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“Yeah. Thanks.” I say, returning my gaze to the decorations.
I know I can't keep this secret from Alex forever, and the longer I wait, the more complicated it might become. The uncertainty is a constant companion…
“So, are you sure it’s going great?” Lily presses. “You’re acting a little…weird.”
Crap, I think.Compose yourself.
“Of course!” I enthuse. It's been incredible, and I can't help but feel like we're heading in the right direction.”
Lily tilts her head at me. “You know, Emily, you should be thrilled about how things are going with Alex, but you don't look as happy as I'd expect. What's on your mind?”
I pause, putting down the stars, pondering how to express my feelings without telling her the details.
“So,” I begin, “it's not that I'm not happy. I am. It's just... there's something I haven't told him yet, and it's weighing on me.”
Lily looks concerned, curious but supportive.
“You can tell me. What's going on?” she asks.
I sigh.
As I consider opening up to Lily about my pregnancy, a wave of emotions floods over me. On one hand, she's my closest confidant, and her advice and support mean the world to me.But on the other hand, this secret is a delicate matter, one that could alter the course of our friendship.
I decide to keep my secret a while longer and keep the illusion of normalcy in our lives, at least for now. Maybe one more day, or two more…
“I just… need to work through it myself,” I say finally. “Is that okay?”
Lily wraps one arm over my shoulder. “Of course. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
Alex
“Emily, you're a star at putting up stars,” I tease her with a smile as she diligently arranges them around the boat.
We're adorning Ben’s boat's deck with neon decorations, stringing up vibrant, colorful lights, and strategically positioning glow-in-the-dark stars. As we work, our surroundings begin to take on a supernatural quality.
With a grin, Emily replies, “Well, I'm trying to make it as magical as possible.” It's hard not to be drawn to her enthusiasm, and I find myself eagerly participating in the preparations.
Chris and Ben join our conversation as we continue setting up the party, placing tables and arranging the seating. Chris, always the joker, adds, “If it's not magical enough, Emily, we might have to hire a wizard.”
Ben chuckles, “That's true. We wouldn't want our guests to miss out on anymagicalmoments.”
“Oops, I ran out of tape,” Emily suddenly announces. “I'll be right back with more. Please carry on without me.”
She disappears below deck to fetch the tape. During the brief moment she's away, I take in the sight of the preparations, feeling content that everything is coming together smoothly.
I notice that one table has not yet been decorated, so I pick up the nearby tablecloth.
“Chris, can you give me a hand with this glow-in-the-dark tablecloth?” I ask, glancing over at him as we continue setting up for the party.
“Yeah, man,” he says, walking toward me. He pushes up his glasses as he does.
We each grip one end of the fabric and whisk it through the air once before putting it on the table.
When I bend over to secure the edges, I realize that it's time to have a talk with Chris about his sister.
But then, Chris approaches me first. "So, I hear you took her on a picnic the other day?"
“Chris, there’s something that’s been on my mind,” I say. “You know, I really care about Emily. It's more than just a casual thing. I know we talked about this before, but I want to assure you. It’sreal.”
