Chapter 12
As Frazz justified wasting the afternoon shooting things in a pixelated Ancient Egyptian setting, Spike arrived breathless at Lynda's door to find it unlocked. Barrelling inside, he found Lynda sitting at her kitchen table, a cold cup of coffee sitting untouched in front of her. She looked up at Spike and burst suddenly and unexpectedly into tears.
"Lynda!" He threw his arms around her and she hugged him back wordlessly. "Do you really think – I mean, are you sure?"
"No," sobbed Lynda, muffled, into his chest. "My stomach's been all over the place lately. And with all the stress of the first edition . . ." She pulled back from him, wiped her face with her hands and went towards the bathroom. Spike followed and watched as she splashed her face with water.
"But what about – I mean, the other way of knowing. Your . . ." Discussing women's health issues was clearly agonising for Spike as he nodded towards the bathroom cabinet.
"I can't remember!" moaned Lynda. "I've had so much to think about!"
"But you take care of things, right?" Spike nodded again, this time towards the packet of birth control pills on the sink.
"Of course!" Lynda snatched up the packet and looked at it in dismay. Only three pills for the whole month had been taken. The two looked at each other.
"Lynda. The pills don't work unless you take them!"
Lynda dropped the packet and sank down to sit on the edge of the bath. Spike knelt down beside her.
"Look. Should I go and get one of those home test things?" he asked.
Lynda nodded.
"Okay. I'll run down to Boots right now," he said, standing up.
"Not the one in the high street!" Lynda squeaked. "They'll know it's for me."
"Okay. I'll go to the one in the mall," replied Spike.
"No! Mum's best friend works there!" Lynda said frantically.
"It's okay, Lynda. I'll go to the one in Benton Ford. I used to get my – er, cough medicine there." Spike smothered a smirk and headed out the door. He jogged towards his old stomping ground with a mixed feeling of excitement and worry in his stomach. Finally, he got to the chemist and groaned when he saw the old guy behind the counter had been replaced by a very attractive young blonde.
Discreetly surveying the aisles, he finally found the home pregnancy tests. So many to choose from! Which was the right one? Were the cheaper ones not as good? He was starting to wish he hadn't volunteered for this particular assignment as he agonised over his decision.
"Need any help?" The blonde from behind the counter was now by his side.
"Me? Ah, no!" Spike grabbed a tube at random from the shelf and held it out. "Err, what can you tell me about this?"
"Well, it's haemmoroid cream," she replied. "Are you suffering from haemmoroids?"
"Me? No, it's for a friend!" Spike said hastily. The blonde smiled.
"Look, there's no need to be embarrassed. I've seen it all before."
"Lucky you!" muttered Spike and decided to drop the act. "Look, my girlfriend thinks she's pregnant and we need one of these home tests."
"Well, how late is she?" asked the pharmacist.
"Late? Oh, right. Ah, I don't know," replied Spike. "I don't really know anything. Please don't ask me any more questions!"
The pharmacist smiled and took a box from the shelf. "Look, try this one. If the results are inconclusive, go and see a doctor."
"Right! Great! Thanks!" Spike fumbled money out of his pocket and pushed it into her hand. "Keep the change! Bye!"
He sprinted out of the shop, leaving an amused blonde pharmacist behind.
"Wasn't that Spike Thomson?" asked a croaky voice from the back of the shop.
"Yes, Granddad. Picking up a pregnancy test!" replied the young girl. The old man wheezed with laughter.
"Thought I hadn't seen him for a while. For the amount of condoms that boy used to buy, I'm surprised he needs one!"