Hannah stood at the kitchen counter and stared in disbelief. The note in her hand shook as she read it over and over again.
“Dear Mom, the test is positive. She’s pregnant,” Hannah read aloud. She thought about crumpling the paper up in a fury, but she knew it wouldn’t change anything. So she left it sitting where she’d found it and walked over to collapse on the couch. The Diamondbacks were playing, but she didn’t bother to turn on the television. Her mind was afire with the thought of Casey being a father and her being a grandmother. It seemed impossible. Unfathomable. And yet here it was, smacking her in the face, forcing her to accept it.
No tears came, and she didn’t curse and carry on. The shock was too great. Too overwhelming. She had to think. She and Casey had to think. To plan. To somehow figure this out. The young woman too. They all needed to sit and figure things out.
She eyed her watch. Casey wasn’t due home until after nine. That left her five hours of doing nothing but stewing in the news. She’d drive herself crazy. Mickey. Where was Mickey? She called her and waited. She picked up just before the voice mail.
“Hannah, what’s up?”
Hannah palmed her forehead. “Um, Casey is going to be a father that’s what’s up.”
Mickey was quiet for a long moment. “Congratulations? I don’t know what to say.”
“Neither do I. Something in me was hoping you would.”
“Sorry, pal. I got nothing. Are they sure?”
“The note sounded like they are sure.”
“What’s she like? Your soon to be daughter-in-law?”
“Shut up.” Casey hadn’t mentioned marriage, but she now knew he didn’t always mention what was going on in his life.
“Seriously, what’s she like?”
“Abby? She seems okay. She’s sweet. Levelheaded. Quieter than Casey, but then again most people are.” She’d liked Abby well enough. Just not enough for her to be pregnant and having her son’s child. Ten years from now, sure. But now?
“I’m going nuts over here, Mick, and if I lift one more weight today or go for one more run I think my body is going to protest by crumpling up and evaporating. You’ll never see me again. I’ll be gone with the wind.”
Mickey laughed. “Sounds serious. I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you call that Brandy girl of yours and ask her out tonight? We can double. I can hold your hand so to speak.”
“Double-date?”
“Sure, why not? Couples still do that.”
“Who are you bringing?”
“Someone from softball. Her name’s Faith. She’s a riot. I’ve been wanting to ask her out for a while, but she’d been seeing someone else. Now it’s all me, baby.”
Hannah wanted to roll her eyes, but she was too tired. She needed to expend as little energy as possible this evening or she’d crash and no doubt have nightmares about a baby and bills and Casey being consumed by it all.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll do it. Why not?” Why the hell not? It beat sitting there.
“Meet us at Barro’s at six. She wants to watch the D-backs game. Can I pick them or what?”
“That doesn’t give me much time.”
“It’ll be enough. Besides I think Brandy will be game for anything with you. See you soon.”
She ended the call and Hannah was left sitting there staring down at her phone. She had to call Brandy now. Luckily, she’d put her number in her phone as soon as she’d arrived home from the coffee shop at the behest of Mickey. Now she was glad she had.
She pressed call and waited with bated breath. Would she answer? If so would she remember her? Oh God, what if she didn’t? Or what if she said no?
“Hello,” a friendly voice answered.
“Hi, is this Brandy?”
“Well, now that depends. Are you selling something? Or taking a survey? Or wanting money of any sort?”
“No, I—”
“Then yes, this is Brandy. Who is this?”
“This is Hannah. We met the other day at the—”
“Hannah from the coffee shop. Of course. I was hoping I’d hear from you.”
Hannah could hear the smile in her voice. It caused her to smile.
“You were? I mean that’s great. I, uh, was wondering if you would like to go out tonight?”
“Tonight?”
“Yeah as in like an hour?” She winced as she said it. “It would be a double date. We’re going to watch the Diamondback game over pizza.”
“I don’t really do sports,” she said. “But I’ll do anything to see you again.”
Hannah fought off a flush, and she pushed away the part about not caring for sports. She’d said yes and that was all that mattered.
“Okay. Good. Should I pick you up or meet you there?”
“I can meet you there.”
Hannah relayed the address and ended the call with Brandy mentioning that she couldn’t wait to see her. The words left Hannah smiling, and she hurried into the bedroom for a quick shower and spray of cologne. But she immediately wiped it off because it was what she’d always worn and it reminded her of Sasha, who loved it.
Instead, she found a small bottle that had been a Christmas gift from Casey a couple of years before. She sprayed that on, then dressed in jeans, a button-down, and ankle boots and hurried out to her truck. She tried to calm down, to slow her breathing, but she was keyed up. She drummed the steering wheel, and the slow song on the radio drove her nuts. After the first stoplight she realized she was going to arrive too early so she slowed and forced herself to drive along nicely, calmly. The whole time she was gritting her teeth and humming a tune she didn’t even recognize. When she finally arrived she pulled in a parking space and saw Brandy walking in wearing shorts and a flowy peasant blouse. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she had a long leather purse swung over her shoulder.
She looked amazing.
Hannah turned up the radio, hoping to drown out her anxiety. If she went in now it would be just the two of them. Should she go? Should she wait?
Her thoughts went back to Mickey and how she’d said she would hold her hand.
She didn’t like that.
“Ah, fuck it.” She killed her engine and climbed from the truck to go inside.