and love to unfurl in the darkness, it was too bittersweet to appreciate the moment in its entirety.
He was missing it. Wherever he was, whatever he was doing, he was going to keep on living without his child in his life. He would miss everything.
But that was his mistake. No longer would I cling to throbbing memories of him or the hope that always straddled my every decision where Everett was concerned.
No more.
The phone rang three times before she picked up. “Honey, hey! One second, I’ve just got a student here finishing up.”
I waited as Mom set the phone down, my eyes falling from the stark white ceiling of my bedroom to the colored scarfs hanging over my lampshade and bookshelves. The yellow dress lying over the bright blue ottoman by the window. The purple and floral Docs and red Chucks by the chair near the door. Why was everything so damn bright?
“You there?”
“I’m here,” I said, a hoarseness to my voice I couldn’t clear.
“Are you all right?”
I assumed Hendrix hadn’t yet told them. My best guess was he was too busy trying to figure out what to do with a half-recorded album.
“No.” Sorrow dripped into my voice, my veins, my very bones. “I need you.”
She didn’t hesitate. “I’ll be there by tonight. Should I pack a bag?”
“Please.”
“I think it’s a great idea.” Sabrina patted my shoulder.
Gloria snatched the pamphlet, slipping her pink glasses on. “Strengthens the body and calms the mind.” She hummed. “Well, it couldn’t exactly hurt, could it?”
Adela had suggested it after hearing some of the moms in her tiny tot’s dance class discuss it. I took the pamphlet back, drumming my gnawed off nails on the picture of a glowing pregnant woman. “School starts next week, though.”
“So?” Gloria perked a brow.
“So I’m going to get busy.” I was five months and starting to show, but as much as I loved my tiny bump, I couldn’t lie and say I wasn’t nervous about attending school again.
Mom had encouraged it, reasoning the more credits I had, the easier it’d be to return if I wanted to after the baby was born. I wanted to, and though it wasn’t exactly rare to see moms on campus, pregnant or with babies in tow, I considered maybe working more instead. I’d need the money, and I could hopefully finish my degree online.
Sabrina and Gloria were too quiet. “What?”
Sabrina sighed. “Not to sound like an evil old crow, but you’re no busier than what you were when he was here. You have that time available to you now, so use it for yourself.” Her voice was stern but not uncaring, which helped the dose of tough love go down a smidgen easier.
“Okay.” I admitted defeat, staring back at the pamphlet. “I’ll consider it.”
They smiled, and Gloria even offered to come with, just as the door opened and Aiden strolled in.
I couldn’t wipe the shock off my face if I tried. Last I’d heard when I finally vacated the dark cloud Everett had left raining over my head and texted him, he’d gone back to Atlanta.
“What are you doing here?” I smiled, feeling some of the heaviness ease off my chest.
He tucked his hands into his pockets, grinning at Sabrina and Gloria, who tittered and waved before disappearing into the back room. “Was passing through, thought I’d check in.”
“Uh-huh.” I was still smiling, enjoying that I could as I took in his dimpled smirk and the way some of his dark hair sprinkled over his forehead.
He drew in a breath, releasing it with his words. “So, actually, I’m keeping the apartment.”
I blinked, my heart kicking. “What?”
He tilted a shoulder as if making such a monumental decision wasn’t a big deal. “I figured you’d need help looking up gory birth videos, someone to fetch your ice cream in the middle of the night, and to remind you that even when you can’t see your toes, you’re still the most beautiful thing in the world.”
“Prince,” I breathed, swallowing hard. “You’re too damn sweet, and I don’t deserve it.”
“Stevie, don’t give me that—”
“No,” I whispered, not wanting to say it but knowing I had to. It hurt, like razorblades lining my throat, as I forced out, “You can’t drop your life for me. You’d only be wasting your time.” His mouth tightened, but I raised my hand and pushed on. “I can’t. I’m done. Not just with Everett but with the entire male species at this rate.”
“I wasn’t implying you bend over and lift that fluffy