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“Logan called me the other night.”
Our eyes met like we were both in trouble. We couldn’t help but laugh at each other’s faces and make jokes, but we both knew the conversation was a serious one. At least, it was for me.
“Okay? What did you guys talk about?”
“I didn’t answer.” I sighed. “I don’t know why I didn’t answer. He called three times. I could have told him about the baby.”
“Yeah.” Trinity sighed too.
I told myself the reason I hadn’t answered was because I was too busy with work. But that wasn’t it. I honestly didn’t know why I didn’t pick up, because I was dying to talk to him. I guess I felt out of place. Or judged. Either that, or like I would be. I didn’t know if I really mattered to him, given the way he’d spoken to me last time. So, I kept my distance.
“Ariane, at some point you have to tell the man. He deserves that much. I had some time to think about it myself, actually. I think now would be the perfect time to let the baby out of the bag and give the man a chance. I can’t say how the family thing will work out, but you never know. He might end up being your husband.”
I thought about what Trinity said well into the week. When my five-month checkup came around and I got to see more ultrasound pictures, I felt like she was right. Logan had a right to be there with me, if that was what he chose. He had a right to see the baby growing, to choose decorations for her room, buy her things he liked or felt were important. He had a right to the experience.
“She’s growing so quickly.” My nurse giggled as she handed me the pictures. “Active too. Have you thought of a name for her?”
I nearly sank into my own skin when she asked. Logan needed to be a part of that too. It was certainly something I needed his help with, because I couldn’t think of a name that fit for the life of me.
“No.” I shook my head. “I’m trying to come up with something, though. I figure it’ll come to me at the perfect time.”
“Hey.” The nurse smiled. “That’s alright too. You have about four months to think about it.”
After cleaning the jelly from the large ball of flesh centered on my body, I sat patiently waiting for my discharge papers. Knowing my baby girl was growing and healthy made me smile from within. I was happy to be becoming a new mom.
“Alrighty, Ms. Pratts. You are all set. Your next checkup will be a month from now, but we’ll give you a call to remind you.”
“Okay. Thank you so much.”
I made my way over to the elevator, pressed the down button, and waited for the bell to ring. My gaze was down as I checked my phone, so I didn’t notice the couple walking toward me to take the ride back down. When I looked up, my life flashed before my eyes.
“Ariane,” Logan’s voice shattered my confidence as the elevator doors shut behind him.
“Logan,” I replied with a straight face, though I was panicked on the inside.
The tension was very awkward in the elevator, as Sharron stood staring at us, while we stood staring at each other. A few times I saw his eyes shift down to my pregnant belly and back to mine. And a few times I wanted to faint. I saw Sharron’s eyes follow a couple of those times—even she had questions.
I prayed for the elevator doors to hurry up and open before Logan started asking questions. He looked like he wanted to. But he just stood there, staring at me in disbelief. There was shock on the faces of all three of us.
“Ariane,” he said again, but I was saved by the bell. “Ariane! Wait!”
He shouted out to me as I speed-walked from the elevator toward the parking lot. I thought he would break out in a run and chase me all the way to my ride, but he stopped himself. The fear I felt from facing him had me out of breath.
“Please, just drive,” I told the Uber driver.
I sank into the back seat and kept my head low. In passing, I saw Logan standing at the entrance of the doctor's office with his hands on his head. He looked stressed. So did Sharron. I let out a huge sigh of regret as my Uber driver sped onto the busy highway, but I couldn’t bring myself to call it off.
When I got home to check my phone, Logan had already called me five times. He texted too. He already knew the child I carried was his. There was no mistaking it.
Logan
Seeing the woman I missed with a pregnant belly was a shocker. It had been five months since we last saw each other, and from the looks of things, the timing made sense. I didn’t see any excuse for her not telling me, but I understood. Our situation was complicated. I couldn’t imagine how she felt about everything. I tried to, though.
“Ariane, it’s me again. Could you please call me so we can talk about today?”
After calling ten times with no answer, I had started to sound like a broken record, repeating myself over and over and over again. Until finally, she shut off her phone. I made a few calls—to see if anyone I knew had run into her—but no one knew where she’d moved on to. The only thing I knew was that she was still in New York. And she was pregnant with my child.
“Goddamnit!” I shouted at myself while in my study. “Why can’t she just call me back?”
