Alicekai'd 1.20: Unexpected

 

     I may as well buy a crib.

 

     I don't remember this crib, but then, I've seen (and experienced) things that weren't in my game. At any rate, I like it.

     What I DON'T like is being pregnant. My back is killing me.

     I hear a knock at my door. Geoffrey? I haven't spoken to him since I read the letter.

     "Who is it?" I call through the door. It's not Geoffrey.

     It's my friend Yui. She and I have only spoken on the phone since the mixer party. I've mostly not told her everything that's gone on, but I did tell her about my pregnancy.

     "Wow, Alice! I didn't realize you were this far along already!"

     "Well, time flies, right?" And sim pregnancies are way too short--not that I want this to last much longer anyway.

     She nods, and we head inside.

     "Nice place. I love the wooden-looking tile on the walls. It's like a cabin in the city."

     I smile. "Huh. I never thought of it that way." I shrug. "I needed a place to go, and this was available."

     She motions to the sofa. "So you lived with Geoffrey Landgraab?" I'd only started telling her that when she had to end the phone call when something came up.

     "Yeah. I needed a safe place to stay during that social media debacle." Please don't ask for details.

     "So is he, um..." She points to my huge belly.

     I let out a little laugh. "No, he's not the father." I wish. "It's, um, Mark James."

     Her mouth drops. "You're still seeing him? I thought after the video..."

     "He lives right next door. After I moved in here, we reconnected."

     "And what a re-connection that must've been." She smirks. Yeah, the whole world knows how much chemistry he and I have.

     "Well, it's certainly how I ended up with this lump in my belly." I sigh.

     "So are you two still together?"

     "Well... I'd say he's avoiding me, but I'm also avoiding him.

     "He had the nerve to ask if it was his," I finish.

     "Oh... because of Geoffrey."

     "Huh? No. Because he's an ass." I pause. "I never slept with Geoffrey." Where did she get that idea?

     "Oh," she says again. "Okay, but... Well, I just wondered because... You get this look every time he's mentioned."

     "What look?"

     "Well, I first noticed it at the party. You two hardly stopped watching the other one, and after he followed you out, I assumed... Yeah."

      "Oh my god, Yui. You don't think he's too old?" Not that it matters. Geoff hates me now. Still, it's nice to pretend for a few minutes.

      She giggles. "No. Besides, he's loaded. I'd go for him if I didn't already know you're interested." Her giggle continues. "It's not a very good secret that he's going for the title of 'most eligible bachelor.'"

     I'm an idiot.

     I let out a nervous laugh. "Oh. I s-suppose he deserves it." I can't think about that right now. I'm liable to burst into tears again. Stupid hormones.

     Most eligible bachelor, huh? I secretly wonder how many women are after him. Yeah. Fat cow me doesn't stand a chance. Even still... I sigh.

     "So, are you going to give Mark another chance?"

     "I don't know." Don't cry.

     She says she thinks I should, to at least try since it's his baby I'm carrying. We chat for a little while longer, eat some lunch I made, and she leaves to go home.

     I don't have any gigs, and I don't have much inspiration to write, so I take my friend's advice and invite Mark over.

     He walks in with a strange look on his face.

 

     "Hi," he says and keeping it at that. No apologies, no 'how are you's, nothing.

     I sigh. "Sit down, Mark, and let's talk."

     "Sure."

     We sit, and I assume I'm going to have to be the one to get this awkward conversation started. However, he surprises me.

      "I have something I'd like to say first," he says.

      "Okay?"

      "I'm sorry I asked if the baby was mine." He closes his eyes, and I relax and smile. "I'm just... scared."

      "You think I'm not?" I watch him open his eyes.

      "So what are we going to do?"

      "Well, that's what I invited you over here to talk about." This might be easier than I thought.

      He sniffs. "Is that grilled cheese?"

      "Yes, my friend Yui was over, and..." I look at him then smile. "Help yourself."

     He grins, and we move to the table.

     "I like your kitchen better than mine," he states out of the blue. "In fact, with the exception of my balcony, this is the better apartment on this floor. It's so open."

     "You have more square footage," I tell him.

     "Yeah, I guess, but I LIKE this place more. Everything is within reach, and I just don't like a kitchen separated from the living room. I like the idea of a great room better."

      "Are you saying you want to live here?" Did I ask that too quickly?

     He looks surprised I'm surprised I asked. "Well, doesn't it make sense for us to live together? Sorry if I'm jumping the gun, but Alice, we know each other. I don't want you to have to do this alone. You didn't MAKE this baby alone, so you shouldn't have to raise it alone."

     This is entirely unexpected! I just sit here with my mouth open.

      "I can't believe you're shocked!" he says and laughs. "You know, though, it's kinda fun. You're fun to shock." A devilish gleam shoots through his eyes.

     "You're saying you want to co-parent?" This is unreal. Hm. Really. I'd expected to have to ask him to come help me out once in a while.

     "You're saying you don't?" he asks back. His face falls.

 

     "I want to be a part of the child's life. I want to be a part of YOUR life, Alice. I've done some soul-searching, and although it's a little soon and pretty damn fast, I want us to be a... family."

     Whoa. "It's just... unexpected. I thought I was going to have to coerce you into helping me sometimes."

     He shakes his head no. "Cut me a little slack, Alice. When you told me, I was shocked and scared. Pretty much was a total dick."

     "And maybe I overreacted to that. I'm sorry for slapping you."

     He chuckles. "I deserved it." Pause. "So how about it, Alice? Live together? At least for now?"

     "What do you mean 'at least for now'?"

     I get more devilish grin from him. "Now, you can't expect me to reveal ALL my secrets, can you?" He chuckles.

     Damn him for being adorable.

     I shake my head, trying to clear it. Then I decide to clear the table. Washing his dish will give me a moment to consider.

     As I wash the dish, I hear, "Pregnancy becomes you, Alice."

     "Tuh. Right," I reply sarcastically.

     "No, seriously." I hear the chair scoot back on the floor as he gets up, and then I hear it move under the table. I don't hear him as he crosses the floor, so I don't expect it when he turns me around.

 

     I look down.

     "I've missed you, Alice. I want us to be together."

     What do I say? Do I WANT to live with him? What's the best course of action? "Then you move in."

     He lets out a happy sigh, and his fingers that were once on my chin travel down my neck to finally land cupping my breast. "You're definitely the hottest pregnant woman I've ever seen." He takes a deep breath. "I'm in the mood for a shower. Wanna come?" He grins.

     I get his double meaning. "You're insatiable."

     "When it comes to you, yes." And he pulls me into the shower.