Should I just walk in like I didn’t know that Sean returned?
Should I just leave and not speak to either of them?
Should I just wait until one of them comes out of the office?
I still haven’t decided. But, still, I walk toward the office and hesitate just outside the door.
I hear Sean’s voice. “I’m so sorry, Jamie. I want to take care of you. I’ll do anything for you and the baby. You know that.”
I can’t hear this. It will destroy me.
I turn to walk away when Jamie spots me through the small crack in the door.
“Olive!” she says brightly.
I open the door and step into the office. Sean doesn’t immediately run over and hug me, like I expected. In fact, he stands, frozen, cold. Like he barely even knows me. Not like a man who is in love with me and has fucked me half a dozen times or more.
“Sean got back early, so we can go to brunch now, if you’re feeling up to it,” Jamie says.
Sean looks to me. “Are you sick?”
“No, I’m fine. I’d love to go to brunch with you, Jamie.”
Jamie’s face lights up when she realizes what it means.
“Oh my God! I was right then?” Jamie squeals.
I try to smile, but it’s hard to smile. I nod slowly.
Jamie runs over and tightly hugs me. “I’m so excited for you!” she squeals.
I glance over at Sean, who is suspiciously staring at me.
Jamie finally releases her hold on me.
“What are we excited about?” Sean asks, looking from me to Jamie, trying to get one of us to give him an answer.
“Oh, nothing. I’m just excited to go to lunch with a good friend. Nothing you need to worry about,” Jamie says, trying to protect my secret.
But I can’t hold it in any longer. He needs to know the truth. Now.
I plaster a fake smile on my face. “I’m pregnant.”
21
Sean
Pregnant.
Olive can’t be pregnant. We haven’t been having sex long enough for her to know if she is pregnant or not.
But then, all at once, it hits me. Owen. She’s pregnant with Owen’s baby.
I can see the fear in her eyes as she pretends to be excited with Jamie about being pregnant.
“I’m so excited for you and Owen. I know he isn’t the perfect guy, but you two will make great-looking babies! And we get to experience this together! It’s amazing!” Jamie continues on and on.
I can see the moment that Olive just can’t take hearing Jamie any longer.
“I think I’m going to be sick. Can I take a rain check until a bit later, Jamie?” Olive asks.
“Oh, honey! Of course. I’ll send you all my morning-sickness tricks,” Jamie says.
That’s all it takes for Olive to run out of the room.
“I’m going to go check on Olive,” I tell Jamie.
“That’s sweet, but you should just get her some Sprite and crackers for when she gets back,” Jamie says.
I ignore her and chase Olive down the hallway to the restroom. She goes inside, and I follow her. I lock the door behind us.
“What are you doing? This is the woman’s restroom,” Olive says.
“And you aren’t really sick. So, what are you doing in here?”
Her eyes slowly look up to mine. “I’m running away.”
I walk toward her, needing to put my arms around her, but she takes a step back.
“I’m sorry that I ignored you back there, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted Jamie to know about us,” I say.
She folds her arms across her chest. “I’m not mad that you acted cold toward me back in Jamie’s office. I understand. I really do. I just think we need to stop whatever this is. It doesn’t make sense anymore.”
I feel like she just slapped me.
“Why? Because you’re pregnant?” I ask.
She nods. “I’m pregnant, and you already know it’s not yours.”
I rub my neck, trying to find the words to defuse the situation. “Yes, I know the baby isn’t mine. But that doesn’t matter. We can still date. Still see where this goes. And, no matter what happens, I will always be here for you and your baby.”
“Like you are going to be there for Jamie?” she says solemnly.
“Yes,” I say slowly, not understanding.
“I think you should just be there for Jamie and not for me. I have plenty of things to worry about without having to worry about where you and I stand.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t want Jamie. I want you.”