. “Maybe. I hadn’t thought about hiring
anyone, but now that you mentioned it, I might just be in the
market for a good worker bee.”
    If she was pregnant, she could use help
lifting heavy boxes. She widened her smile and judged his strength
to handle the job. “Know anyone who might be interested in a
part-time job?”
    “ Well—I thought—I might apply for the
job?” He shifted his weight from foot to foot.
    “ Well,” she teased him with his own
word choice—“seeing as you gave me the brilliant idea...” She
paused, again to keep him in suspense. “I guess the least I can do
is give you the job.” She reached under the counter for the
application and held the form out to him. “How about you start
tomorrow afternoon after school?”
    Frowning, he replied. “Well, school lets out
at three-thirty—then—if it’s okay—I’d like to start about four.
That gives me time to run home and get something to eat.” His voice
sped up. “Of course, over the summer I can work different
hours.”
    She smiled at his nervousness. “Fine, four
it is.”
    Shyly, he met her glance and smiled. “Well,
see you tomorrow.” He turned and left the store.
    “ Well, well, well...” She dragged each
word out and laughed at her own silliness. “Now that the work day
is over, maybe I can have a little fun.”
    ****
    What her friend had planned for the evening,
Jillian couldn’t imagine. From picking up guys to pigging out on
hot fudge sundaes, with Karen Ann one could never tell what ran
through her head.
    Don’t be a chicken, it’ll
be fun , whispered through Jillian’s thoughts as she
tugged off her clothes.
    Bicycle rides with one of them on the handle
bars, taboo makeup parties, sleepovers where they’d escaped to
visit a boy, tears spilled, smiles exchanged, her mother’s illness,
her father’s clinginess. The two women shared a history that made
Karen Ann more like a sister than a best friend.
    Which was another reason why Jillian didn’t
like lying. But her weekend activities were best kept in the dark.
At least until Derek returned home. Then everyone would be able to
check him out and there wouldn’t be so many questions to
answer.
    Her gaze fell on the teddy bear sitting in
middle of her bed. The light tan fur, the bulky arms and legs, and
the solemn face reminded her of him, and her eyes blurred. He was
like a big cuddly bear. Had he made it to his assignment? Depending
on his layover in Germany, he could still be in route.
    She slipped into her favorite pair of jeans
and retrieved her favorite Texas Longhorn’s T-shirt from the
dresser. Damn, but she missed him. For more than two days, he had
been her constant companion, her world. Now, she felt as if it had
never happened. But hopefully, there would be a small memento
growing inside her. She covered her stomach with her hand.
    Could she be that lucky?
    The doorbell rang, snapping her back to the
real world. She grabbed her shoes, and raced into the living room,
then slid on the hardwood floors to a halt in front of the door.
She checked through the side window to be sure it was Karen
Ann.
    “ Hey, you’re early. I don’t have my
shoes on yet.” After letting her friend in, Jillian strolled in the
living room and sank onto the sofa. “As soon as I get my shoes on,
I’ll be ready to go.”
    Karen Ann waited in the entranceway. “No
hurry. The movie doesn’t start until seven-thirty.”
    A knock sounded on the front door.
    “ Yeah,” Karen Ann yelped and
turned.
    “ Who can that be?” Jillian popped up
from the couch and rushed to open the front door.
    A