28. Chapter 28

Waverly had her feet in Nicole’s lap. They were lounging on Nicole’s couch after a particularly excellent store-bought cauliflower soup that Waverly had spiced up with chopped leeks and roasted chunks of cauliflower. Nicole was slowly kneading her feet, and Waverly was utterly sated.

It had been a long week, and it was nice to be in the safety of Nicole’s apartment, far away from whispers and eager looks. Nicole kept her occupied with happy things, like pistachio ice cream and sweet lady kisses.

But now, in the heavenly post-dinner lull, Waverly’s worries returned to her mind.

She could handle the stuff at school, no problem. She could handle the attention and the nosy questions, asking clever formulations in the hope that she would reveal anything interesting, like how far along she is, or if it’s a boy or a girl, or even better: who the father is. She could handle all of it, except for one thing, and that was the person who didn’t seem interested at all. 

Waverly sighed and looked at the person who did care, maybe more than anyone else. But Nicole was staring intently at her empty coffee cup while her hands worked rhythmically with Waverly’s tired feet, not noticing the tumultuous concerns spiraling in Waverly’s brain. There was a crease between her eyebrows, as if she herself was in deep thought. Maybe she had worries of her own.

Waverly reached out her hand and softly grazed Nicole’s cheek. The crease disappeared immediately, instead making space for an adoring smile that she only kept for Waverly. She caught Waverly’s hand as it was retreating and brought it to her lips. The kiss was super slow and strangely intimate. Nicole held her hand to her mouth for a long time before giving it a final peck and bringing it back to her lap. She winked playfully and returned to the massage, this time with a small smile on her lips.

Waverly returned the smile, feeling that familiar fluttering in her chest once more. But her concerns returned soon enough, and now she was the one with the crease between her eyebrows.

A moment passed before Nicole carefully squeezed her foot to get her attention. “Hey, what’s up?”

Waverly looked up. She debated shortly if she should just shrug it all away, but it was clear that Nicole could sense her contemplation. She swallowed. “Champ hasn’t been to school since Thursday.”

Nicole’s nails predictably dug into the skin of Waverly’s ankle for a flick second before she returned to the rhythmic kneading. “Oh?” she asked, trying for sincere, but Waverly could tell how Nicole wasn’t really concerned. 

“I sent him a text and told him I kept the baby, and I haven’t seen him since.”

Nicole turned to look at Waverly now, designating her attention to what was obviously occupying her mind. “Are you worried?”

Waverly raised her shoulder slightly. “Maybe.”

Nicole kept her gaze steady until Waverly continued.

“I don’t think he’ll, you know, do anything stupid or anything. But, I don’t know…”

Waverly trailed off, shifting her eyes to her bare feet. Her toenails were freshly painted with a dark blue color that fit perfectly with the interior of Nicole’s small apartment. One could almost say it was deliberate.

“Wave…” Nicole squeezed her foot softly. “Do you want him to, uh, be a part of this?”

She looked uneasy suddenly, and Waverly was quick to respond.

“No!” she said hurriedly. She didn’t want Nicole to think she wanted Champ in the picture. “I’d rather he didn’t, actually.” As far as she was concerned, Champ could stay a good mile or so to the left of said picture. 

Nicole emptied the bottled up air in her lungs and nodded thankfully. 

Waverly smiled encouragingly, doing her best to convey that Nicole fit much better in that picture, but she didn’t want to say it out loud yet. It had only been two weeks, after all.

She sighed. “I just thought he should know , you know, before I told everyone at school. So I sent him a text. But then he didn’t answer, and now I don’t know…”

“You could send him another text?” Nicole suggested reluctantly. She was clearly struggling with keeping her disgust for Waverly’s ex-boyfriend from surfacing. 

“Yeah…” Waverly wasn’t so sure that would help. 

She pictured Champ sitting on the edge of his bed, groaning loudly at the notification of Waverly’s message on his phone. 

But then Nicole started trailing her long fingers upwards, to the hem of Waverly’s jeans, and the picture quickly disappeared. Nicole teasingly scratched her short nails over the soft skin of Waverly’s calf, eliciting a delightful shiver in response. It was an obvious attempt to distract her, and it worked. Waverly could feel the goosebumps erupt in the trail of Nicole’s touch, and her breath hitched. 

Nicole cockily raised an eyebrow at the automatic reaction that escaped from Waverly’s usual self-control. Nicole was so sexy when she flashed her confidence, and she had been doing it a lot lately. Waverly loved it.

She swallowed. “Let’s not ruin the night with Champ.”

Nicole’s smirk grew, making her dimples pop. Waverly could feel the flush creeping up her neck. 

“Come here,” she breathed and grabbed Nicole’s wrist, pulling her towards her. 

Her lips tasted amazing.

---

The chatter surrounding Waverly seemed to die down towards the end of the week. In a strange twist of fate, her revelation had mostly resulted in kindness. Students she had never talked to had started greeting her in the hallway, Betty had asked if she wanted to sit with her and her friends at lunch three days in a row, and Kyle York offered to drive her home after school on Thursday. Waverly remembered how Kyle had purposefully ignored her after she broke up with Champ, and was thoroughly confused when he pointed her towards his ramshackled old Volvo. It seemed that people wanted in on this piece of drama, no matter their former allegiances. 

The news had, of course, not gone unnoticed by the teachers and school staff. Professor Beaufort held Waverly back after French on Wednesday and asked her how she was doing, and Headmaster Moody gave her a nod so sincere it was thoroughly out of character when they bumped into each other outside the cafeteria. She also received an email from the school’s guidance counselor, whom she had never met, calling her in for a meeting on Friday afternoon. 

That was how Waverly found herself on a plastic chair in the hallway at three thirty while the rest of the students were already on their way home with the cheerful prospect of an entire week without school. Gus had come down from Purgatory early to attend the meeting, and was sitting next to her in comfortable silence. 

Waverly was nervous. She checked the time on her wrist watch every few seconds and rapidly bumped her knee in anticipation. She had no idea what this meeting was all about, or why they needed it. She had already talked to Fish, so what was the deal with this counselor person?

The door finally opened, four minutes after the allotted time, and a lady somewhere in her late twenties stepped out. She was wearing a tight leather skirt and her fiery hair clashed dramatically with her thin red blouse. The silk followed the curve of her ample bosom to where it was tucked into the high-waist skirt and showed off her cleavage in a rather inappropriate way. 

“Are you Waverly Earp?” she asked with what could only be described as a fun smile.

Waverly nodded as the woman stretched out her hand.

“I’m the school counselor, Mercedes Gardner.” She shook Gus’ hand too, and held open the door for them to pass. “And I think you’ve already met Ambrose Fish, the school nurse?”

Fish was already inside, sitting on one of the comfy chairs around a small table. He smiled and shook their hands as they came to sit down.

Gus was studying Mercedes with interest, as if she was trying to remember something. “Gardner…” she mumbled. “Are you from Purgatory?”

Mercedes raised her eyebrows in surprise. Not a lot of people knew about Purgatory. “I am.”

Gus nodded. “I thought you looked familiar. I think you went to school with Waverly’s sisters, is that right?”

Mercedes didn’t seem to understand.

“Wynonna,” Gus reminded. “And Willa.”

The counselor’s face lit up in sudden excitement, revealing a devilish grin that hadn’t been there before. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it again as she seemed to remember the tragic fate of Waverly’s oldest sister. “Wynonna Earp,” she said instead. “Holy damn, I haven’t thought about her in a long time. She escaped Purgatory on the back of that sexy motorcycle of hers. Lucky bitch.”

She was talking to no one in particular, but smiling sentimentally as she went. 

Gus nodded. “I think I remember having you around the house after Wynonna came to live with us. I mean, before she left town. She didn’t have a lot of friends,” she added when Mercedes kept staring into the air a few inches above Waverly’s left ear, through an invisible window to the past.

“Yeah, I loved those Earps,” Mercedes said with nostalgic awe, completely ignoring the Earp sitting right in front of her. “I still can’t believe what happened with Willa.”

Silence fell over the room as Mercedes shook her head slowly, her mind clearly somewhere else. 

Fish eventually cleared his throat. “Speaking of Earps,” he said tentatively, nodding towards Waverly. “There’s one right here.”

“Oh, right.” Mercedes quickly sat up from her lazy position, stretching her back all professional-like.

“How are you, Waverly?” Fish asked, taking control over the situation when Mercedes didn’t.

Waverly shifted in her seat. “Uhm. I’m fine?”

Fish and Mercedes were looking at her in anticipation, clearly waiting for her to tell them how she was really doing, to share her high school struggles and come clean about every problem she was currently facing. But she was fine. Her secret had come out, and it had sort of turned out alright. As good as she could have hoped for. Well, except for the lack of response from Champ. 

“You’re the school talk,” Mercedes reminded her with what was probably supposed to be a sisterly smile. She shimmied her shoulders a little and bent forward as if to share a juicy secret. “The rumor says that you’re eating for two?”

Waverly pursed her lips, already annoyed. She refused to answer the terribly ignorant question. Of course she wasn’t eating for two. That was yet another lie people told about pregnant women. 

“He’s the size of a zucchini, I don’t think that counts as me eating for two,” she said sternly. She didn’t have time for this nonsense, no matter how much of an old family friend Mercedes apparently was. “I’m sorry, what is the purpose of this meeting?”

Mercedes gave her a long look, sizing up the 18 year old girl in front of her. Then she changed her tactic. She grabbed the file that had been untouched on the table, opened the cover and clicked her pen a few times. “Waverly, you are one of our brightest students her at Ghost River High. We want to do everything we can to help.”

She nodded to her left, where Fish was sitting in silence. “I understood that you’ve already talked to Fish.” She quickly put her hands up in front of her in defence. “He hasn’t told me what about, don’t worry. But we would just like you to know that we’re here for you.”

Fish spoke up. “I think what Mercedes is trying to say is that she can help you to make special arrangements so that you can finish high school together with the rest of your class.”

Waverly scrunched up her eyebrows. “I don’t need special arrangements...” Finishing high school with her classmates had always been the plan, no matter the pregnancy.

“That’s great!” Fish said enthusiastically. “But if you’re ever tired, or you have to go to the hospital for check-ups, or you have to stay home from school because of your pregnancy, Mercedes can help you figure out solutions so that you can stay in class.”

Gus nudged Waverly’s thigh softly. “You did have some absent days around the time you found out. And you had to postpone that French test once, right?”

Waverly looked at her. It was true, but she had fixed all of that on her own. She’d talked to professor Beaufort to reschedule her test, and Chrissy and Jeremy had made sure she didn’t miss out on any homework. 

“Stuff like that is what I can help you with,” Mercedes said. “And other things. If you ever need someone to talk to, or figure out financial things, or if there’s stuff at home or with your friends, or whatever.”

Waverly studied the woman’s face. Mercedes’ make-up was on fleek and she had these long polished nails that made her cringe. She wasn’t exactly the type of person Waverly wanted to share her innermost concerns with. Fish, on the other hand, had kind and inviting eyes that glowed with sympathy and understanding. The kind of eyes Waverly would maybe consider opening up her heart to. If she ever needed it. 

Mercedes very rudely interrupted her train of thought. “Have you talked to our career counselor, Mr. Meek yet, about options after graduation?” 

“Yeah. I’m doing a gap year.”

Mercedes perked her eyebrow. “Really? I thought a girl like you would have ambitions for higher education.”

“I did have plans for the future,” Waverly said, offended. “But this thing happened, so the plans changed .”

“Well, did you tell him that?” Mercedes wasn’t pushed off the wagon so easily.

If Waverly was honest, she had been kinda disappointed after her meeting with Mr. Meek. He had asked what she wanted to do next, and she had said ‘a gap year’, and that was that. 

“I didn’t tell him I was planning on giving birth in my gap year, no,” Waverly snarked and crossed her arms in defiance.

“What did you want to study? I mean, before all of this happened?” Mercedes asked with genuine interest. She put the tip of her pen on an empty sheet of paper, ready to note down whatever Waverly would say next.

Waverly huffed before she answered. “History, I think. Or languages. Well, maybe a combination of both.”

Mercedes immediately started scribbling.

Gus smiled at her encouragingly, so Waverly continued. “The University of Ottawa has a bachelor in Greek and Roman studies that looked kinda cool. It has ancient history and archeology, but also ancient languages which is my favorite.”

“Wow, ancient languages,” Meredes said slowly, looking up from her file. “That's like latin and shit, right?”

Waverly nodded. A nugget of pride started glowing deep inside her chest. 

Mercedes winked. “Sounds complicated.”

“We’re very proud of our angel,” said Gus with a smile that matched the statement. “My husband always used to say she was the brightest star in the universe.”

Waverly swallowed at the mention of Curtis. Mercedes kept looking at her with those glowing eyes.

“You really love academics, don’t you?” she asked.

Waverly nodded slowly.

“So what is the plan after your gap year? What are your dreams and ambitions?”

Waverly glanced at her hands in her lap, shrugging non-committedly. “I dunno…”

She used to have lots of dreams and aspirations, all accounted for on the color-coded five-year plan that was still pinned to the corkboard in her bedroom. Now she couldn’t seem to look further than the bump on her stomach.

“I know that Ghost River University have had pregnant students before,” Mercedes started. “I could ask around a bit, see if they have any options that fit you. That way you can stay right here, with your family.”

Waverly looked up. Ghost River Uni had never been an option. She wanted to move away from the confinement of everything she knew. To experience another city and meet new people. 

“The deadline has passed,” she said simply. It won’t work out .

“I’ll find a way.” Mercedes looked like she meant every word. 

Staying in Ghost River wasn’t exactly on the top of her list, but it wasn’t as if she had any other options at the moment. 

Mercedes was talking again, saying words that Waverly was afraid to believe. “Maybe we can find a way for you to do part-time studies the first year or so, and then transition into full-time once your baby gets bigger.”

Gus turned to look at Waverly. “How about that, Waves?” she asked cautiously.

Waverly’s fingers seemed to itch all of a sudden. She looked at the people around the small table. Gus’ lips where tugged upwards in an optimistic smile. Fish grinned with absolute enthusiasm. Mercedes had raised a painted eyebrow, waiting for Waverly’s reaction.

“I think…” Waverly almost choked on her words. “I think I’d like that.”

Mercedes winked. “I’ll see what I can do.”

---

Gus ended up jotting down Wynonna’s number on a piece of paper that Mercedes folded and tucked away in her bra. She’d been totally surprised when Gus had let slip that Wynonna was the one who was currently taking care of Waverly while she was up in Purgatory for work. Mercedes had gotten all excited before Fish poked her in the shoulder to remind her what they were here for. “Fuck off,” she had told him dismissively, because the meeting was in fact finished. 

Waverly still didn’t know what she thought about the guidance counselor. She seemed so… wild and immature. Especially considering the looming friendship with Wynonna. Waverly could easily picture the two of them slamming back shots of tequila and riding the mechanical bull while making slew comments about handsome fellas nearby. But Mercedes had also managed to remind Waverly of her passion . Everything in her life seemed to revolve around her baby boy nowadays, and she had started to forget about all the other stuff.

She was lying on top of her bedspread, texting Nicole instead of packing her weekend bag for the Spring Break trip tomorrow, when Gus knocked on the door. Waverly quickly hid her enamoured grin and also her phone. Gus gave her a look that clearly asked who she was chatting with, but Waverly pretended she didn’t see it, scooching back to make room for her aunt with an innocent face. 

“All ready for your trip?” Gus asked.

“Eh,” Waverly said and looked around. There were three piles of clothes balancing on the edge of her bed and a few books on the floor next to her near-empty softshell bag. “I’m not quite finished.”

Gus winked playfully and patted her knee. “What did you think of the meeting?”

Waverly pushed herself up in a sitting position, dangling her legs off the edge of the bed next to Gus. “I don’t know… I don’t know if I liked her, you know?”

Gus nodded. “I agree. But she said some interesting things?”

“Yeah… I’d kinda given up on studying, I think…” She glanced up at the corkboard hanging above her desk. She hadn’t taken down the five-year plan, even though it was all wrong now. It had become dusty as Waverly had ignored it these past months. The pink and yellow post-it notes almost looked dirty now, without Waverly’s constant perfections. 

“I get it,” said Gus, following Waverly’s line of sight. “Everything sort of changed, didn’t it?”

Waverly nodded sadly.

Gus used her finger to tuck a lock of Waverly’s stray hair behind her ear. “I know I’ve said this before, Waverly, but having a baby isn’t the end. You’re still gonna enjoy stuff and live your life.”

Waverly’s lip twitched, but she didn’t answer.

“Wynonna and I can babysit, you know,” Gus suggested with a wink and a smile.

Waverly looked at her. “But you’re up in Purgatory.”

Gus sighed. “For now.”

Waverly scrunched her eyebrows quizzically.

“We’re thinking about selling Shorty’s,” Gus explained.

“Oh.”

Gus drew her arm around Waverly. “But that means I’ll be here, taking care of my family instead. Like I’m supposed to.”

Waverly gave a weak smile.

“We’ll figure it out, Wave. Whatever your ambitions, we’ll find a way for you to do it.”

Waverly nodded and put her head down on Gus’ shoulder. “Thank you.”

Gus kissed the side of her head. “Now, get packin'. Dinner is almost ready.”

---

Waverly was already regretting her decision to go on the trip as she was steering her faithful truck out of town. Chrissy was sitting next to her, fulfilling the important role of DJ, while Jeremy and Robin where in the backseat. Jeremy was snacking on something crunchy, and the sound ever time he popped another piece in his mouth was annoying the shit out of Waverly. When Chrissy's next song was the Jason Derulo cover ‘Watcha Say’ instead of the original Imogen Heap-song, Waverly almost turned the car around.

The only thing she really wanted was to curl up on Nicole's couch and start dreaming of a possible future where they both attended the same university. They could meet in the hallways and go to the library together for study sessions, and then they could eat lunch together or drink coffee while strolling through the park nearby. Nicole had been super stoked when Waverly texted her everything Mercedes had told her, but it wasn’t the same as discussing it face-to-face.

It would be days and days until next time she would see Nicole because of this stupid, useless trip. Everyone would probably be drunk within nightfall and the whole weekend would turn into a never-ending party that she couldn’t partake in.

Waverly almost honked when a car swayed into her lane dangerously close. She clutched the steering wheel tighter, making her knuckles go white. 

The drive took almost two hours, and when they arrived, some idiot had parked diagonally, taking up two spaces so that they were forced to use the parking lot on the other side of the road. Waverly huffed again as she grabbed her heavy bag from the trunk (she'd added her Sumerian dictionary at the last minute, making her bag another two pounds heavier than it already was). 

Jake had a detailed list of the sleeping arrangements, and had put Waverly and Chrissy in a dorm together with Sonya, Betty and two other girls Waverly only vaguely remembered the names of. After one look at Waverly's angry face, Chrissy offered to take the top bunk.

They were almost finished making their beds when someone in the large cabin started clanging a cowbell like there was no tomorrow. Apparently it was Jake's way to get everyone's attention so that they would all gather in the main room. There had to be enough room for every student in their grade to sit and eat at the two long tables stretching across the far side of the room. According to the monologue Jake presented next, that was exactly the case.

He was just reading up the names of the people responsible for preparing dinner when someone caught Waverly's eye. There, at the opposite end of the room, next to Carl and his ugly down vest, was a pale-looking Champ. He had already popped the cap of a beer and was chugging it down a little too quickly.

It was gonna be a great weekend.