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“I know. I’ve wanted to come by and apologize again all week but it seemed like you needed space.”
“I did,” I admit and he nods, his hand finally dropping from my arm.
I miss it instantly.
“Want to sit down?” He asks and I think about him sitting across from me while he’s wearing only a towel.
“Ye- er, maybe not right now,” I say, my eyes dipping back to his bare skin.
“I can get dressed,” he offers.
“You don’t have to!”
I wince, rubbing my forehead. My sex drive has been nonexistent since all of this started but thirty seconds in a room with a half-naked Arlo and it’s back in full force.
“My brother pleaded guilty,” he starts and I nod.
“I know. Officer Miles came by to tell me and to return the antiques.”
“Good. I’m glad that you got them back.”
I nod, looking away from him.
“I really am sorry, Iris. I just, I wanted to believe that he had changed but you’re right. I should have at least told you about my suspicion.”
“I get why you didn’t,” I say before he can go on.
“You do?” He asks.
It’s obvious that he’s been beating himself up about all of this for the last week and a half.
“Yeah, he’s your brother. I don’t have any siblings but if it had been Madelyn, I would have probably done the same thing.”
He gives me a grateful smile and I smile back.
“Can we go back to being together? You have no idea how bad it’s been without you these last few days.”
I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Will he want to be with me when he finds out that we’re about to be parents?
Arlo mistakes my silence for rejection and his whole body deflates.
“Or not. I get it if you need more time or if you want to go back to being friends or whatever until you can trust me again. I just want to be part of your life and I need you to be a part of mine.”
“I’m pregnant,” I blurt out and he freezes.
I give him a minute, letting him process the news but he remains frozen.
“I know that this wasn’t planned and trust me, it was a big shock for me too. I was going to tell you that night last week but then I found out about your brother and just freaked out. I thought that you knew and I’m so sorry, I should have given you a chance to explain yourself. I should have still told you then,” I ramble on.
I start pacing when he still doesn’t say anything.
“I’ve been so nauseous with morning sickness and that’s why I missed a few days of work last week and then I just, I don’t know. I couldn’t find the right time to tell you. You were either at work or I was at home with my head in the toilet or a garbage can. Neither option seemed right. I could have called you but this seemed like something to be done in person,” I continue and on my next pass, Arlo reaches out and stops me.
“We’re going to have a baby?” He asks and I don’t know why but I burst into tears.
“Yes, and I know that we didn’t plan this and if you don’t want to be –”
“I want to,” he cuts me off. “I want to be part of this.”
