Rebecca is narrow focused when the car pulls out in front of her house, locking up before addressing the passenger side door.
"Morning love!" Susan wraps an arm over her shoulder to hug Rebecca, "Are you feeling any better?"
"Ugh, no. I feel like my insides are gonna burst,' she sighs, forgetting the reason why she's digging through her bag, 'thank you for the pick up this morning. I'm so sorry to trouble you but Brian wanted the car again."
"It's no trouble. I was going into town anyways. What'd you get your nails done for?"
"Oh, that was for last week's hiring event. Susan can I…"
The woman takes her cue, pulling over to the side of the road while Rebecca opens the door. The curb works just as well as a bathroom in an emergency puking session.
Susan jumps, "Oh sweet lord almighty. I've never seen a person look so green."
Rebecca groans, trying to compose herself.
"Are we gonna make it to the café without your intestines ending up on my dashboard?" Susan asks.
She closes her eyes, "I'm sorry. I should've gone to the doctor when this first started….Do me a favor Susan, do not tell Elaine."
"Lainey? Why not-."
"She's gonna think I'm pregnant. She always thinks I'm pregnant."
Susan laughs, "Well that's crazy. Right?"
"Right."
"I mean, you said Brian's hardly been home. And you've been working so who has time for a baby right now? Not you, that's for sure. Saving up for your new house and all that. And my brother with a baby…Becky? What's that look for? Am I pulling over again?"
Rebecca scratches her head and focuses on the window. She clasps her fingers and starts a tug of war with herself, "I, might've…well. I might be."
"Might be what."
"You remember that night we all went dancing? When I wore that green dress?"
"I love that dress."
"And Brian, he, got me drunk- and god we do stupid things when we drink."
"-Maybe if it wasn't about my brother I'd want the information,' Susan's eyes widen, taking a moment to mentally dissect her verbiage, 'but you're sayin', you think you could be pregnant."
"I don't know, I don't want to know. All I wanna do is get to work."
"Don't get me wrong, I'd love a niece to fawn on," she stammers, recognizing the worry in Rebecca's stare, "And, and, Brian, would be a great dad. You know?"
"If there's a baby in the picture, I don't know how it'd work right now. I don't know how we save up enough money to buy our house on one income. Susan I want a baby, I want kids so badly but I'm not ready. And Brian and I haven't talked about it, I mean truly."
"It'll all be fine. We're just assuming."
"What if I'm carrying twins! I can't afford another mouth to feed-."
"Rebecca, I will turn off this road and shove a cigarette in your mouth if you don't stop fretting."
She holds her stomach, "I'm gonna be sick."
"I don't know how you have much of anything left in there. Maybe you'll puke out the baby next."
"Susan-."
"Don't you hurl in my car! We're almost there."
"Becca!"
She looks over her shoulder, wiping her hands on the apron around her waist, "Mo!"
"You're still here," the man in his sophisticated suit gives her a warm embrace.
"I'm still here. How's business?"
He laughs, taking a seat back at the barstool, "Doing well enough to keep you hired."
She looks down momentarily, "For that I'm grateful."
He gestures, snatching a French fry off his plate, "What happened to the house in L.A?"
"It's Ohio now. With a wide yard."
"And NASA?"
He taps the seat beside him next. Rebecca considers the offer with a double take toward the kitchen until she remembers the pleasant man owns the establishment.
"That's still the dream. But you know how dreams can be. Elusive, free spirits that can't be captured."
"Nah, you'll get it. You're the hardest working employee I've ever seen in this joint,' he whispers, 'Carlos included."
Rebecca regrets laughing, hoping her boss hasn't overheard Mo's confiding even if Mo has more authority.
"Can I getcha more ketchup?"
He offers her his extras, "Take a load off. You look pale."
Rebecca shrugs, "Everyone's noticed."
Mo shakes his head, "It's New Mexico. Nothing here but rattlesnakes and sand."
"And the husband's place of work."
"How is Brian?"
She smiles distantly, "Good. He found decent work…" … when he shows up for it.
She watches as he reaches for his wallet, flagging down Marge to let her know he'd like a refill on his soda and hands the bill to Rebecca.
He winks like a grandparent entrusting the grandkids with ice cream money.
"Split it with Marge. Get yourselves a nice dinner after closing tonight."
Rebecca folds the bill single handedly, "You're too good to me."
He reaches for his hat and tips it toward her, "Tell Carlos to get a proper cleaner in here. The floor's filthy and I don't need you girls tripping."
She waved the fingers containing the cash, "I'll tell him."
Rebecca moves to the register and makes a note of Mo's generous tip. The drawer of the register closes when the bell on the front door open, practically echoing one another.
Elaine comes storming in with Susan running in behind her;
"I'm sorry, I tried! I insisted she leave you alone- It just slipped out-!"
Rebecca looks mortified, "What slipped out?"
"Grab your purse,' Elaine claps her hands, 'We're going to the clinic."
"What clinic?!"
"The one right here. I know the doctor, let's go."
"I can't-!"
Marge nudges her shoulder, "Take an early lunch."
"But-!"
Susan bites her nails while Elaine tucks an arm under Rebecca's arm, "We need answers!"
Susan heads out of the café first, keys in her hand, "Don't kill me Becky, please! Did you see what Robert Redford said-."
She's swatted away by Elaine, "The only thing we want to see is a negative pregnancy test."
"Gosh," Susan huffs, annoyed.
"Stop complaining. No one asked you to come."
"You did!"
"I did not," Elaine adjusts the hold on her purse.
"Yes you did. You said 'Get in the car Suzy, we have to help Rebecca.' And I said 'It's none of our business' and then you said 'Damn it get in the car or I'll rip your hair out by its roots'."
"I never said that," Elaine looks over at the two other women on the street side staring back at her. She fake smiles and explains weakly, "I apologize, my kid sister here escaped from a mental institution. She's delusional."
Susan groans with her jaw dropped. She dramatically shifts in her stance, "Oh! That's it. You can forget borrowing my Elvis records, ever again!"
Elaine glares, "Now that crosses a line!"
"You crossed my line!"
"Girls, please!" Rebecca holds her head, shoved into the car by her sisters in law.
