Chapter Four: News Travels Fast:

Last night’s celebration felt rather awkward. Neither one could even speak at first. She kept her eyes to the table. This wasn’t a planned thing. The couple had no idea what to do. Mosh raised his glass.

“Cheers to us… I guess…” he said.

“Yeah…” Noiz mumbled. They both took a drink of their soda. Mosh looked at the people around them. He pressed his lips together.

“So,” he spoke up. “Are we keeping it?” Noiz looked up at him.

“What?” she asked.

“The baby,” the mouse said. “Are we keeping it?” His wife paused for a moment.

“Oh!” she said. “That…” The mouse nodded at her.

“Yes,” he said.

“That…” Noiz repeated as she looked away. “That…” She looked down at her drink. No alcohol for nine months.

“Do you want to keep it?” she asked. Mosh looked up at her.

“What?” he asked.

“Do you want to keep the baby or not?” she asked. The mouse looked at his own glass.

“Uh, well…” he mumbled. Noiz looked down at the table. The sounds in the restaurant didn’t really help her coming headache. She closed her eyes for a moment.

“Nobody can find out about this just yet,” she murmured. Her husband looked up at her.

“Right…” he said. Since returned and reminded for the rest of the night. However, that silence didn’t last into the morning.

At the academy, Noiz came to an unsettling surprise on her office door. She backed up in shock with a yellow and white banner across the top of the door. “Congratulations!” it said in big letters. The headmistress gave off a nervous chuckle.

What the hell?!?, she thought. It didn’t stop there.

The women sent the morning congratulating her. They kept asking her questions about what her plans for the child would be. The students and staff who were mothers even offered her advice on parenting. Noiz really felt like screaming by lunchtime. She clenched her fists at her sides. Who the hell told on me?!?, she thought. The cat took a moment to think back to last night in the restaurant. Her mind went back to the bar. Her eyes opened wide.

Of course!, she thought. Noiz raced all the way down the hall. She found Kellie in the music room. The kitty threw open the door in rage.

“Kellie!” she screamed. “What the hell?!?” The British music teacher looked up at her with big eyes.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry!” she cried. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“You were at that ramen restaurant last night, weren’t you?” Noiz asked. “Weren’t you?!?” Kellie fell to her knees, whimpering.

“I’m so sorry!” she cried. “I overheard you and Mosh talking at the bar and I just couldn’t hold back. I didn’t mean any harm by it! I swear! I’m so sorry!” Noiz sighed and lowered her head.

“We weren’t going to tell anyone yet,” she said in a low voice. “We don’t even know what to do with it.” Kellie gave her an odd look as she rose to her feet.

“You don’t know?” she asked. Noiz shook her head.

“We weren’t even going to tell anyone just yet until we had some idea of what to do,” she said.

“I’m so sorry,” the British woman said.

“Kellie,” Noiz said. “Please shut up. Just shut it and leave me alone for the rest of the day.” The younger woman drew her mouth closed. Noiz hung her head and sighed. This mess just refused to end for her.