'Please April' the pleading still fresh in her ears. 'For me' A goofy smile and puppy dog eyes flashed through her head.

'Fine. But only one night. That's all she gets' April had finally agreed. She was regretting it already as she walked into Ann's house.

Andy had been wanting April to hang out with Ann for a few weeks. It was actually he who suggested the words April despised. 'Slumber party' as he said it. Ann's eyes lit up as Aprils grew fierce at the mentioning of it. But Andy had worn her down. Who could say no to this big lug of a man with his crooked it smile and child like expectations. But Andy would shoot the moon for April. It was her turn to do something for him.

So she walked into Ann's house.

"Hey April!" Ann greeted her. She finally got her way! April met her enthusiasm with a glare. "Right." And sighed. April had to do this. But she didn't have to like it.

"So I thought we'd do our nails, watch a movie and then-"

"Braid each others hair into nooses so we can hang ourselves?"

Ann looked at April. "April, what do you want to do?"

"Leave" she said in a flat voice. Ann walked past her and opened the door. Without saying anything she gave a grand gesture. April stood for a second. She was stuck. "Ann... I uh- I want to stay." Do it for Andy, she told herself. April wouldn't make eye contact but she knew Ann was smiling. Battle won.

Well well well. Ann had her. She had April right where she wanted her. April couldn't leave. Ann was determined to gain 'friendship points' or whatever they called it in that Sims game Andy used to play back in the day. Then it all clicked. She had the wrong tactics. You catch more flies with honey but this was a completely different insect.

Ann looked at her watch. "you like Chinese?"

"Sure" April shrugged.

"Perfect." Ann went into the other room. April heard her talking on the phone. Ordering. She sat on the couch looking at the table next to her. She saw a picture of

Ann and instinctively faced it down. Right about that time Ann walked back in. She placed a wine bottle in front of April. "Ok April. this is how this is gonna go. We drink this" she gestured to the bottle of wine "until were done with dinner which should be here in" she looked at her watch "10 minutes. And then we switch to this" Ann placed a bottle of vodka on the coffee table in front of them. Hard.

April smirked, eyeing up the bottle of vodka.

"Well Perkins, you drive a hard bargain" She grabbed the wine sipping straight out of the bottle. "So what movie did you have in mind?"

"Movie. Right." Ann dug in the movie cabinet for the weirdest most 'April' movie she could find, tossing movies aside as she searched for the perfect recipe.

"You have Thankskilling?" April grabbed from the floor.

"I- uh guess" Ann thought back trying to remember where it had come from. Right. Andy again. Looks like he had inadvertently set this up years before it had ever happened."

"You haven't seen it have you." It wasn't a question. "You are in for a treat" she raised her eyebrows at Ann in excitement, clearly already at least a glass in.

Ann's excitement of this actually panning out was interrupted by the doorbell. The delivery guy! She had forgotten.

They ate dinner and got a nice buzz going before ever opening the vodka.

"Let's play a game" April suggested. Ok ok, a game. I can go with this. Ann thought. "You name it."

Ann thought. She judged Aprils tipsiness. "Truth or dare" Ann said. Again, April glared. "It's a slumber party tradition" Ann insisted.

April gave a sigh, "Fine. But I'm not painting my nails"

April went first. Dare of course. Ann thought again, then smiled. "I dare you to smile" Ann thought she had won. April smiled. Not a true smile but an 'I won this one' smile. It was sinister. It counted.

Ann took out some orange juice to screwdriver the vodka. April took it but it was more vodka than juice.

Next was Ann. Truth for her. She couldn't stand to think what April would dare her. April sighed as she thought.

"Why are you so lame?" April laughed.

"Haha very funny." Ann said, waiting for a real question until April said

"Shots. We need shots" April wanted to avoid any questions on her own end as well as get drunk in general.

Ann again. Dare for April. Ann chose this moment to her advantage "I dare you to choose the next movie" April looked at her and rolled her eyes again. She got up. She was feeling kind of generous. It was weird. She looked for a movie that was very Ann.

"This one" April said.

"13 Going on Thirty? Really?" It was one of the few Ann had chosen for the previously planned activities. "Do you like that one?" April gave a shy nod biting her lip.

Not lying but not willing to be quoted on it. They put the movie in both kind of happy with the way the night was turning out.

Once it got back around to April after a not so reveling truth from Ann, April was dared to get her toenails painted. She obliged only after telling Ann to put skulls on them.

They went on for a while until they were both pleasantly drunk and laughing at jokes they never would laugh at.

"Gotta pee" April said. She went into the bathroom. Before she sat down her instincts kicked in telling her to check the cabinets. Toilet paper. Boring vitamins. Tampons. And pregnancy tests. A ridiculously sized box April hadn't even known they made. "Oh ANNNNNNN" April called stumbling out of the bathroom. "I found your STAAAASH!" April giggled leaning on the doorway for support.

Ann saw what she was holding and blushed. "Your next truth is to tell me why you have a butt load of prego tests"

"I've told you before April, Chris and I are trying!" They both laughed at the situation. After it calmed down a little Ann brought herself to say, "No luck though" Shrugging. Not letting off how bummed she was.

"well I dare you to take one right now" April insisted holding it up to her.

"April no!" Ann smiled.

"Ann yes!" April retorted snorting with laughter.

"Fine. But I dare you to take one too."

"Ha! Ok Ann. I'll take one too" April rolled her eyes and laughed again. "But first, shots!"

"Before a pregnancy test?"

"It doesn't count if you don't know" April insisted raising her eyebrows a comical smile on her face. A face Ann never expected to see aiming at her. Towards Andy? of course. Tom? Sure. Maybe even Leslie or Ron. But her? No way. The only person that would be under her was Jerry and that's not saying much.

With that they poured shots. Rather large shots. Ann took it in two gulps and April in one. Both laughing. Neither knowing why.

"So who goes first?" Ann asked.

"At what?" Aprils dazed eyes asked.

Ann snorted. "You should probably go first so you don't pass out before we get to it"

"Why would I pass out?" April smiled a slur. Ann just laughed more. "Fine! Me first! As it should be!" She pointed her finger at Ann cackling. She ran to the bathroom before Ann could get a word in.

"Hey April" Ann knocked on the door after a few seconds "why don't you like me?"

"HA! take a guess Man Perkins" April said needing to defend herself. "Oh I'm Ann I'm perfect and every guy that meets me falls for me! Oooooh! Including the love of Aprils life! April's soul mate! Even our names are alike we're so compatible! OOOOOooooh!" April waved her arms until she noticed the pee running down her arm from the test. And the fact that Ann couldn't see her. Ha.

Ann felt the burn of the comment.

"You know it's not like that April.

"Duh Ann. If any of us know that it's me." April opened the door. "So why do you LIKE me?" Anns turn.

"Well if were being honest-"

"we are" april intuded.

"then I guess it's because I can't stand people not liking me. I don't know what it is. Probably middle child syndrom..." Ann looked off, tearing up like she always did when she had vodka. April looked at her.

"Ann" she put a hand on her shoulder "Just go pee on that stick" April giggled, her own jokes making her laugh. Time to stop, she thought to herself as Ann went into the bathroom. April didn't do deep. Especially to people she hated.

Ann was faster than April. More functional when drunk. But had less to drink to be fair. She opened the door.

"What now? More movies? Shots? Tacos? MM That sounds good... Or we could take more shots"

"No I don't think we should.." Ann said awkwardly?

"Cmon don't sucker out already. It's not even 1!"

"No April I'm not" Ann said calmly.

"Fine then take a shot."

"Ok fine. I will. But you wont."

"What? Yeah I will. I'll take like fifty."

"No I don't think so..."

"Whatever hand me the bottle" April reached for the vodka

"April!" Ann snapped. April just stared. "Listen"

"Fine. What's the problem?"

"Look for yourself" Ann held the two tests in front of her. One clearly marked 'Ann' the other blank. One with one tiny pink line the other, clearly with two. Aprils.

April stared for a moment, dumbfounded. "Haha very funny Ann..." April hadn't seen Ann writing it. She had to be kidding. Right?

Ann was silent. After what felt like forever she said "April..."

"No." April said. Ann looked at her quizzically. "Nope. No no no. No." Aprils face was breaking. She leaned against the wall and made no eye contact. "It's yours. It's not mine. That's yours. Nope. No. No no no" Her head spun.

"April, are you ok?" Ann put an arm on her. About that time April started to see spots. Without warning April collapsed on the floor. "April!"

April woke up a few minutes later with a wet rag on her head, a pillow behind her neck. "Nurse Perkins strikes again" April said, thinking it sounded meaner in her head.

"How are you feeling April?"

"Dizzy" April said closing her eyes again. She tried to stifle a tiny whimper.

"Think you can move to the bed?"

"Yeah" April started to sit up. Wobbled. Put her hand to her head. Moaned a little. Ann helped her as much as April would let her.

April's head raced. What the heck was happening. Please let this be a hallucination. Please, Ann. Please tell me you spiked my drinks.

With some teamwork they finally made it to the bed. April laid down and Ann brought her some water. They didn't say anything for what felt like forever. "So April" Ann finally broke the silence. "Do you want to talk?"

Just then April sat up. Ann tried to push her back down to keep her in bed knowing she was still drunk. April broke free and ran to the bathroom and began to vomit.

After a few good heaves April folded her arms over the toilet seat and rested her head. She knew the puking wasn't due to the alcohol. Ann tried to coax April to get her to go lay back down. April didn't budge. Finally, Ann squated next to April and put an arm around her.

"April, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of birth control are you on?"

"Birth control is for rich people Ann" April snarled into her arm.

"Oh... So you didn't-"

"Condoms Ann. Condoms. Lots and lots of condoms. What else do you want to know? How often we f*ck? Missionary or doggie? Haven't you done enough for one night?"April knew immediately that that was the wrong thing to say. And honestly, she felt bad. She looked up. For the first time Ann could see how watery April's eyes were as she tried to hold back her tears. "Sorry. I know that was rude. Andy uses condoms... Buuuuut Burt Maclin doesn't use anything." April knew it was stupid. She was embarrassed just saying it. Funny what a drunken night of role play can do.

"Oh. I see. But hey don't-"

"can we move away from this toilet before we get into this?" April said. April brushed her teeth and sat on the bed.

"Funny how big news can really sober two people up" Ann tried to joke. April let out a sigh louder than she usually would. She wanted to talk. But wouldn't be the one to start it. Ann got the cue and sat next to her.

"You know, this is normal. Don't feel bad about it. I mean you're married and you both have jobs. It could be a lot worse"

"Yeah we have jobs. Low paying government jobs. And We're not the most responsible people" April looked down at Ann's flowery sheets to keep from making eye contact. "And..." April stopped as her voice cracked. She sat quietly holding back her tears.

Ann put her arm around April. "So it might be the nurse in me but I'm just curious, have you had any symptoms. You know, peeing a lot, cravings, fatigue, morning sickness stuff like that?"

April, grateful Ann had changed the subject, thought. "Well I've been tired, but to be fair I'm always tired. But thinking back I guess it has been more than usual"

"Any morning sickness?"

"Well maybe a little" she knew it sounded stupid. She should've caught the symptoms before. "To be honest I just thought I was getting bad hangovers... I didn't think that it would happen to me Ann. I mean someday but not for, like a while" April sniffled.

"April" Ann looked at her "I know you've got the whole tough thing going on, but sometimes you just need to let go. Let yourself cry. You'll feel better" April didn't even wait for Ann to finish the sentence. She leaned into Ann and let the tears flow. Ann put both arms around her now and rubbed her back. They were both aware of how very un-April this was. They didn't care. Time to let go.

"I'm so scared" April sobbed.

"I know, I know. It'll get better. Everything works out"

April cried herself to sleep. The next morning she woke up to the smell of bacon. She was embarassed as she thought back to the night before. But what was done was done, she thought.

"Hey" April said to Ann as she walked into the kitchen.

"Oh hey! Sorry I hope I didn't wake you. How are you feeling?"

April shrugged and sat at the table.

"Hey Ann, can I ask you something about, you know, this?"

"Of course" Ann put a stack of pancakes on the table in front of her.

April hated all the talking but felt like it was actually helping. "The drinking... I mean it couldn't like... hurt... it?" She didn't want to say the word baby "Not this early could it? I mean people had to have had drinks without knowing they were- you know" She couldn't say pregnant yet "right?"

"It doesn't count if you don't know" Ann laughed as she quoted April. April looked off awkwardly. "Oh right. Sorry. Uh yeah I hear lots of stories of women that have had some drinks before they knew and their kids turned out fine. But once you know then definitely stop" No more alcohol, great, April thought. "And you know if you were like trying then it probably wouldn't be a great idea."

"Then why did you?"

"Well" Because I wanted to get on your good side "Honestly I had taken a test yesterday morning"

"Why didn't you tell me that last night?" April asked.

Ann shrugged. "Wishful thinking"

"Oh. Right..." April felt bad for her. I wish it were her. "I'm sorry"

"Don't be. It'll happen. Then maybe our kids could grow up together!" April thought about her and Andy's goofy demon child torturing Ann's all her life. She liked it.

Ann thought about the demon child and felt a little uncomfortable... Maybe she should move. "But back to your alcohol question it probably just depends how far in you are. Any guesses?" April shrugged. "Well it can't be many since you probably haven't missed a period by much" April shrugged again and looked away "April!" Ann said accusingly.

"What?! I don't really keep track of that. It's gross!"

"Well you probably could have avoided some of the shock. Take a guess. How long?"

"I don't know. If I missed it wasn't by very much... five weeks?"

"Ok that's not bad. So are you excited about telling Andy?"

"No"

"Really?"

"Yep" April ate and avoided eye contact.

"well... do you want to talk about it?" It was a lot harder getting her to talk when she wasn't drunk.

April swallowed her pancake and put her fork down, looking up. "Yes" April felt like she needed to talk more.

"Ohhhkay... Well why don't you want to tell him?"

April decided to let go again. "I don't know anything about babies. Andy for sure doesn't. And all this is just a big screw up. Literally." April stood up. "We freakin screwed up! We don't have money. We're still kids ourselves really. Especially Andy. What do I do? How do I take care of myself or of it or of Andy. How do I tell him? Just walk in? Hey babe We have to grow up now! Surprise!" She was ranting she knew. But it felt so good to not be alone.

"April. Take a breath. Calm down. Think. Andy is just a big kid"

"EXACTLY!"

"Which may make him better with kids"

"Well... He does seem to like Ron's girlfriends kids... It's actually kind of cute. And he likes making faces at the babies in the store" April started to zone out thinking of how sexy Andy had been when he was with kids.

"See?" Ann intruded her private thoughts which irritated her until she remembered she was trying to help. "It's going to come, with time. And here" Ann handed April a small stack of pregnancy books. "You need them more than me"

"Wow. Thanks Ann. Never thought I'd see the day you were helping me out... And I was thankful"

Ann nodded, agreeing.

"I'm just... scared" April shrugged.

"I know. It's a scary thing for anyone. But you're not alone" Ann put a hand on April's shoulder.

The doorbell rang. Andy walked in immediately after. "Hey dudes!" He saw the half empty vodka bottle "Woah, crazy night?" He laughed.

"You have no idea" April said. She waved at Ann. Silent words passed between them. Here I go, April thought. She never thought she'd be upset to leave Ann.