Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 82112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82112 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
While I waited on the noodles to boil, I pulled out the number I’d taken from the Roommate Wanted poster on the bulletin board outside. The apartment was a two-bedroom with three other people already living in it. Which made the rent affordable, but I would be sleeping on a sofa bed in the living room. The other two rooms were taken, although for one hundred more dollars, I could share a room with a guy. I was fine with the sofa bed.
I intended to call them tonight when Milly got home and I could borrow her phone. She was ready for me to move out. She’d made that very clear. I wasn’t sure if she wanted privacy with Rog or if she’d noticed his odd behavior with me. The way he watched me all the time and the inappropriate comments he made. I was thinking that was probably the main reason she wanted me out.
The noodles finished cooking, and I drained them, then moved them to a bowl. My stomach growled with anticipation. I twirled the noodles around my fork before lifting it to my mouth and taking a bite. Chewing slowly and not eating too fast helped with hunger pains. I’d learned that trick years ago when Mom was tight on money and there were too many of us to feed. Also, drinking a lot of water helped. I reached for my glass and drank until it was empty before standing to go fill it up some more.
The apartment door opened as I was walking over to the sink. Milly walked in the door, smiling brightly. She was normally moody, so seeing her happy was a change.
“Good day?” I asked.
She tossed her purse on the small round table that stood between the living room and kitchen area. “Rog is taking me out tomorrow night to a fancy restaurant with linen napkins, chandeliers, and shit. His company is hosting a Christmas party for them. I’m going to eat lobster!”
Milly walked over and looked at the bowl of noodles I’d left on the coffee table. “You know you need to eat more than that. You’re pregnant.”
I filled my glass with water. “I bought a jar of peanut butter last week. This week, it’s noodles. I’ll balance it out.”
Milly shook her head. “You need to give this kid up for adoption if you’re not going to get an abortion. You can’t even feed yourself properly. How the fuck do you think you can feed a kid? And get it diapers and all that shit babies need?”
The panic was creeping back in. I didn’t need to hear someone else remind me that I couldn’t afford a baby. It made it real. Not just a fear I could brush off.
“At least tell the father. Even if he’s a loser, you can get some kind of help from him.”
The words had almost tumbled out of me two weeks ago when he opened that door and looked at me. The fear of what Levi would do to me if he found out kept me silent. Then, the naked woman standing behind him helped seal my lips closed. He had moved on from me easily enough. Other than showing up at the trailer once, he let me go without much of a fight. I should be thankful since I didn’t want to die. But deep down, it had hurt right up until I saw those two pink lines. That was another level of fear that had pushed all other emotions aside.
“I can handle it. I’m saving money. By the time the baby comes, I’ll be ready.”
Milly walked over to the fridge and pulled out a box of leftover pizza. “Here, eat a slice of this at least. Noodles aren’t enough.”
My mouth watered as I thought about pizza. How long had it been since I’d had something more than bread, noodles, or peanut butter? Two months. That was how long. I looked at the box, then back at Milly. She’d been very verbal about her food being off-limits while I was here. She was giving me a place to crash and helping me get a job, as a favor to Silver. But she wasn’t going to feed me.
“Go ahead,” she said. “Eat a damn slice. But just one. The other one is my dinner.”
“You’re sure?” I asked, wanting to grab a slice and shove it in my mouth.
“Yes. Get a slice before I change my damn mind.” She opened it, and my stomach growled at the sight of veggies and meat that covered the slices. “Don’t eat it fast though. It will probably just come back up. You barely eat anything, and your stomach is the size of a fucking pea by now.”
I reached in and took a slice of the old pizza. “Thanks.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she replied, closing the lid.