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you to take it to hurt you! I’m just not ready for a kid yet!”
    “When will you be, Finn?” I snap my fingers and indignantly roll my eyes. “ Never . That’s right!”
    A knock at the door makes both of us jump.
    “Are you two okay in there?” Julie asks from the other side of it. I wipe my cheeks and watch Finn retrieve his pants.
    He mutters, “We’re fine. We’ll be down in a few.”
    I turn and throw the door open, not caring that Finn is only in his underwear. I brush past Julie and bound down the stairs.
    I go out the back door, not knowing where I’m going or particularly care to think that far ahead.
     
     

CHAPTER 3
     
     
     
    I hear my name faintly yelled from inside the house. Julie. Figures Finn wants nothing to do with me now.
    I venture to the end of the yard and duck into the small white gazebo at the corner of the lot, sitting down on the white bench running continuously along the inside. I look around the property. There’s not really anywhere else to go, unless I run into the woods. Probably not a good idea since I have no idea where they lead. I could get lost in the Delaware wilderness, if there is any really. It’s better than the current wilderness I’ve been stuck in. How apt of his sister to call him that.
    I know I can’t hide out here for very long. Someone, most likely Julie, will find me. I don’t even want to talk to her right now. She’ll probably be neutral, or even more predictably, actually take my side. I just don’t want to have to explain to her what our fight was about. Though, she does have four kids of her own. She must’ve wanted that many, so she might possibly understand where I’m coming from.
    I don’t want to have a baby, just to have a baby. I want Finn’s baby. Our baby. We’d be a family. Finn would be such a good father. I guess some of it is pressure I’m putting on myself, being almost 34 years-old. I don’t want to wait too much longer to have my first child. All of my friends have children, except for Rod. I suppose I should take comfort in that fact. Then again, maybe not.
    I lean my head against the lattice of the gazebo and flick my gaze around. It’s so peaceful out here. The birds are chirping and a stream gurgles somewhere nearby. When Finn used to live here, did he come to this same spot when he needed time to think?
    I can’t believe he told me he wants me to go on the Pill. Not asked like he did before we started having sex three years ago. No, this time he demanded I go on it. As usual, no discussion needed when it comes to a crucial topic affecting our relationship.
    The sound of rustling grass startles me. Hesitantly, I peer out of the gazebo, through the diamond shapes of the lattice, to see Simone. I blow out a sigh, relieved that it’s not Finn since I don’t want to argue anymore about how stupid I’m being.
    Simone slowly walks in, regarding me as if I’m a caged animal about to strike. I glance down to the cement floor and she stands quietly for a few seconds before saying, “Hey.”
    Without looking up, I respond in kind, “Hey.”
    “What happened, Hadley? Ricky and I heard you and Finn arguing. We weren’t sure at first, but I paused the movie and I heard you yelling. We both ran upstairs and that’s when we saw Mom. What did he do to you?”
    Curiously peering at her, I ask, “What do you mean? How do you know he did something? It could’ve been me.”
    She frowns doubtfully. “Because I know my brother. He’s so stubborn. Not that I can say much about his stubbornness because we’re both like our mother.”
    I bite my lip to stop my smile and tears. It seems like all I do lately is fight an internal battle between laughter and sobbing.
    Looking away from her to stare at my shoes, I sniff and mumble, “Where’s he at now?”
    Taking a seat next to me on the bench she replies, “Mom was trying to get him to talk to her, but he wouldn’t. So, Ricky talked to him. They then left for a bit. I think Ricky