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She sticks her tongue out at me. “I know,” she admits. “But, still, what's wrong?” She leans forward and brings herself into a sitting position. “You’re usually so calm and collected. What, is today the opposite day or something?”
I bite my lip, and my eyes meet Lily's concerned gaze. Her observation about my unusual behavior strikes a chord. I've always been level-headed, thinking things through carefully and rarely allowing emotions to get the best of me. But today has been anything but typical.
I don’t want to admit what’s going on, but I know that I can’t keep it inside for much longer. Not only are my troubles bursting at the seams of my sanity, but I know I won’t be able to hide what’s going on for much longer.
I let a hand fall to my stomach before thinking:I won’t be able to hide this for much longer.
I sigh, leaning against the nearby reclining chair and trying to find the words to explain my inner turmoil. “I know, Lily," I confess. "It's just... I had this encounter today, and it left me feeling so conflicted.”
Lily reaches up and unties the elastic from her hair, letting the purple strands fall around her shoulders. “Well, what is it?” she asks.
“You see… there's something I haven't told you about that night at the masquerade party.”
Lily, sensing the seriousness in my tone, leans in attentively. “What do you mean? What happened, Em? You're acting so…cryptic.”
Taking another deep breath, I finally admit, “I... I hooked up with someone that night, Lily. It was a mistake, and I regret it.”
Lily's eyes widen in surprise, and she searches my face for more details. “Who was it? Do I know him?”
I hesitate, then reluctantly say, “It was Alexander Cooper.”
Lily's shock turned into a mixture of horror and disbelief. “Alexander Cooper? The same guy who's responsible for all that environmental damage at Sovereign Harbor? You hooked up with him?”
Watching the disbelief and disapproval play across Lily's face, I know I have to explain myself further. She deserves to know the truth.
“Yeah, Lily, it's... it's complicated,” I begin, searching for the right words. “I mean, I never thought I'd end up in such a situation, especially with someone like Alex. But—you know—sometimes things just happen, and you can't control them. I didn't know it was him when I hooked up at the party…I only found out today.”
Lily's mouth hangs open. Then she crosses her arms, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. “But Emily, you're an environmentalist, just like me. You've seen what Alex Cooper does to the environment. He's practically the enemy.”
I nod in agreement, acknowledging the truth of her words. “I know, Lily. I know what he's done, and I'm not proud of my actions that night. It's just... I got caught up in the moment and didn't even know it was him until later.”
Lily lets out a sigh. When she speaks again, her voice is raised, and anger seeps through, catching me off guard. “Em, you have to be careful with this. You can't let him off the hook for what he's done to the turtles.”
Watching Lily react so strongly makes me reconsider sharing the whole story. She's clearly upset, especially since she's all about protecting the environment, and Alex doesn't have a great track record in that department.
I decide to keep the fact that I'm pregnant to myself for now. Dropping that bombshell would only make things more emotional, and I know Lily's strong feelings might cloud her judgment. She's my best friend, but sometimes, her passion can make it hard to have a level-headed conversation.
So, for now, I focus on addressing her concerns about my involvement with Alex and how it might affect my environmental work. I'll save the pregnancy talk for later when things have cooled down a bit.
Instead of telling my best friend the whole truth, I respond, “Don’t worry. I promise I won't let him off the hook. But I also have to figure out what to do about this. My mind is just…mush.”
Lily's features soften with sympathy, and she reaches out to hold my hand. “We'll figure it out together, Em. No matter what happens, you're not alone in this.”
I squeeze her hand, grateful for her unwavering support. “Thank you, Lily. I don't know what I'd do without you.”
As our conversation ends, I can't help but feel a strong maternal instinct coursing through me. It's a deep, unshakeable sense of responsibility towards my unborn child. Whether or not things work out with Alex, or even if Lily and Chris don't approve, I know with absolute certainty that I will do whatever it takes to protect and care for my baby.
As we sit there in brief silence, I know that despite the complications and challenges ahead, having Lily by my side makes it all feel a little more manageable.
Ring!
The sudden sound of the doorbell ringing startles me.
“What? Who’s that?” I ask Lily.
But she just shrugs.
I wasn't expecting anyone, and I'm not used to random visitors. I make my way to the door and open it to find a man holding a large box of pizza in his hand.
