The Pregnancy News

Melody stirred under the heavy weight of her blankets, her body still aching from last night’s exhaustion. She didn’t want to open her eyes. Not yet. Not because she didn’t want to face the day, but because she simply needed more time, more warmth, more silence. 

The sunlight crept lazily through the curtains, painting soft lines on her pillow. She could hear the faint hum of the city outside, cars, distant chatter, the occasional bark of a dog but it didn’t bother her. She was cocooned, tucked away from the world for just a few more minutes.

Her phone buzzed on the bedside table. 

She groaned, turning over to silence it, muttering a half-hearted, “Not now.” But the buzzing didn’t stop. A second, insistent ring forced her to roll over, groggy fingers fumbling for the device. She glanced at the screen and her heart sank slightly. It could be Logan, but it wasn’t.

“Hello?” she croaked, voice thick with sleep.

“Melody! My darling! Are you awake?” Cynthia’s voice came through, groggy but urgent, as if she’d just woken up herself.

Melody rubbed her eyes. “Yeah… yeah, I’m awake now.” She said, sitting upright. 

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up. I completely forgot about the time difference, I just…oh, I’ve been itching to tell you this, I can’t keep it in anymore.” Cynthia paused, breathless.

Melody laughed softly, already feeling the familiar calm wash over her. “Cynthia, it’s fine. Really. How’s baby Melody?”

“Baby Melody is…She’s great. But, girl, I haven’t slept properly for days. My eyes hurt, my back hurts, everything hurts. Good thing Jamie’s been here to help me. But he’s at work now, and I’m alone with her. And she’s sleeping for now, so I have like time to breathe before she wakes up to demand her bottle. Oh, Melody, you have no idea.”

Melody pressed the phone closer, imagining her friend juggling a tiny human like it was the hardest workout she’d ever done. “I… can’t even imagine, Cynthia. Babies are so much work. Patience on a whole new level. I mean, I love children, but wow. That’s… exhausting.”

Cynthia laughed softly. “Yeah, I know, right? But don’t worry, I’m surviving. And speaking of survival, I want to thank you again. Those gifts, Melody, the clothes, the toys, everything. She loved them, and I… I don’t even know how you managed to get them. I’m just so grateful. Everything looked so expensive.”

Melody smiled, letting herself bask in that small, warm glow of friendship. “I got a contract, so I can afford a little fun. And it’s not just about the gifts I wanted her to feel special. She’s a little angel. You’ve got to spoil her a bit too.”

Cynthia chuckled, and Melody could hear the genuine warmth in her voice. “You always know how to do that, don’t you? Make everyone feel seen, even a tiny baby. Melody I’m so proud of you. Truly. You left that mess behind, and now you’re out there finding your own way. I… I admire that so much.”

Melody’s chest tightened slightly. She appreciated the praise, the validation, but her mind was still spinning with fragments of the past. 

“Thanks, Cynthia. That means a lot. And I’m proud of you too. You’ve got a baby and you’re surviving, and I can’t even imagine all the work it takes.”

There was a pause, then Cynthia cleared her throat. “Right… so, I called for a reason. And I’m sorry. This isn’t… it’s not good news. I didn’t want to, but I can’t keep it from you.”

Melody’s stomach dropped. Something in Cynthia’s tone set off alarms. “Wait… what do you mean? What happened, is everyone okay?”

Cynthia’s voice softened, hesitant, almost guilty. “It’s Claudia. She’s… she’s pregnant with Brandon’s baby.”

Melody froze. The words took a moment to land. She blinked, confused, thinking she misheard. “Wait… what? Claudia… pregnant? Brandon… what?”

“Yes, Melody,” Cynthia said gently. “l know this is awful. I didn’t want to tell you, because I knew it might hurt, and the timing… I hate myself for saying it, but I couldn’t keep it from you.”

“How did you hear about the pregnancy?” Melody asked, trying to sound calm.

“Jamie saw him last night at the Nativity play and he noticed Claudia looked different, so he asked Brandon if she was okay and he said she was pregnant.”

“Wow…” that was all she could say.

“No wonder they're in such a hurry to get married. Two cheats.”

Melody leaned back against her pillows, her mind buzzing. Her chest felt tight, her thoughts scattered. Her stomach sank in disbelief. She felt a strange mix of anger, disappointment, and… weirdly, relief. 

Relief that she had escaped a situation that was already doomed, that she hadn’t stayed hoping for something he clearly didn’t value.

She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Cynthia, thank you for telling me. Really, even if it hurts I needed to know. I don’t care about him anymore. Not really. I mean, it’s his problem now. His mess. And I’m glad I’m out.”

“You’re strong, Melody. You’re smart. You don’t need him.” Cynthia’s voice was full of affection, almost like a hug over the phone. “And let’s be honest… he’s lost the best part of his life. You’re unstoppable, and don’t you forget it.”

Melody laughed softly, shaking her head. “Cynthia only you could make me feel like a queen even when I just found out my ex is about to be a father which means he's been seeing her for a long time now.”

“Exactly,” Cynthia agreed. “You’re better off. Let him deal with that circus. You? You’ve got your life, your job, your freedom, and now well, you’ve got me and baby Melody.” 

Melody grinned. “Always, mama. I love you.”

“I love you too, Melody. I’ve got to go, she's up. I’ll talk to you soon, okay? And… Merry, merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas!” Melody shouted, laughing into the phone.

She hung up and sat in silence for a moment, letting herself absorb the news and the reassurance. Heart heavy, but also strangely light. She was free. Free from the weight of the past. Free to live, free to enjoy her life, free to… be herself.

She got out of bed in her oversized tee shirt and strolled into the kitchen. She made herself a toast and poured some of the already now warm coffee Tara made before she left for work into her mug.

Her phone buzzed again, and this time, it was Logan. The sight of his name brought an almost involuntary smile to her face.

“Hey, baby,” he said, voice smooth and teasing.

She laughed softly. “Hey… baby? That's new.”

“You remember,” he said, playful, “that you’re my girlfriend, don't you? Signed, sealed, contract and all.”

Melody rolled her eyes, grinning. “Yes, I remember. You never let me forget, Mr. Signed, sealed boyfriend.” She mimicked his voice.

He chuckled. “Anyway… I’ll be flying to France this evening by four for a meeting. I want you to come with me. You in?”

Her eyes widened. “Wait… really? You… you want me to come with you?”

“Yes. You’ve never been, right?” he asked. “I want you to see Paris. Show you around. It’ll be fun.”

Melody sat up straighter, excitement bubbling up, pushing the shadow of Brandon and Claudia aside. “I’ve… never really traveled. Well, except that one time to Toronto to visit with my great aunt, but… Paris? Oh my God, yes, I’ll go!”

Logan’s chuckle was soft, happy. “Perfect. Pack light, though. I’ll pick you up by 3:30pm and we'll be flying by 4:00pm.”

“Alright boyfriend. I better start packing.”

After he hung up, she jumped up, no longer able to contain her excitement.

Melody’s heart raced, anticipation buzzing through her. Adventure, travel, freedom, excitement all in one. She could hardly believe it. 

She smiled without hesitation. Brandon’s mess, Claudia’s pregnancy, it all seemed distant, irrelevant. Her life was moving forward. She was moving forward. And Paris… Paris was waiting.

She bit into her toast, sipping coffee, letting herself savor the moment. 

She could get used to living like this.