What to Expect... (when you're expecting) Part 1
Summary: Hank didn't have a condom. Karen wasn't on the pill. The inevitable happens.
Eight weeks
"Karen, will you stop pacing?" Davis grumbled. "I'm trying to read here."
Karen stopped momentarily, stared out the window, then began her path around the small police station once more.
"Karen! Can't you go outside and do that?"
"I'm waiting for a phone call... a very important –" The phone rang, and she grabbed the receiver like a cat pouncing on a mouse. "DRPD."
There was a pause while Davis strained to hear the other person on the line. What could be that important?
"Yes, this is Karen Pelly."
Davis still couldn't quite hear, but he saw Karen's shoulders slump as her chin fell to her chest. "Are you sure?"
This time he heard something about a "test," which alarmed him. Was something wrong with his partner? It was true that she had been sick lately...
"All right. Thank you." Karen hung up and let out a deep sigh.
"What's wrong?" Davis asked, getting up from his desk. "Are you sick? What kind of test was it?"
Her face went pale. "Davis! What were you doing listening on my call?"
"I wasn't listening on purpose," he lied. "But I couldn't help overhearing the word test. What's going on? Please tell me." He grasped her arm gently and looked into her eyes.
He could see the indecision on her face, but he didn't try to persuade her, he just waited patiently until it resolved.
"All right, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Not anyone," she stressed.
"I promise."
"Okay." She hesitated for a moment, then forced it out. "I'm pregnant."
Davis looked confused, as if he didn't know what the word meant. "You're what?"
"You know. Pregnant. Expecting. Having a baby."
"Well how did that happen?" At her look of contempt, he hastily continued, "I mean, I know how it happened, but when – who – I mean, I guess it isn't any of my business." He turned to go back to his desk, but she stopped him.
"Davis, think about it. What happened about two months ago that could lead to this?"
"I don't know."
"Come on! Everybody in town knew about it. The fishing trip, remember?"
Davis's eyes grew wide. "Oh my god – are you telling me that Hank's the father?"
"Yep. Happy happy joy joy," she said sarcastically.
"It might not be that bad."
"Are you kidding? It's Hank we're talking about. The kid will probably be just as big an idiot as he is."
Davis didn't know whether to agree with her or not.
"So... what are you going to do about it?"
"What do you mean, 'what am I going to do'?" Her eyes didn't meet his.
He leaned back against his desk. "Look, Karen, you know that I don't personally favor abortion. But, it's your choice. You're my partner and my friend, so I will support you no matter what you decide. I'm just wondering what you're thinking."
Still looking down, she said, "I don't know. I don't know. Right now, I'm still sort of in shock, even though I've known for a month that I might be –" There was a catch in her voice, and Davis saw something he had never seen on Karen's face before: tears.
"Oh, Karen," Davis said, walking up to her and putting his arms around her, "it's going to be okay. Don't worry. We'll figure this out." His words, though trite, were said with such kindness that she knew he really meant them.
"I don't want anyone else to know," she choked out as tears ran down her cheeks. "I don't even want Hank to know. Especially since he probably couldn't keep his mouth shut."
"I know you don't want to, but you really should tell him."
"But Davis –"
"It's his baby too. He deserves to know. It's your decision, but shouldn't he have some input?"
Karen sighed once more. "Yeah. I guess you're right. I'll tell him."
Eight weeks three days
"Am I in trouble or somethin'?" Hank asked as he walked behind Karen into the police station.
'No, it's me that's in trouble,' Karen thought, then said aloud, "I just need to talk to you. You might want to sit down."
"What for? I like standing. And you're makin' me nervous, Karen."
"Sorry. I guess the best thing is to just say it. Do you remember that fishing trip?"
"Yeah, uh, I thought we weren't gonna talk about that again."
"Well, we have to now."
"Why?"
"Because I'm pregnant."
He didn't react. "Oh, okay."
"Hank, don't you get it? It's your baby!"
"But – what?"
"Listen carefully, Hank: You. Knocked. Me. Up."
"How?"
"How?" Karen rolled her eyes. "If you remember, neither of us had a condom."
"Yeah, that's true."
"And I wasn't on the pill or anything."
"You weren't?"
"No. And that was the only time – I mean, it had to be you."
He smiled. "That's cool. I didn't think I would ever get the chance to have a kid."
"You mean you're happy about it?" Karen was startled – it had never occurred to her that Hank might actually want a child.
"Of course, aren't you?"
"Um, no, not really."
"Oh. You – you don't want children?"
"I never really thought about it. I'm a career woman."
"I guess you could go to a doctor and take care of it," he said slowly, "but if you're going to do that, I wish you wouldn't have told me." The smile was gone from his face, even from his eyes.
"I haven't decided yet."
"Do I have any say in it?"
"Well - if you have something to say, I'll listen."
"Okay. Um... I don't know what to say right now. I'll have to think about it."
"Yeah, that's a good idea."
"Does anybody else know? Who can I talk to?"
"Davis knows... but don't you dare tell anyone else! Don't even hint. Not to Brent, not to anyone. If you do, I'll sic Wanda on you."
"All right." He paused, thinking for a moment, then added, "If you have the baby, can we share custody?"
"I... I don't know, Hank. Maybe. But only if you start acting like an adult. I have to be able to trust you."
"Ok... um, what exactly does that mean?"
"Get a job. And keep it. I mean a long-term job, not just the occasional handyman job. You should also learn how to take care of kids."
"Do you know anything about kids?"
"Not really," she admitted.
"I guess we'll both learn," he said. "I'll look on the Internet. Anything else? Do you want me to go with you to the doctor appointments?"
"I'll think about it. You just do your part."
"Okay. Got it." He turned to leave, then stopped. "Karen... can I kiss you?"
"What? No!"
"How about a hug?"
She glared at him for a moment then said, "Oh, all right."
He came over to her hesitantly, gave her a quick hug with a surreptitious kiss on the top of her head, then left.
Karen was surprised to realize that she was smiling.
(the next day)
Hank walked into Corner Gas and said, "Brent, I need to talk to you about something serious."
"Sure, what is it?"
"I can't tell you."
"Oh. Okay, well, that was a good talk."
"No, I mean... lemme start over." He took a deep breath. "I need a job, Brent, and it's gotta be one I can hold onto."
"No jobs here," Wanda called from the cooler where she was stocking milk. "Move along."
"I didn't mean here," Hank said. "The thing is, you've known me longer than anyone, Brent. What do you think I'd be good at?"
"Mm, well, Hank..." Brent tried to think of something reasonable to say. "Wanda, help me out here. What is Hank good at?"
"Besides annoying me? Maybe we should list what he's not good at."
Emma and Oscar walked in at the same time. "What's who good at?" Emma asked.
"Me," said Hank.
"Oh, are you looking for a job, Hank? You could plant some shrubs for me. You did really good work the last time."
"Sorry, Emma, this has to be a long-term job. I'd be glad to help you out on the side, though."
"Great. You know, Oscar could use some help finishing the bookcase he's making."
"No, I couldn't!" Oscar protested. "It's coming along fine."
"For more than two years?"
"These things take time, Emma. I don't need any help, especially not from a jackass like Hank."
Ignoring the slur, Hank said, "Okay, but if you do, let me know. I'll call you up later about the shrubs, Emma. Right now, I've got to find a job."
His next stop was the Ruby, but in the twenty-five seconds it took for him to walk to the cafe, Wanda had called Lacey to warn her.
"I'm sorry, Hank, we don't need any help right now. You could try putting a sign on the bulletin board."
"Hey, that's not a bad idea. Do you have some paper and a pen?"
Lacey rolled her eyes while she found what he needed.
Hank was sitting at the counter making his sign ten minutes later when Jack from the co-op walked behind him. "What are you doing, Hank?"
"Making a 'job needed' sign. Got any jobs available?" Hank looked up hopefully.
"Maybe. Can you come by about..." Jack glanced at his watch. "Three-fifteen?"
"Sure. See ya then."
Nine weeks
Hank walked into the station to find both Davis and Karen at their desks reading – Davis had a Hardy Boys novel, while Karen was reading a large paperback book with a dust jacket that said The Instant Pot Cookbook, but on the inside, it was What to Expect When You're Expecting.
"Hi Hank," Davis said. Karen looked up and nodded.
"Hey, Davis, I need to talk to Karen."
"Sure." He didn't move.
"I think he means privately," Karen said pointedly.
"Yeah," Hank agreed.
Davis stood up and put his book away. "Oh, okay. I'll be outside on the steps," he told Karen.
"What did he mean by that?" Hank asked.
"He's just being supportive. What did you want to tell me?"
"Well, actually, I wanted to ask you something." He reached in the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small box, which he opened to reveal a narrow gold band. "Will you marry me?"
Karen was so shocked that she couldn't speak for several minutes, she just stared at the ring.
"I know it's not much," Hank added, "but it could be a symbol until I have the money to buy you a better one."
She looked up and saw a seriousness in his expression that she didn't usually associate with Hank. "I – I – that's really sweet of you, Hank, but I don't think it's a good idea."
"Why not? I got a job. I'm working at the co-op as a stocker five days a week."
"That's great, Hank, but - well, I don't really know how to say this," Karen looked away as she searched for words that wouldn't hurt his feelings, "but we're not in a relationship. We're not even dating. We don't have the kind of feelings for each other that people have when they get married."
"I wouldn't be so sure," he said quietly.
Startled, she looked up and again saw that expression that was so un-Hank-like. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I've been thinking about this and I realized that I have feelings for you I've never had for anyone before. I'd like to have a relationship with you."
"Are you sure you're not doing this because of the baby?" She felt bad but she had to ask.
"I'm sure. Even if you decide not to have the baby, I still – I still love you, Karen." He took a deep breath. There – the word was said, it was out there between them, there was no going back.
Karen was completely gobsmacked. "I – uh –"
"I understand," he said, closing the box and putting the ring away. "You don't feel that way about me. Well, if you change your mind, let me know; the offer still stands." He left the office, seemingly unfazed by her reaction.
Karen sat down and stared at her desk for several minutes. She didn't even notice when Davis returned.
Finally, he asked, "Are you okay?"
Startled, she looked up. "Yeah... I think." She took a deep breath. "Hank proposed."
"I know."
"You know?"
"Yeah, I went to the city with him to buy the ring."
"Did you talk him into this?" Karen demanded suspiciously.
"No, of course not. In fact, I tried to talk him out of it. I told him you would say no."
"You couldn't have known that."
"I think I know you well enough, Karen. Plus, the way you've talked – you wouldn't 've said those things about Hank if you had feelings for him."
"Oh. Well," she said slowly, "I suppose you're right."