Wren stared disbelievingly at the stick in her hand. It's not possible, she thought. I didn't feel true. It felt like a mistake. She had everything sorted. She had plans. She'd been so careful. But it said it right there – just like the other four tests she'd taken over the last two days did – 'pregnant'.

A group of girls crowded into the bathroom, giggling – shared bathrooms really weren't the place to brood on life-changing moments. Dabbing her eyes, she left the stall, all smiles and confidence. This is just an unplanned contingency, she thought. I slight hiccup in the overall plan.

Cath leaned in, resting her head in the curve between Levi's shoulders and neck. It felt like she was made to fit there – like Levi's neck had been carved out to give her head ultimate support. She loved to fall asleep like this, nestled into Levi like two pieces of a jigsaw.

Levi was listening to one of his lectures, while Cath tapped a pen to her lips, trying to think of something to write. Over the summer she'd immersed herself in the world of Simon and Baz by reading other people's fan fic. It'd been relaxing not to have to plot, to make words come out, but to let them sink in. Now she felt out of sync with her writing brain. The plot, the characters and the words felt blocked. Professor Piper had suggested brainstorming the old-fashioned way – with pen and paper – saying it was less scary than a blank screen. Blank is blank, she thought. The notebook reflected an eerie white.

"It's weird seeing you like this" Levi smiled, taking out his earbud. "I don't think I've once witnessed you holding a pen."

"I've held a pen before," Cath protested.

"I'm just saying you look different – somehow organic and rural."

"Are you saying I've turned into one of your cows just because I'm not ogling a computer?"

"I wish. Maybe then you wouldn't object to the country so much."

Cath had spent two weeks of summer on Levi's ranch, which was a world away from Omaha. Everything was so remote in the country – there really was nothing to do except walk around the ranch, admiring livestock, or drive for forty five minute to the nearest diner. The air had a constant aroma of manure, which Levi didn't seem to notice. Given the choice, she'd rather be in the city with easy access to everything.

The fact that Cath was allowed to stay on the ranch at all was something of a miracle. Levi's mum had a number of rules: Cath had to sleep in the spare room with the door firmly closed. Any interaction between the couple had to happen in the living room or kitchen, or outside with a chaperone. Any form of physical contact was met with a harsh clearing of the throat. One evening, though, they managed to sneak away in Levi's truck. They drove for miles and miles, just talking, until they came to rest stop. Just them, together, alone in the empty space…

There was a knock on the door. Cath reluctantly moved to open it, and found Wren shaking.

"What's wrong?" Cath panicked. "Is it dad? Is it Jandro? Tell me."

"Calm down," Wren said, desperately trying to look nonchalant. "I just need to talk to you about something."

"I can leave," Levi offered, jumping up towards the door.

"Nonsense, just tell me now".

"Okay…" Wren whispered. "Well … I'm … I guess … having a baby."

She lifted her tone at the end, as if it were a question. Cath froze. A baby. This was huge.

"Congratulations!" Levi beamed as he moved to hug Wren. "This is great."

"Um… is it?" Cath asked Wren.

"Well, yeah. I mean, it's unexpected and I don't know how this is going to work with college, but … a baby! My own baby!"

"Have you told Dad? Have you told Jandro?"

"I was on going to tell him later. I just wanted you to be the first to know. You're going to be an aunt!"

"The baby wouldn't be able to tell which is their mom and which is their aunt," Cath chuckled.

"Maybe they identify people more with smell…" Levi offered.

"That's dogs, Levi."

"I should really go break the news to Jandro," Wren worried. "See you guys around".

She left in a hurry, while Cath struggled to process the whole thing. How could Wren be so happy about this? She surely wouldn't be able to finish college – everything she'd worked towards would have been a waste. Cath didn't know Jandro well enough to know if he'd stick around, but she doubted he could support a child. What would this mean for the two of them? If Wren started a family, would she still have time for her old one?

If Wren had a baby, she might forget Cath entirely.