Chapter 15

A Craving in the Middle of the Night

I stayed on the couch waiting for James to come back, trying to concentrate on the movie, but my attention kept drifting toward the door. It was strange how quickly my mood could change these days. One minute I was irritated by everything around me, and the next I was sitting there waiting for someone I had recently told myself I needed space from. Maybe it was the pregnancy making me emotional, or maybe I was simply confused about James and everything that had happened between us. I didn't know anymore. All I knew was that I wanted those ginger buns, and I wasn't going to be satisfied until I had them.

I checked my phone and saw that James hadn't sent a message yet. I laughed quietly to myself, imagining him walking around looking for a place that sold hot ginger buns at that hour. I had probably sent him on a completely unnecessary mission, but I couldn't help it. The craving had appeared so suddenly that it felt impossible to ignore. I had tried telling myself that I could wait until morning, but the moment I imagined the warm, sweet smell of the buns and cold ice cream afterward, my mouth watered.

About thirty minutes later, I heard the door open.

I sat up immediately.

James walked inside carrying a small plastic bag in one hand and another bag in the other. He looked exhausted, but there was a small smile on his face.

"Finally," I said.

He looked at me.

"You could at least ask if I survived."

I laughed. "Did you find them?"

He lifted one of the bags.

"Your ice cream."

Then he lifted the other.

"And your precious ginger buns."

My face immediately lit up.

"You actually found them?"

"After driving around for almost an hour."

I stared at him.

"An hour?"

"Yes."

I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

"You didn't have to."

"You told me to get them."

"I know, but I didn't think you'd actually drive around that long."

He shook his head and placed the bags on the table.

"You better enjoy every bite."

"I will."

I opened the bag and the smell of the warm ginger buns immediately filled the room. Unlike the pizza from the other day, this smell didn't make me sick. Instead, it made me even hungrier. I picked one up while it was still warm and took a bite, closing my eyes as I chewed.

James watched me.

"Happy now?"

I nodded.

"Very."

He laughed and sat down beside me.

I opened the ice cream next and took a few spoonfuls, alternating between the cold sweetness and the warm ginger bun. It was probably one of the strangest combinations I had ever eaten, but at that moment it tasted perfect.

James stared at me like he couldn't understand me.

"You're really enjoying that."

I smiled.

"I told you I wanted it."

He shook his head.

"I've never seen someone become this happy over ice cream and ginger buns."

I laughed.

"Maybe I'm just hungry."

He didn't answer.

Instead, he looked at me for a few seconds longer than usual.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You're staring."

He looked away.

"I was just thinking."

"About what?"

He hesitated.

"About you."

My smile faded slightly.

"What about me?"

He took a breath.

"Everything is different now."

I knew exactly what he meant.

The pregnancy.

Our relationship.

The things I had told him.

The things I hadn't told him.

I put the spoon down and looked at him.

"I know."

He leaned back against the couch.

"I don't know what happens from here."

Neither did I.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then I picked up my ginger bun again.

"Can we not talk about serious things tonight?"

James looked at me and smiled faintly.

"Okay."

I smiled back.

We went back to watching the movie, and slowly the tension disappeared.

I rested against the couch, eating my ginger bun and ice cream while James sat beside me.

It was almost peaceful.

Almost normal.

But somewhere inside me, I knew our lives were already changing.

The baby I had never expected was becoming real with every passing day.

And while James was trying to figure out what this meant for us, I was beginning to realize that I had something much bigger to worry about.

I was going to have to go home eventually.

And when I did, I would have to face everyone I had been running away from.

Especially Vince.