RONNELL POVThe weekend brunch Tradition we started after college had balloned. today, it wasn't just William, Mathew, and me. Today, William's sister, Mia, graced us with her presence. Not that Mia was bad, exactly. there was just...a friction between us, a static charge built from year's of childhood sniping. But williiam was practically a brother, so I endured Mia for his sake. (besides, she drove William equally crazy)Our table was situated at our favorite brunch spot, overlooking the sidewalk. The early autumn sun was positioned directly above us, providing a beacon of warmth on a mildly chilly day. “I'm surprised you're here, Ron, you have been less active__” Sarah remarked. “It seems like you've made It to more brunches than you've missed lately.” I looked up from my menu, which I didn't really need since I almost always ordered the same thing. “Is that a complaint?”I knew that it wasn't. Sarah was my cousin who was married to Mathew, and we were really close. Both our pare
RONNELL POVBlair was already hailing a cab when I caught up. Her shoulders were hunched, a stark unlikeness to her usual posture, and she clutched her bag tightly to her side."You should come back," I said, stopping in front of her. "Sarah will have my head if I let you leave without joining us."Blair was usually impeccably dressed, with her hair styled and clothes nice and simple. Today, her hair was pulled back willy-nilly in a bun, and a baggy hoodie and leggings replaced her usual attire."I don't think—I can't really," she stammered, tugging self-consciously at the hem of her hoodie. "Honestly, I don't know about crashing an unplanned dinner, and everyone else—""You look good, Blair," I interrupted gently. "No one will judge you for a hoodie, especially at nearly four months pregnant."Surprise flickered across her face, followed by a flicker of confusion. "Wait, you know how far—?""Of course," I said with a smile. "You told me, and it wasn't exactly a math equation after th
BLAIR POV"I'm fine," I managed to say, my voice wobbly."You're not—" His gaze snapped to my stomach, catching the violent movement beneath the thin fabric of my dress. His eyes widened in surprise, and dawning realization."I don't know why the baby kicks every now and then," I stammered, trying to cover my sudden unease. The movement felt different this time, sharper, almost urgent.“I think that's normal, right?” Ronnell stared at my belly being prodded from inside.“I think it's normal for the baby anyway.” As if its own will, his hand slowly touched the middle of my stomach. I held my breath, watching him move in slow motion. At the last second, his eyes flickered to mine, asking permission. For reasons I couldn't explain, I gave it to him with a nod of my head. His palm stretched out on top of my belly, and the baby pressed against him. A shiver ran down my spine as his warm hand settled further on my stomach. It was a foreign sensation, a touch from a man who wasn't suppose
BLAIR POVThe moment Samuel was out of sight and the break room was just Rosa and me again, she snatched up the envelope I'd tossed on the counter. I'd been in such a daze that I had forgotten that I brought it in here with me."Wow, this place is pricey and porch." Rosa said, sliding out the gift card and peering at the amount. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, my F---kin v--gina. Seven hundred dollars! Ronnell really went all out. Are you sure you should accept something this extravagant?""I know, right?" I admitted, forcing a smile. I took the card from her, turning it over in my hands. The expensive spa logo mocked me with its image of calmness."But you don't seem that excited," Rosa observed, her brow furrowed."It's incredibly generous, it really is," I admitted, forcing a smile. "But..." My voice trailed off. It was hard to explain the knot of unease twisting in my gut. "Right now, with everything going on, spa treatments aren't exactly at the top of my to-do list."Rosa sh
RONNEL POVThe gym doors creaked open, and Mathew sauntered in thirty minutes behind William and me. No surprise there. Even with a wife and the CEO position at Domin Motors under his belt, the carefree party animal in him still managed to show up late. But hey, that's Mathew. It's part of his charm, and it doesn't bother me a bit.It was perhaps why our three-way friendship functioned so well. Mathew balanced us out. William and I had a tendency to get lost in our work, and we both veered to the side of way too fucking seriously. Then again, neither of us had grown up in a stable environment, and we'd have to make our own way. When Mathew had entered the picture in college, he did smack off our blinders, so we finally saw the world around us. It wasn't all books and studying. Mathew was fucking fun. With all the good looks and smooth moves, he could talk his way in and out of everything. We'd had some few adventures back then, forging a bond that still held strong, though we'd all
RONNEL POVBlair's desk was unoccupied. That was normally an unusual sight, but less so these days. She was up and down often, fleeing into the restroom multiple times in a day. I'd read up on the reasons this might be happening to her, just in case it was a sign of something that could have been wrong, and I was both relieved to find out It was normal and I was fascinated by the graphic that I had come across of the way a woman's internal organs would make way for their growing fetus. Booting up my computer, I found myself drawn to the door. Every rustle, every creak had me expecting Blair's familiar entrance, notepad clutched in her hands, but the minutes ticked by without any sign of her. A prickle of unease warmed its way in. Blair's balance had been shaky lately. What if she'd fallen, alone and hurt?The chances were low, but I decided to check, just in case. Something just didn't feel right. I had to pass the break room on my way to the restroom. As I approached, I picked on
BLAIR POVMy legs ache, knotted from hours spent crossed-legged. But I can't tear my gaze away from Nathaniel Paul Damian. They say birth is beautiful. But beautiful? Honey, there was nothing beautiful about that. Pushing a whole human out of...well, you get it. Shocking doesn't even begin to describe it.Still, the aftershocks of that chaos haven't worn off. My head's spinning, trying to catch up with the reality that I, Blair, am now a mother.But then Nathan lets out a gurgle, those impossibly blue eyes fluttering open for a brief moment. And just like that, the terror, the pain, the sheer ick factor - it all melts away. This tiny, perfect person, nestled in my arms, makes it all worth it. Sure, I won't forget the crazy ride that led to their arrival. But Nathan's presence is like a warm blanket, pushing the bad memories back, back, back.Eight weeks home, and Nathan was my lifeline. The rest of the world was a blurry mess, a constant current of exhaustion dragging me down. I didn'
BLAIR POVThe automatic doors whooshed open as I pushed the stroller into Starbucks. Samuel spotted me from across the room and made a bee-line, arms outstretched. I knew the routine - this wasn't a hug for me."There you are, buddy!" Samuel exclaimed, expertly scooping Nathan out of the stroller. He cradled the baby close, a surprising tenderness in his movements.A smug satisfaction bloomed in my chest. This was the same man who'd once called childbirth "undesirable" and declared babies "reeking." Now, here he was, a natural with Nathan nestled against his chest. A small smile played on my lips as I watched him bounce the baby gently, a soft coo escaping his own lips."Hello, there, little prince charming," Samuel murmured, nuzzling his nose against Nathan's chubby cheek. "How about you help Daddy Samuel to order Ham and Swiss on a Baguette? Sadly, you can't have one just yet, but I'm going to take an extra one to eat for you. Just try not to judge my sandwich-eating skills, alright