Best Mistake

I hadn't spoken to Alex that much since I left his house. He texted me, maybe twice, to see how I was doing but that was it. It wasn't like I was expecting much, seeing as how he wanted to draw as little attention to this as possible. I was almost shocked that he told Jack about me, but I understood. I was the only person until that point that he could talk to about what was happening. He had Jack, and I had Megan.

It was Thanksgiving, and I was over at my boss's house. Every year he and his wife had a thanksgiving celebration at their house for all of the employees with no where to go on the holiday. It used to be just the two of them and their kids, but once they realized how many of their staff were ordering takeout when they should be eating turkey and stuffing, they opened up their home, filling it with kegs and liquor bottles to make it feel more festive.

Frank and Stevie were brothers and co-owners of both the restaurant and bar I worked at. Since they only hired people they knew and trusted as good workers, a lot of us flip flopped between serving or cooking and bartending or bouncing. There were only about thirty of us, but we stretched ourselves almost thin for Frank and Stevie. I was very happy they gave me a chance without any personal references. After three years of working for them, I considered them a part of my extended family.

Megan was spending the holiday at her boyfriend's parents house. It was their first year celebrating the major holidays together as a couple. Megan apologized profusely, offering to ditch Luke and his parents and spend the night eating Chinese food from a carton on the couch with me, but I shrugged her off. I kind of needed a night out with people, no matter how limited to activities I was.

As I stood at the stove in Frank's extravagant kitchen, idly mashing already mashed potatoes, I really started to miss my mom and dad. They were a handful of states south of me in Georgia, and it had been a little over a year since I was able to make it down to see them. With all that was going on in my life, I was suddenly desperate to spend time with them.

I was a little startled when Eric, my self-proclaimed 'work husband', slid next to me, bumping my hip with his. He smiled his perfectly crooked smile at me. His black hair was peaking out from under the bill of his backwards baseball cap. He was wearing a white tshirt and khaki skinny jeans, making him look like a bronze god. His beat up vans were one shift away from falling apart. I smiled back at him.

"How's it hangin' wifey?" he asked, placing a kiss on my cheek.

I shrugged, banging the masher against the pot. "It's hangin' I guess."

He took a sip from his PBR before pointing it in my direction. "Want a beer? Or some wine? I see they broke out the good shit this year," he said, clinking bottles with Stevie as he hurried past us.

"Only the best for you guys!" Stevie yelled over his shoulder.

I laughed and shook my head. "No thanks, I'm good."

"Uh oh," Eric chuckled. "You're not preggo are you?"

My cheeks flamed red. I tried to cover up for it quickly, turning to lean against the counter and giving him an incredulous look. "Don't be silly," I said, almost too quickly.

Eric's mouth slowly crept open and he stared at me for a second. I was seriously hoping he'd let it go, but he soon had me by the wrist, pulling me out of the crowded kitchen and into the nearest bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

"You are pregnant!" he whispered harshly.

I avoided eye contact, trying to play it off. "I'm not pregnant Eric."

He scoffed. "Please, Whit. I've spent every moment possible over the last three years looking at you're beautiful face. I know when you're lying. You are, aren't you."

I finally looked up at him and nodded, defeated. His mouth fell open again.

"What?" he asked, elongating the word.

I leaned over onto the counter, my arms folded under my head. "Please don't tell anyone," I begged.

He was quiet for a second. "When did this happen?"

"On my birthday."

"You know who the guy is?" he asked.

I stood straight, glaring at him through the mirror. What was it with people thinking I was the type to sleep around? "Yes, I do."

"Do I know him?" Eric asked, his voice a little harsh.

Since the first day I met him, Eric made his crush on me very known. It only got more serious with time. I was suddenly very happy Eric didn't know Alex, because he probably would have beat the shit out of him.

I shook my head. "No, you don't know him."

Eric nodded slowly, staring at me. He pulled me into his arms, hugging me tight. "Fuck, Whit. Are you ok? Are you scared?"

I shrugged, nestling into his arms. "A little, but I think that's normal. But I'm ok. I'm actually kind of excited."

Eric sighed heavily as he started rocking me from side to side. "Is he at least a good guy?"

"I think he's trying to be," I said as I backed away a little. "You know, this isn't the most traditional way to go about things." I paused for a second. "He has a girlfriend."

The laugh that came out of Eric's mouth didn't posses any humor. "Do you need me to kill him? Because you know I will."

I shook my head quickly. "No I do not. But I do need you to keep this a secret. You are one of only three people besides me and him that know about this. That's three more than I'm comfortable with right now."

He nodded slowly, looking at the sink. "Okay, I won't tell anyone. But I'm so serious, Whitney. If this dude hurts you in any form I will slaughter him."

I laughed a little and hugged him again. "I know you will. But thank you."

Eric kissed the top of my head and lifted my face too look at him, winking. I winked back and he opened the bathroom door.

"Not gonna lie," he said. "I'm pretty jealous. I'd always hoped you'd have my kids."

I laughed and lightly hit him in the stomach. We walked back into the kitchen where the kegs had been rolled out. People were already lined up to do keg stands.

Leaning against the counter, I was pretty content watching instead of participating. I laughed as Josh and David tried to lift Corey up, who was already too inebriated to support his own weight. Everybody started cheering when he was finally stable.

I felt my phone start to buzz in my back pocket and pulled it out, finding an incoming call from Alex. I looked around the room quickly before slipping out the French doors that lead to the backyard.

"Hello?" I asked, pressing the phone to my ear.

"Hey, Whitney. It's Alex," he said, and it sounded like his voice was echoing.

"Hey," I smiled. "Where are you?"

"I'm at my parents house for Thanksgiving. I had to sneak to the bathroom to call you. How are you?"

"I'm fine," I nodded, sinking into one of the lawn chairs. "I'm at my boss's house. They throw a little Thanksgiving party for all of us that can't make it back home for the holidays."

"That sounds like fun," he said, and I almost heard a smile in his voice. "You feeling ok?"

"Yeah, for the most part," I shrugged. "Still pregnant," I added, trying to make a joke.

"Well I certainly hope so," Alex chuckled.

It was silent for a second before Alex cleared his throat.

"Well, I'll let you go. I just wanted to call and check up on you. Both of you. And to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving."

I couldn't stop the smile from forming on my mouth and I glanced down at my stomach. "Thanks Alex. I hope you're having a Happy Thanksgiving as well."

I hung up and went back inside just in time for the before dinner toast. I snuck over to Eric and he put his arm around my waist before handing me a wine glass. The look I gave him asked if he was crazy and he bent down, putting his lips to my ear.

"Sparkling grape juice," he whispered.

"Thank you," I mouthed. He nodded and pulled me closer, sending me a quick wink.

"Alright ladies and gents," Frank yelled as he and Stevie pushed their way to the middle of the room. "It's been one damn good year for both Whiskey's and the Loft. I think I can speak for the both of us when I say 'thank you', from the bottom of our hearts. We couldn't have made it this far without you guys, our family. All of you bust your asses for us day in and day out, and we truly appreciate it."

I was beginning to see why pregnant women could be so difficult. As Frank and Stevie thanked us, I got a little teary eyed, no doubt from the raging hormones. I looked around the room at my coworkers and friends and although I was so far from my family, I felt right at home.

Everybody cheered a little and Stevie held up his hands to quiet us.

"Now we all know the holiday season is a little rough. It's our busiest time of year. But if we keep working together like we do now, we can keep our titles as the number one restaurant and bar in Baltimore."

The room erupted in more cheers and Frank lifted his glass.

"With that being said, here's to family, Whiskey's, and the Loft. May we all have a Happy Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas, and one hell of a New Year!"

Notes