Almond Joy (An Amy Blankenhooper & Bob Duncan Fanfiction)

Telling Bob

As the echoes of Christmas break faded, Amy carried the weight of her secret into the new year. The truth remained confined within her, and only Dana shared in the quiet burden of knowledge.

The girls returned to the campus in the afternoon, along with many other students wishing they didn't have to come back already. Amy wanted to stay home more than anyone in the entire state of Colorado. She had no plan and nothing had changed for her, yet, at least. As her and Dana said goodbye to her parents, Amy felt like she was saying goodbye to the live she had before Christmas break.

The dread of her secret sank like a weight in her stomach every-time she was reminded of it. She couldn't focus on anything else. Couldn't think of anything else.

"I think it's time." Dana said, grounding Amy.

Amy clutched the small box she had hid the pregnancy test in. "I know." She swallowed.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Dana offered.

"No. I should do this alone."

Dana placed a hand on Amy's shoulder and Amy placed her hand over it. "You can come back at anytime in the conversation."

"Thanks, Dana." Amy's eyes fell to the cardboard in her hands again.

On the other side of campus, Bob was also settling back into his life at school, but in a very different way. The radio turned up, his hair freshly wet from a shower and his bowl of ramen freshly microwaved from the dorm kitchen, he sat down at his desk chair. He leaned back in the chair, thankful his roommate wasn't returning until the next day. He knew half of the students were returning tomorrow before their classes, but Bob all but ran back to school as soon as he could.

A knock on his door alerted him. He turned the radio down and crossed his dorm to the door. Expecting an RA or another student needing to borrow his shampoo, he answered the door in only a pair of sweatpants and a mouthful of instant ramen.

"Bob. We need to talk."

He almost choked.

"Yeah, of course. Come in." His casual demeanor replaced by a more attentive expression, gestured for Amy to come in, hastily putting the half-eaten ramen on a nearby desk. He grabbed the closest sweatshirt he could find and slipped it on quickly. "Uh...sit wherever you'd like."

Amy smiled sadly, "There's only one chair."

He smiled as well, enjoying her humor despite the look in her eyes. "I've been known to sit on a bed once or twice." She pulled off her beanie and scarf. Bob widened his eyes, "This must be serious if the scarf is coming off." He tried to make the situation lighter, not entirely sure what to expect.

Amy opened her mouth a few times before finally speaking. "Maybe you should just sit."

Bob nodded, sitting on the bed. "Okay, I'll sit." He watched her pace up and down the dorm room. the words lingered on the tip of her tongue, waiting for the perfect moment that never seemed to arrive. "You seem really serious. What's going on?"

She fidgeted with her jacket zipper, "It's just... there's something important I need to share with you, and I don't know how to start."

"Amy, you can tell me anything." He encouraged.

Amy took a deep breath, the weight of her secret feeling heavier with each passing moment. She spoke slowly, "Over Christmas break, I... I found out something that changes everything."

Bob's eyes searched Amy's face for clues, a mixture of concern and curiosity etched on his features. When she didn't continue, he spoke. "What is it?"

Amy hesitated, her heart pounding with the enormity of the words she was about to speak. She stopped in front of him. "I'm pregnant, Bob."

Bob's expression transformed, registering a mix of shock and realization. The news hung in the air, and a palpable silence filled the room as both Amy and Bob grappled with the weight of the revelation.

"Pregnant?" He whispered.

She nodded, "Yes."

Amy felt the intensity of the moment, the room seemingly closing in on them. Bob's gaze remained fixed on her, searching for words that seemed elusive in the wake of such profound news.

He looked down at his hands, as if searching for something that wasn't there. An answer maybe. "How... How did this happen?"

She took a breath, a weak laugh escaping, "Well, I think we both know how this happened."

Bob, still processing the information, shifted in his seat, the reality of impending parenthood settling upon him. "Amy, this is a lot to take in."

She wrung her hands together, "I know, Bob. I just thought you deserved to know."

He looked up at her again, "How long have you known?"

She looked to the side, "About a week? Maybe two?"

His face fell, "You've known for two weeks and you didn't tell me? Or call? Or anything?"

"I wanted to tell you face to face."

"God, Amy, I'm so sorry."

"For what? This...this is a both of us thing."

"No." He shook his head as he stood, closing the space between him. "That you've had to keep this secret for two weeks. I'm sorry I wasn't there."

She couldn't look at him, "I had Dana."

"Have you gone to a doctor? Are you completely sure?"

Amy unzipped her coat, producing the small, thin box and handing it to him. "I haven't gone to a doctor...my parents don't know yet." She watched as he opened the box. "But I'm pretty sure."

He placed the box down on his bed, the multiple tests clattering against one another. He ran his hands through his hair, walking towards the door and back. He took another look in the box, and then repeated the same walk. "Okay." He finally said when he returned to her.

She raised an eyebrow. "Okay?"

He shrugged, his actions hap-hazard. "So, what's the uh...what's the plan? What do you want to do?"

She blew a breath out of her lips, a weight seemingly lifting off of her now that Bob knew. "I guess that's what I came here to talk about." She sat down on the bed. Bob sat down next to her.

The two of them sat shoulder to shoulder, staring at his roommates bed silently.

Bob ended the silence, "We're not even together."

"I know." Amy nodded, still staring ahead.

"You just broke up with me last month."

"I know."

His eyebrows narrowed, "Are you going to stay in school?"

"I can't. Not...I mean, I'll need to get a job. Move back in with parents." She turned her head towards him. "Don't you want to discuss our options?"

He looked over at her the same, "I thought we were?"

"I mean like...adoption and stuff like that."

He swallowed, "Do you want to give it up for adoption...or...stuff like that?"

Amy pressed her lips together, the choice placed back on her. "Not really, no."

He nodded one too many times, still obviously processing. "Okay."

"Is that okay?" She tried to search his expression, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Yeah. Whatever you want, Amy." He said rather carelessly.

"It needs to be what you want too." She emphasized it needed to be a choice they made together.

He raised his hand, brushing her hair back from her face. "I want what you want."

Amy wasn't sure if it was the feel of his fingers against her face, his words or her hormones that made her bury herself into him with tears. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him.

His chin rested on her head, his hand rubbing her back soothingly as she cried into him. He squeezed his eyes tight, hot tears falling down his cheeks into her hair.