On the way home I group call my girls and ask them if we can meet for dinner the next evening. I want to be able to share the news that I’m having a boy with them in person and not over the phone. Since Georgia is out of town for the next few days, we make plans to meet on Friday then they each try to guess what news I have to share. None of them are correct, but they all do guess that I’m going to tell them that I’m engaged. The idea of marrying Dayton doesn’t seem as scary as it did just a few weeks ago, but I still don’t think that we are ready to take that step which is probably ridiculous since we are basically living together and I’m having his baby.

As I’m pulling up to park in front of our building, I recognize Matthew’s car and inwardly groan. I haven’t seen him since I visited his office weeks ago, and we haven’t spoken since then either. And not just because I’m avoiding him, he hasn’t called or text once either.

I hang up with the girls after telling them that we’ll see each other soon then park as Dayton double parks next to me. As I’m getting out of the car, Matthew comes from the side of the building where my apartment door is.

“Hey, I just knocked,” he says walking towards me as I slam my door, and he freezes mid step with his eyes glued to my stomach. “You’re pregnant,” he whispers as I hear a door slam.

“Ugh, yeah,” I assumed my mom would have shared the news with his mom and that she would have shared it with him but apparently that hasn’t happened.

I feel Dayton come up from behind me, and Matthew eyes move to over my shoulder.

“This is why you said it was serious between you two.”

“No, I said it’s serious because I’m in love with him.” I tell him quietly and his expression fills with pain.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you’re pregnant?”

“Because you and I aren’t exactly involved in each other’s lives anymore. And I kind of assumed that your mom would share the news with you.”

“She didn’t.”

“I see that now.” I agree softly.

“I still love you,” he says and Dayton makes a noise in the back of his throat.

“I’m sorry, Matthew, I’ll always care about you, but I don’t feel the same.”

“Fuck.” He tips his head back to the sky then drops his gaze back to me. “I should go.” I don’t reply, because honestly I don’t even know what to say.

“You okay?” Dayton asks when he’s pulling away a minute later.