But at the same time, he doesn’t have to worry about if he can take care of his kid. He’s already proven he doesn’t need their mother. I will do this without Ryan. But the question remains: can I do this? The ultrasound starts making a noise as the machine touches and slowly moves ar
“Come play treasure hunt!” Is the first thing I hear when I open my front door the next morning. I’ve barely slept at all, so the sight of Bea and Tris waiting on the other side of the door with bright smiles shocks me. I look my tiny neighbors in the eyes, trying to remember what th
“Have you been given any information?” I ask the girls. “Just that we have to eat breakfast and clean up, then we’ll get our first clue.” I nod. “Then we better do what your dad tells us, right?” I nod, hoping they’ll figure it out. The girls nod vigorously. As Derek
The girls begin to giggle at my mouth hanging open. They must think that soaking the two of us was something good because the laughter doesn’t stop. I understand that kids make mistakes, but this is honestly not what I need right now. I’m pregnant with baby hormones swimming through me. Not
He lets me take over. “Now that the dishes are clean, can you think of a place where no is truly mean?” The two girls talk to each other, trying to put the rhymes together. If Derek hadn’t told me the answer, I don’t know if I would have guessed it correctly. “Hint!” Bea asks.
I’ve avoided Derek and the girls for a few days. I’ve been a complete mess, but still, I refuse to give any information to my boss. He’s only approached me once, and I made excuses for needing to leave the room. Since then, I’ve worked from home for a few days just so I can de-stress from ev
“Well, sure, you should be mad.” “Ever since I left, I just feel like I’m being stared at with an intensity that never hit me before. It’s like they know I’m pregnant!” Annie snorts. “I don’t think men are that smart, honestly.” “Do you think if you sat in a room with Ryan, h
Well, it’s happened. “Esme, please come into my office for a quick conversation.” I can’t avoid him any longer. Part of me is relieved that I don’t have to keep running around acting like I’m not ignoring him. The other part of me is painfully nervous for what he might say. I
For once in our friendship, my friends don’t pressure me to open up with them. They just protect me. I’m not used to such behavior from my sarcastic, goofy friends. It’s nice, because ever since I left Ryan I’ve felt as if the entire world has demanded answers, even if I’m not ready. It’s not unti
Annie and Lily come over for the first time in a while. It feels so nice to be surrounded with my girls, and their hugs when first arriving feel like something I’ve deprived myself of. “I wish you’d find out the gender,” Annie groans as she stretches herself out on the sofa. “I want to know if I’m
“That’s not—” “You don’t treat me like an underling.” “You’re not one!” “Yes, I am! I’m supposed to be under you! This isn’t a debate that we should be having. We’ve been pushing the envelope on what’s appropriate and what’s not. In the end, we have blurred any lines we had the day I left my h
“And I’ll have those numbers determined once the remainder of the information comes in,” I say into my work phone. “Don’t worry, I know everything is a mess right now but it’s an easy fix.” I sigh and look up, startled to see Derek standing at my open office door. He looks serious and also worried
Bea shoves the item in her hands at me. I take it softly, looking down at what she had. A picture of a beautiful redhead with a bright smile stare back at me. I see two small girls surrounding her. Bea can’t be more than three, and the baby wrapped in blankets held by the woman must be Tris. “Is t
“No. I called you. I couldn’t think of anything else.” I nod. “Call the front desk, security, any friends you might have in the building or complex altogether. Have the pool on lookout, and anywhere else she might feel she can hide.” “Okay,” Derek says, nodding but still clearly distraught. I
My phone starts ringing as I leave the restaurant I’ve just eaten at. Daniel and I had a meeting today to talk about the restraining order and other paperwork. Not only that, but now Daniel knows about Natalie’s claims, as well as our suit against Max. “I really wish I didn’t have these other pr
“Uh, there’s a difference?” He seems more confused than when he walked in now. “Cause I’m just worried about not being able to answer all her questions.” “Well,” I think. “They’ll be showing that health class video soon. Most girls don’t actually hit puberty and get their periods until middle scho
It’s around eight when I hear knocking on my door. I’ve been getting stuff done and cleaning the apartment. But the baby? That has been causing some issues. Even wearing better shoes and making sure I’m taking care of my health and stress; I’m still not having an easy time. And this is still the