Thanks again to Roadrunnerz for the kick I needed.
Gillian had just returned home from work, kicking off her shoes she went upstairs to wash the day away. As she entered her bedroom her cell phone rang, checking the caller ID she saw that it was Emily.
"Hi Em " Gillian answered as she unbuttoned her top.
"Hi Gill, How are you doing?" Emily sat in her dorm room, knees drawn up to her chest.
"I'm doing good. How are you doing sweetheart, your Dad told me that you had a bad cold." Gill could hear the sadness in Emily's voice.
"It's better, it was mostly an ear infection the antibiotics cleared it up. Gill, do you think you could come out here for the weekend? Without Dad knowing where you're going?" Emily crossed her fingers hoping Gill would say yes without asking a bunch of questions.
"Em, what's going on? You know that I don't like to keep things from your Dad especially where you're concerned." Gill had stopped undressing and sat on the bed.
"Gill, I'm OK but I need you. Please. I need my friend, I'll talk to my mom and dad later but I need you first." Em tried to keep her voice under control because she knew that Gillian could read her just by listening to her speak.
"OK Em, let me make some airline and hotel reservations. If your Dad asks I'll just tell him that I'm spending the weekend with a girlfriend. I'll leave work early tomorrow and be there by evening." Gill was making a mental list of what she needed for her impromptu trip.
"Thank You, Gill. You really are a good friend." Emily rubbed her eyes.
"Take care of yourself sweetheart and I'll be in touch" Gill clicked off the phone and pulled out her laptop. Gillian knew she'd be paying top prices for the last minute trip but money was no object when it came to Emily.
Gillian texted Emily her flight information and told her to pack a bag so she could stay at the hotel as well. Gillian arrived in California just after dusk, she had just made it to her room and unpacked when she heard a quiet knock on the door.
Pulling open the door she came face to face with a very pale Emily. "Hi Em, come in. I've missed you." She wrapped her arms around her shoulders.
"Gill, I've missed you more." Emily squeezed her arms around Gillian's waist before pulling away.
"You can unpack your bag and get comfortable" Gill looked worriedly at Emily. The girl looked like she hadn't been sleeping well. She didn't want to push for answers too soon so she sat and waited for Emily to get settled.
Emily drew in a breath before turning to Gillian. "How's Dad doing? Was it difficult to get away?"
Gillian gave a small smile "He's doing good, missing you very much though. No it wasn't difficult he didn't question me about my weekend plans for a change."
"I'm sorry for asking you to lie to Dad, I know how bad you are at it. I just need you here without him butting in." Emily sat next to Gill on the two seater sofa.
Gillian laughed "I'm good at it when I need to be." Gillian put her arm around the girl and pulled her into a hug. She could feel the tension in Emily's body. "I'm ready whenever you are Em."
Emily pulled away from Gillian and started her story. "I met a guy at orientation, Jeremy, we've been seeing each other since." she stood up and walked over to the window. "we've uh become very close. I really do like him and we really have fun together." she snuck a glance at Gill. It was now or never "Gill, I think I'm pregnant."
Gillian felt her throat close up and her vision got blurry. "Oh honey, have you done a pregnancy test?" She didn't know quite how to feel hearing the news. It filled her heart to know that the girl she loved as though she were her daughter felt comfortable enough to need her at a time like this, but at the same time wished that it wasn't happening.
"Yes, it was negative but I'm 2 weeks late. I know that sometimes those tests aren't accurate. I didn't know what to do. You always help me figure stuff out. I'm sorry." tears were rolling down the girls cheeks.
"Don't be sorry Em. What happened? I mean I know what happened but I thought you were taking birth control." Gill wiped at the young girl's face with her fingers.
"I am and we were trying to be careful, but apparently the antibiotics sometimes counteract my birth control and then the stupid condom broke. I haven't even told Jeremy yet." Emily couldn't bring herself to look at her friend.
"Oh Emily." Gillian wrapped her arms around Emily's shoulders and could feel her body shaking. Now was not the time for lectures or blame. "First thing tomorrow we need to get you to the clinic so proper testing can be done, then we'll go from there. Tonight we'll get something to eat and watch a film."
Putting her finger on Emily's chin and lifting her face up she looked into the girls eyes. "You're going to be Ok. Why don't you go splash water on your face while I order room service."
"Thank you, Gillian. I'm so glad you're here." Emily went in the bathroom as Gillian sat down, because her legs felt like they were going to give out from under her. She placed an order for room service and waited for Emily to come back out. Maybe she would even get the girl to get some sleep tonight.
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Gillian could hear Emily tossing and turning on the other bed. "Em, are you ok over there?"
"Yea, I just can't sleep. Gill, what am going to do if I am pregnant?" Emily's fingers were gripping the sheets for dear life.
"Come over here Em." Gillian scooted to one side of the bed as she felt Emily climb under the blankets.
Emily laid on her left side with her back to Gillian and Gillian wrapped her right arm around the girl.
"Em, that's something you'll have to discuss with Jeremy. Understand that whatever you decide I'll be there for you." Gillian smoothed the hair back from Emily's face as she felt her start to relax and her breathing change.
"Thanks, Gill I love you." Emily sighed.
"Em, go to sleep" Gillian's heart constricted with those three words, knowing that it was something she may never hear from a child of her own.
"Gill I'm so sorry I didn't even stop to think how this would affect you." Emily grabbed Gillian's hand.
"I love you too, Em don't worry about me. I'm glad that I'm able to help you." Gillian tightened her hand on the girls and was soon asleep.
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Gill's phone was vibrating on the nightstand she reached over to see who was texting. She tried to read the screen with one eye open. "crap, I should have known he would text!"
Oi Gill, fancy brkfst with your favorite man?
Nathan Fillion called?
Oi cheeky, what do you see in that bloke?
Sorry having a chick flick weekend with a girlfriend. Raincheck?
A weekend full of sappy films and giggles. I could have shown you a better time. ;)
Oi Lightman...raincheck? ;)
Don't toy with me Gill!
Toys did you say toys?
Naughty Naughty...where are you? I'll come for you.
You have no idea...I'm not telling...and I'm sure you will but not today ;) talk later ok?...movie starting.
So early? I'll be waiting luv...
lots of films to watch...home soon.
She and Cal had grown closer the last few months. Life was progressing nicely on that front. Hopefully this little trip wouldn't ruin the headway they made. She couldn't think of that now. Emily was her number one priority this weekend.
Gillian slid out of bed and jumped into the shower before waking Emily.
"Emily, it's time to wake up. Come on get in the shower and we'll go have breakfast before going to the clinic." Gill smoothed the hair off Emily's face. "Em, wake up sleepy head."
"five more minutes please, I haven't slept this well in a week." Emily pulled the sheet back over her head.
"Ok five minutes but we should get going. You can't avoid forever." Gillian went to the closet to get her clothes.
"Are you always this bossy in the morning?" Emily sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"I can be worse if you'd like. Too bad we're not at home so I can wake you for morning chores or a morning run. That would be fun maybe we can do that tomorrow morning say 5 am?" Gillian felt a pillow hit the back of her head as she unwrapped the towel from her wet hair.
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"Can we skip breakfast and go straight to the clinic? I just want to get this over with." Emily tugged on her hoodie reminding Gill how young she was.
"Hot Pancakes, Em with lots of butter and syrup. Oh I want scrambled eggs and bacon. Maybe even a side of biscuits and gravy. I'm starving." Gill put on her sunglasses and waited for Emily to lead the way.
"I'll treat you to all of that after, OK? I just don't think I can eat right now." Emily started to walk in the direction of the clinic.
"Ok but I'm ordering a double stack." Gillian nudged the girl with her shoulder. "Lightman up Em, it's not the worse thing that will ever happen to you. Yes, if it's positive your life will change no matter what you choose to do but it's not the worse thing that can happen. Now not waking up in the morning..that's worse."
"You are so insightful, Gill. Lightman up? Who writes your stuff, Dad?" Emily leaned into Gillian as they walked. "How do you know this isn't the worst thing? You were probably perfect when you were my age. Waited until you were married before you had sex for the first time."
"Actually I was 18, I met a boy the first week of school. I was sure that I loved him, and he loved me. We were on spring break when I found out that I was pregnant. I thought my life was over. Michael was supportive and we thought we could make it work. A month later I lost the baby, it would be the first of many. Michael and I didn't last long after that. I thought my life was over then too, but it went on. I'm not perfect Em, I can't have babies and I choose men who don't stick around. Just remember that you will have bumps in the road of life but it's not the worst that can happen." Gills eyes filled with tears.
"Gill, I'm so sorry." Emily looped her right arm through Gillian's left. "If anyone deserves to have a baby it's you, you would be an awesome Mom. You've been like a second mom to me most of my life and I really appreciate everything you do for me. You've helped make me a better person. I mean I could have easily ended up being like my mom or dad. Dad likes to tell me that I'm a lot like you, especially when I use psychobabble on him."
Gillian's step hitched a bit but she continued to walk. "Thank you Em, you don't know how much that means to me."
Emily stopped walking "We're here, Oh I don't think I can do this." She started to turn around but Gillian pulled her back.
"Come on you can do this and you will do this." Gillian forced Emily to look at her. "Do you trust me when I say you'll be ok?"
"Yes, that's why I called you. My Mom would lecture and force me to do what she wanted and Dad would just freak out and make me come home. I couldn't handle either one of them right now. So if you say I'm going to be ok then I trust you." Emily pulled the door open and walked into the clinic.
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The Doctor walked into the room where Gillian and Emily were waiting. Emily immediately grabbed Gillian's hand. "Hi Emily, the urine dip showed a negative result, we're still waiting for the bloodwork results. I do want to do an ultrasound to see if there is anything else going on it'll check for endometriosis. At your age stress can be a factor for late or missed periods. You were sick and on meds along with stressing out about the condom breaking, well that would be enough to make your system go crazy. We just need to get your mom's consent for the ultrasound and we'll be done." Emily didn't correct her mistake.
"Ok, Thank you Dr. Williams I really appreciate you getting me in so fast and getting the results quickly. I was so stressed out." Emily was still shaking but tried to be calm.
"We have the lab on sight for that reason, we don't need you to be any more stressed than school already makes you. Go ahead remove your bottoms and put on this gown the ultrasound will be internal. I'll have the tech come right in." The Dr smiled and walked out.
"Em, I'll go ahead and wait outside. I'll be back in when the tech comes." Gill gathered her purse.
"No, Gill it's ok I'm fine." Emily put the gown on and began to remove her jeans.
The tech came in and finished the ultrasound within 15 minutes. Dr Williams was back within half an hour.
"Ok Emily, the blood work is negative for pregnancy as is the ultrasound. It doesn't show signs of endometriosis either. You are, however, anemic so I'm going to prescribe some vitamins and I want you back in 2 months for a repeat blood test. Do you have any questions?"
"No, you've been a great help. Thank you so much." Emily and Gillian both shook her hand before they took their leave.
"I am so relieved! I need food now. Thank you so much for being here for me, Gillian." Emily gave Gillian a hug.
"I am so happy for you Emily. I'll be here anytime you need me, that's what friends are for right?" Gillian hugged back. "Can this please be the last pregnancy scare you will ever have. I'm too old to stress out this way." they both giggled.
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The rest of the weekend was spent watching chick flicks, eating, laughing and talking.
Emily eventually did tell her father about her scare, he surprisingly didn't freak out like she thought he would. He also wasn't mad at Gillian for not telling the whole truth but he knew that she would always protect Emily any way she knew how and he loved her for it.