“It wasn’t, and I wanted to smack every one of you, but it’s done and over with.” Becky hopped off the table with his help. “Now let’s head to the kitchen to find something to eat. I’m finally not nauseous every five minutes, and I want pickles dipped inchocolate. Then I want to FaceTime Frankie and show him the pictures.”
Sloan made a face. “Pickles and chocolate?”
“Don’t knock it till you try it.” Becky grinned as they made their way to the kitchen.
Walking in, they saw Sid standing at the stove, stirring a huge pot of something. “Sid, you got any dill pickles and chocolate syrup?” Becky asked, heading to the refrigerator.
“Yeah,” Sid said slowly, giving her a look. “Why?”
“Because I’m hungry.” Becky opened the refrigerator and grabbed a jar of pickles. “Where’s the syrup?”
“I’ve got perfectly delicious chicken noodle soup ready.” Sid frowned at the jar in her hand. “Why don’t you have a bowl of that if you’re hungry?”
Becky just stared at him.
Sid sighed, put the spoon down, then disappeared into the pantry, only to come back with chocolate syrup. “That just isn’t right.” He pointed to the nasty-looking concoction she was making. “There are laws against shit like that. There should be, anyway.”
“It’s good.” Becky held out a pickle dripping with chocolate. “Try it.”
“I’d rather eat a chocolate turd,” Sid said, then noticed both Sloan and Becky giving him a strange look. “Not that I would, but...you know what I mean. That shit is nasty. Pregnant people are weird. Pam had the same strange-ass craving.”
Becky shrugged, then headed to the table and sat on Sloan’s lap as she ate her pregnancy treat. The door opened, and Lana walked in.
“Hey, babe, how you feeling?” Sid asked, instantly looking concerned. “I made you a pot of chicken noodle soup.”
“I’m feeling a little hungry.” Lana looked pale, then glanced at Becky and Sloan. “Hey.”
“You been sick?” Becky asked, noticing the white line around Lana’s mouth.
“Yeah, I think I got a stomach virus.” Lana looked at Becky’s plate. “What is that?”
“Pickles and chocolate.” Becky looked more closely at Lana. Oh, shit. “You want one?”
“That actually looks really good.” Lana sat down, then grabbed one when Becky slid the plate over. “Wow. This is amazing.”
“Oh, fuck,” Sloan whispered as they both watched Lana grab another one, then the chocolate syrup. She smothered the pickle before eating it in record time.
“Guess I was hungrier than I thought,” Lana said, reaching for another.
Becky glanced at Sid, who looked almost as pale as Lana as he watched his mate devour dill pickles and chocolate.
“Let’s go,” Sloan whispered as he stood with Becky.
“Have you seen Dawn yet?” Becky asked, leaving the pickles and chocolate with Lana.
“No, I think next week.” Lana chewed, then picked up another pickle. “Why?”
Becky glanced at the pickles, then back to Lana as she touched her own stomach and cocked an eyebrow.
“Oh, fuck,” Lana said with a mouth full of pickles.
Sloan quickly pulled Becky out of the kitchen, rushing her toward the main entrance.
“Wait, where are we going?” Becky asked, laughing. “I thought you had a meeting.”
“Meeting’s fucking canceled.” Sloan picked her up and gently jogged toward his car. “I don’t want to be anywhere around when Sid puts two and two together.”
Becky laughed,really laughed, and the sound hit Sloan square in the chest. He slowed as they reached his car, not ready to put her down just yet. For a second, he just held her there, rain no longer falling around them, death no longer waiting in the trees, fear no longer choking the life out of him.