Misconception

Chapter 5

Humphrey's Peak was a quiet town with about as many citizens as you could count on one hand.   Just like every town, actually.  In fact, it's amazing how the few dozen or so humans on Filgaia have been able to fight off the endless hordes of gobs, slugs, balloons, chimeras, kobolds, lizards, bizarre looking apes, skeletons, slimes, angry birds, orcs, monster trees, pill bugs, mandragoras, wild dogs, etc…

            This, however, has no bearing on the story whatsoever. 

            In a small, two-room house with a blue roof sat the so-called "Maxwell gang," calmly dining on a veritable banquet, well, at least when compared to the amount of attendees.   The head count was as follows, in order of age:  Clive Winslett, Catherine Winslett, Gallows Caradine, Virginia Maxwell, Jet Enduro, and Kaitlyn Winslett.

            The meal consisted of roasted turkey, a meatloaf, mashed sweet potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, cranberry sauce, a large bowl of salad, biscuits, and some apple pie for dessert.  Perhaps this may not seem like a lot, but on Filgaia it is, okay?  Catherine and Kaitlyn had spent all morning putting the meal together, in order to celebrate the team's recent success, silencing a ravenous bi-pedal beast in the area of Gemstone Cavern.  It would have been less work had Clive been allowed to help like he wanted to, but for some reason, his wife and daughter wouldn't let him near the kitchen.

            "…and man, you shoulda seen the look on its face when I roared back at it!"

            Virginia replied back to Gallows' boasting with "Yeah, it was almost as funny as the look on your face when it bit your behind!"

            As can be expected, everyone shared a laugh at Gallows expense.  Everyone, that is, except Jet.  Because he was one-hundred-percent sure that his suspicions were correct, his nerves were getting frayed every time Virginia was in a battle, so much that even the mere mention of a fight would put him on edge.  However, mo matter how much he wanted to scream and keep her out of the front lines, he had to remain silent, mainly because Virginia had never said anything about…that.

            Of course, this was another problem for the boy.  How the hell was he supposed to act around her?  Considering that she's being the same as she always is, should he also act like normal, too?  Sure, it's ridiculous to think that she wouldn't know whether or not she was what he was thinking she was, but he really had no way of knowing for sure.  But supposing that she didn't know, then what?  Should he act differently in that case?  Should he just play along, feigning ignorance?  Should he tell her?

            Damn it, this is so confusing! He thought, trying hard no to bash his fists against the table in frustration.  Grabbing the nearby gravy boat, he drowned his turkey in anger and broth.  This earned him a few odd looks from his comrades, but no one said anything about it. 

            The meal resumed, and all remained relatively normal.  Food was passed, messes were made, and Gallows was laughed at.  Just like usual, only he was intentionally funny in this case.  And, for the first time in weeks, Jet's anxiety dissipated.  Which is certainly not going to last for long…

            "Cripes, Virginia!  You've eaten enough for two people!"  This outburst from the lovable oaf returned Jet to his previous state of mind.  Enough for two?  He promptly passed out in his potatoes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            "Ungh…" Jet sat up from the couch and clutched his head, unaware of how well that rhymed. 

            "Oh!  You're awake!" chimed Virginia.  "Oops…I missed a spot."  Reaching under his chin with a napkin, she removed the last bit of potato.  "There," she added with a smile.

            "Did I pass out again?"

            She looked surprised at that.  "Again?  Has this happened before?"

            That's right, she wasn't there the first time… he thought.  "Yes, once."

            "When did it happen?" she cried, almost sounding like an overprotective mother.  Which obviously wasn't helping Jet's issues.

            "During the break we took…  You and your aunt went out shopping, and…"

            "That's when it happened, then?"

            "Yup."

            "Well, have you seen a doctor about it?  Do you know why it's happening?"

            Argh….it's now or never I guess... he mused.  Taking a deep breath, he answered.  "No…" and he muttered something inaudible.

            Virginia leaned in closer.  "What was that last part?  I didn't hear you."

            "I said I know why it's happening…"

            "Well…why is it?"

            He took a few more calming breaths, trying to keep his heart rate at a steady pace.  He stared into those cerulean eyes of hers and stated.  "I know that you're pregnant."

            "….."   She sat there blankly for a bit.  "Um…what?"

            Her puzzled look kinda shocked him.  "Uh…I know that you're…pregnant?"

            After what may have been the most awkward moment in all of human history, the flabbergasted girl finally spoke again.  "Um…no I'm not."

            Jet's  perception of reality shattered into a thousand pieces.  "W-w-w-wha?"

            "I'm not pregnant, Jet.  Why would you think that?"

            "Well, what were those pink booties?"

            "Did you go through my stuff?"  she yelled, hands on her hips.

            "That's not the question!  What the hell were those booties?!"

            She sighed before answering.  "Those were a gift for a friend of mine.  She just had a baby a few months ago, don't you remember?  I took you to her baby shower!"

            Oh yeah, that's right…  "Okay…but what about the morning sickness?"

            "What, that pukefest the other day?"

            "Yeah, that."

            "I don't know if you remember or not, but both Clive and Gallows cooked the night before.  Just let that sink into your head for a minute."

            He did, and shuddered at the thought of what kinds of terrifying culinary experiments those two could whip up.   Digging into the last of his evidence bag, he blurted "Chocolate strawberries pickles an' ice cream!"

            She gave him a half lidded look.  "We had strawberry sundaes that night…and Aunt Shalte is lactose-intolerant.  And she really loves pickles….I never understood that…"

            "Oh…"

            "And besides, don't you remember what we did with the leftover strawberries?"

            They stared at each other for a second before blushing.

            "Heh…yeah…"

            Had Gallows been stereotypically eavesdropping, he would have wet himself with that info. 

            "Well, Enduro, anything else you wanna throw out on the table?"

            Sheepishly he muttered, "…no…."

            Virginia let out a sigh of relief, and sat down on the couch next to Jet.  "Well, that explains a lot.  I though you had been acting weird lately."

            "Um….Virginia?"

            "What is it?"

            He scratched the back of his head.  "Could we…uh…keep this between us?"

            She giggled at him and nodded.  "Sure, sure."

            "Thanks…"   Looking around, he noticed that there wasn't a clock in the room.  "Hey, what time is it?"

            "Eleven o' clock.  Everybody else has gone to bed already."

            "Oh…"  Well, that explains why the living room is empty like this. 

            They sat there for a while.  When suddenly, Virginia giggled and whispered "Should I see if they have any strawberries?"

===============================================================

A/N:  I had no intention of making the ending so kinky, but you know what?  I think it works.  With the latest announcements of this site, I think I'm gonna put the CRRS for this thing in my profile, so look there for my responses to your reviews.  Peace out, everybody, and enjoy my first finished non-oneshot.