Chapter 13

The evening air felt heavier than usual as I curled up on the couch, trying to distract myself from the day's events. My dinner plate sat on the coffee table in front of me, empty except for a few stray crumbs. The glass of water I had been sipping was still half-full, and beside it, a small container of vitamins prescribed by the doctor.

I had taken them as instructed, though the lump in my throat made swallowing harder than it needed to be. My stomach felt unsettled, and my thoughts were no better twisting and turning with a relentless intensity. Drew, the baby, Max showing up at the hospital… it all churned together like a storm I couldn’t escape from.

I leaned back, pulling the blanket tighter around me. My body was begging for rest, but my mind wouldn’t cooperate. The doctor’s questions earlier had dug into me more than I cared to admit. “Is the father involved?” His words echoed in my head, stirring emotions I wasn’t ready to face. Drew wasn’t involved, and that was just a cold, simple truth I needed to accept.

Just as my eyelids started to grow heavy, a sharp knock at the door jolted me upright.

I froze, heart pounding. I wasn’t expecting anyone.

The knock came again, firmer this time.

Slowly, I slid the blanket off and stood, my bare feet sinking into the plush carpet. My stomach twisted as I tiptoed toward the door, careful not to make a sound.

Peeking through the peephole, I sucked in a sharp breath.

Max.

His broad frame stood illuminated by the soft glow of the porch light, one hand shoved into the pocket of his jeans while the other rested casually against the doorframe. His face was calm, but his eyes… they were filled with a mix of determination and something I couldn’t quite place.

My pulse quickened. What was he doing here? Why now?

I backed away from the door, pressing a hand against my chest to calm the frantic rhythm of my heart. “You can do this,” I whispered to myself, trying to muster the courage to face him.

Finally, I unlocked the door and cracked it open, just enough to peek out. “Max?”

“Hey,” he said, his voice soft, almost hesitant. “Can I come in?”

I hesitated, gripping the edge of the door tightly. “It’s late, Max. What are you doing here?”

His lips quirked into a sheepish smile. “I needed to see you.”

There was something in his tone that made my resolve falter. Against my better judgment, I opened the door wider and stepped aside. “Come in.”

Max walked in, his presence instantly filling the room. I closed the door behind him, suddenly hyper-aware of how small the space felt with him here.

“I’m sorry,” he began, turning to face me. “For earlier. I didn’t want to leave you at the hospital like that, but”

“It’s fine,” I interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. “You had to take the call. I get it.”

Max nodded, though his expression remained tense. “Still, it didn’t sit right with me, leaving you there. I’ve been worried about you all day, Lila.”

His words hit me like a punch to the chest. I looked away, unsure of how to respond.

“So,” he continued, his tone firm but gentle, “I came to check on you. To make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, though the words felt hollow even as they left my lips.

Max’s brows furrowed, his eyes scanning my face as if he could see right through me. “You said that earlier, too. But, Lila, you don’t look fine. You’ve been pale, tired and now you’re going to the hospital for checkups?” His voice softened as he took a step closer. “Is it something serious?”

“It’s not what you think. ”

“Then tell me what it is,” he cut me off, his voice tinged with frustration. “If it’s not serious, why won’t you talk to me? Lila, if you’re sick, I need to know.”

The intensity of his gaze made my stomach churn. I shook my head, backing away slightly. “I’m not sick, Max. It’s nothing like that.”

“Then what is it?” he pressed, his voice rising with urgency. “Are you hiding something from me?”

“I’m not hiding anything!” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended.

Max flinched slightly but didn’t back down. “Then why won’t you just tell me? Is it something terminal? Are you…” His voice faltered, and for the first time, I saw real fear flash across his face. “Are you dying?”

“No!” I blurted, horrified at the thought. “I’m not dying, Max.”

He let out a breath of relief, but his expression remained firm. “Then why are you so scared to tell me what’s going on?”

I turned away, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. My throat felt like it was closing up, and the words I wanted to say stayed lodged there, refusing to come out.

“Because…” My voice wavered, barely above a whisper. “Because I’m scared of how you’ll look at me after I tell you.”

Max’s tone softened instantly. “Lila…” He stepped closer, his voice gentle but insistent. “Nothing you say is going to change the way I see you. You’re my friend. You know that, right?”

I swallowed hard, still unable to meet his gaze. “This isn’t about being friends, Max. It’s… complicated.”

“I don’t care how complicated it is,” he said firmly. “You can talk to me, Lila. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together.”

His words were like a lifeline, but I couldn’t bring myself to grab onto it. My fingers tightened around the hem of my sweater as I stared at the floor, my thoughts racing.

“You can trust me,” Max said, his voice steady. “I’m here for you, no matter what. Just tell me.”

The sincerity in his tone broke through the walls I’d been trying to keep up all day. My defenses crumbled, and before I could stop myself, the truth slipped out.

“I’m pregnant.”

The words hung in the air like a thunderclap, the silence that followed almost deafening. My heart pounded as I finally looked up at him, bracing myself for his reaction.

Max stared at me, his expression frozen in a mixture of shock and disbelief. His mouth opened slightly as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out.

I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, my hands trembling as I clutched the edge of the couch for support. “I…” I started, but my voice trailed off. There was nothing else to say. The truth was out now, and there was no taking it back.

Max blinked, his jaw tightening as he processed what I had just said. His lips parted again, but the words still didn’t come.

The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. Finally, Max took a step back, running a hand through his hair as he let out a shaky breath. “You’re… pregnant?”

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak.

His eyes searched mine, a thousand unspoken questions swirling in their depths. I could see the struggle on his face, the battle between wanting to understand and not knowing where to start.

For a moment, I thought he might walk out, leave me standing there with the weight of my confession crushing me. But he didn’t.

Instead, he took a deep breath and asked the one thing I wasn’t prepared to answer. “Who’s the father?”