This Is So Not Happening by Kieran Scott Read Free Book Online Page B

white coat.
    “Um, yeah?”
    “I’m Doctor Muller. Come on in.” She cocked her head toward the room like she was inviting me inside for a beer. Was she serious? I didn’t want to see what was going on in there.
    “Come on,” she said again. “I won’t bite.”
    It wasn’t her I was worried about. I shoved myself up and, staring straight ahead at the far wall—past where Chloe was lying—walked inside.
    “It’s okay. I have my clothes back on,” Chloe said, sounding annoyed.
    I looked at her. Only her stomach was showing as she lay back on the table. Her perfectly flat stomach. There was no way there was a baby in there. Just no way. Was that why they had called me in here? To tell me it was a big mistake? I turned toward the doctor and she was holding this wandlike thing on a wire.
    “What’re you gonna do with that?” My hip hit the counter and I caught a glass bottle of Q-tips before they could smashon the floor. “Sorry. Sorry.” I put it back on the counter with a clatter.
    “It’s okay,” the doctor said, smirking. My jaw clenched. Glad she was enjoying this. “We’re just going to listen for the baby’s heartbeat.”
    My eyes widened. “It’s got a heartbeat?”
    They both looked at me like I’d just skipped A in a recital of the ABCs.
    “Sorry.”
    The doctor sat on a tall stool and squirted some goo on Chloe’s stomach. Then she put the end of the wand on there. Chloe’s hand shot out toward me. I hesitated a second, but then held it. She squeezed my fingers crazy hard. This was so wrong. I shouldn’t be here. Chloe should not be holding my hand. I’d never held her hand in my life.
    Then, out of nowhere, this quiet thrumming sound filled the room. It was so fast it sounded like something panicked.
    “There it is! That’s your baby,” the doctor said.
    “That’s it?” Chloe asked, lifting her head off the table.
    “Yep. Sounds good and strong,” the doctor said.
    She put the wand away and handed Chloe some tissues. “To wipe your stomach,” she explained when Chloe looked confused. As Chloe mopped up the goo with her free hand, the doctor clasped her hands between her knees. “So, is there anything else you want to ask me, Chloe? Or you, Jake?”
    I couldn’t think. My head was too filled with the sound of thrumming, even though the machine was turned off. I shook my head and let go of Chloe’s hand. I couldn’t stop staring at her stomach. There was a baby in there. An actual baby. I had the weirdest sensation. Like my head was emptying out fromthe back of my skull toward the top. The room tilted so fast I was shocked Chloe and the doctor didn’t go flying. I pinned myself back against the wall and closed my eyes.
    Don’t faint, you pussy. Don’t you fucking faint.
    “Um, no. I think I asked everything I needed to ask,” Chloe said. Her voice sounded small and high, like she was suddenly five years old.
    “All right, then. You have my card and the pamphlets,” the doctor said. “Please give me a call anytime if there’s anything you want to talk about. Anything at all.”
    “Thanks,” Chloe said.
    She was staring straight up at the ceiling, her hands on top of her stomach, which was now covered by her yellow T-shirt. The doctor shot me this look as she walked out, like she was telling me to take care of Chloe, then she closed the door. Take care of Chloe? Did she not notice I was about to go down? I pressed my palms together—they were slippery with sweat—and tried to breathe.
    “It’s okay,” I whispered. “It’s okay it’s okay it’s okay.”
    “Are you kidding me?” Chloe sat up so fast it scared the crap out of me. “Omigod. What am I going to do? What am I going to do, Jake?”
    Her eyes filled with tears and she clutched her stomach. Right. Clearly it was time to focus. I squinted at her, waiting for my brain to reset itself.
    “Okay, okay, calm down,” I said again. “It’s gonna be okay.”
    “No! It’s not! It’s not gonna be