“It’s annoying.” I don’t believe myself.
“Is it, though? What else are you hiding from me?”
I meet her stare and fight a smile.
“Oh god. Tell me.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Clearly, your grin says it’s nothing.”
“Okay. Well, someone does my laundry now, and there is a maid, so I haven’t had to clean anything. Not even dishes. And I think he has a cook come here every day. You should have tasted the brownies we had the other night. Give me one of those every evening after a shift at the restaurant and I’ll be just as satisfied as I am after sex.”
June laughs. “Any left?”
“Yeah right.”
I type in the password Mark left on the sticky note with the computer, and as soon as it wakes up, my heart clutches. The background he chose is a picture of the first ultrasound. The one I didn’t tell him about.
I’ve learned a lot in the past week, including that Mark and I don’t want to dwell on the choices we made and didn’t make with each other. There is only forward. I have no idea what it holds, but that’s what we have.
“I think someone has a crush on his baby mama.”
“No, he doesn’t. He’s just being nice. He wants to help. I mean, every night when I leave for work, he is all ‘what can I do for you? What do you need?’”
“That’s nice.”
“Is it? I’m not used to it.”
“He’s putting in an effort.”
“I know he is, and I’m not being mean or anything, but sometimes I’m not sure how to react.”
“With a thank you.”
I shove her shoulder. “I say thank you.”
I start to log into the student portal so we can see the assignment we are working on, but a message pops up on the screen below.
Dinner. Tomorrow. 4:00 p.m. Our house.
“Umm, what’s that?” June points. “Are you sure you’re not dating the father of your unborn child?”
“I’m sure. We’re getting to know each other again. That’s all. Plus, I got a random Saturday night off and he mentioned hanging out.”
“Well, I think it’s safe to think that maybe he likes you.”
“We’re friends.”
“Okay, but it wouldn’t be the weirdest thing if you two developed feelings. I mean, something was there at one point.” She points to my stomach, which is still barely showing any signs of a baby bump.
“I told you. We are just two friends who drank too much. It was nothing more.”
“Well, I think you need to admit that there is a possibility it might go in that direction, and if it does, are you prepared for that?”
I click a few links to get us to the page we need.
Of course, I would be thrilled to date the father of my child. But Mark and I are nowhere near that stage in our lives.
