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I can't join the celebration yet because I haven't revealed my pregnancy to Lily.
“Ta-da!” she says enthusiastically. “Champagne for our good news!”
I force a faint smile, my mind racing to find the right words to explain.
“Oh, uhm…” I stammer, my voice trailing off.
My fingers trace the small bump of my stomach.
I’m not ready to tell anyone yet, I think.
“What’s wrong?” Lily asks. “Do you wantthisinstead?”
Lily's expression shifts from excitement to concern as she reaches behind her back once more, pulling out a bottle of whiskey.
“This was for in case you had bad news… but I won’t judge if that’s what you’re in the mood for!”
I shake my head, focusing now on the pregnancy secret I'm guarding.
“No, Lily, it's not bad news. I just... I don't want to drink right now,” I say.
Lily looks puzzled, in disbelief, not understanding the reasons behind my reluctance. There's an unspoken tension in the air as I keep my secret hidden for a little longer.
“Is everything okay?” Lily asks. She plops down on the couch, placing both bottles on the coffee table.
I feel the corners of my mouth tug into a smile as I notice that Lily had prepared four glasses for us: two wine glasses for the wine and two Glencairn glasses for the whiskey. I feel a pang of regret that I can’t indulge in her thoughtful celebration, but… life is life, I guess. Unable to bring myself to reveal the pregnancy just yet, I decide to use a different excuse.
I sit down next to her and rest my head in my hand. “Actually, Lily, I've got a bit of a headache tonight. Maybe we could celebrate another time?”
Lily's concern deepens, and she immediately changes her tone.
“Oh, Emily, I had no idea. Of course, we can celebrate another time. Your well-being comes first.”
I manage a grateful smile, relieved that I've avoided the topic for now, but the guilt of keeping such a significant secret still weighs heavily on my mind.
Eager to change the subject and steer away from any further suspicion, I brighten up and dive further into the good news with Lily about Alex's commitment to lowering light pollution.
“You won't believe it, Lily! I talked to Alex about the light pollution issue, and he's actually agreed to do something about it. He's going to make changes to help protect the turtles.”
Lily's eyes widen with excitement, and she breaks into a delighted grin.
“That's incredible!” Lily enthuses. “I can't believe he's taking action. You're making a real difference."
I nod, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over me. Although my secret still lingers in the shadows, knowing that I've contributed positively to an important cause brings me comfort. With a little bit of truth revealed, I feel ready to tell Lily a little more, too.
“So,” I say to Lily, “there's more to the story. I... I slept with Alex again."
Lily raises her eyebrows in surprise, and I continue.
“But we also talked about our differences, our feelings, and the situation. It was a long conversation, and I think we might be getting closer.”
Lily's expression shifts from surprise to a mixture of happiness and concern.
“Emily, I'm glad you're finding some resolution, but please be careful. You know how complicated this all is, and I don't want to see you get hurt.”
I nod, fully understanding the weight of her words.
We sit there for a moment in quiet contemplation.
