Hearing that Matt was willing to take responsibility for the baby growing inside her… Nadine couldn't hold back her tears anymore. She tried to blink them away, but they rolled down her cheeks anyway. Matt caught sight of them, and his face hardened with sadness as he turned his head away.
"I'm tired, Nadine. I just… I need to rest," he muttered.
She knew that was his polite way of asking her to leave.
And maybe it was for the best.
***
The memory still stung. Every time she thought about that night, her chest ached. So after her check-up was done, she floored it out of the hospital parking lot.
As usual, she turned on her favorite radio station. A caller was on the line, asking the DJ to play a specific song. And apparently, it was The Storm's newest single.
Nadine tilted her head slightly, half amused, half curious. She hadn't realized how popular The Storm's latest track had become. This wasn't the first time she'd heard it on the radio, also thanks to listener requests. But even so, she'd never cared enough to look up who the band's vocalist was.
His voice sounded vaguely familiar, sure, but come on. She had more important things to do than go internet-stalking a lead singer just because his voice gave her déjà vu.
Still, when the soft acoustic intro of "Missing You" filled her car, her head started nodding along to the rhythm before she even realized it.
Seeing you made me feel something new
A spark I never thought I'd feel
You brought colors into my life
Your presence painted my world real
I try to open my eyes
Hoping you'll be beside me
But all I see is emptiness
Where are you, my muse, my maybe?
I'm missing you
Missing you like crazy
Missing you with everything in me
I'm always missing you
Smiling as I think of you
Of how we met, how we began
That one moment stitched our fates
Where are you now? I need to see you again
I'm missing you
Missing you like crazy
Missing you with everything in me
Nadine had to admit, it was a solid song. As a listener, she felt something hearing the way the vocalist poured emotion into every line. The melody? Beautiful. The lyrics? Surprisingly deep. And for someone as picky as her when it came to music, she could say this one was pretty damn good.
She liked that it was acoustic too. Full confession: acoustic music was kinda her jam.
And yet, somewhere between the final chorus and the silence that followed, tears started sliding down her cheeks again. Hormones? Maybe. Pregnancy did have a way of turning your emotions into a soap opera.
Even though she still had no clue who the father of her baby was, she didn't feel broken about raising the child alone. Honestly, she wasn't even sure if trying to find that man was worth it. Who's to say he'd want the baby anyway?
So yeah. Maybe it was better if he didn't show up again.
She didn't want to tell him. She didn't need him. He was a stranger, after all.
A stranger she barely knew.
A man whose morals, history, and even name, she had no clue about.
When she finally got home, her whole body felt heavy and sore. Her feet were swollen from all the walking. Dr. Lauren had warned her about this. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, milk, juice, anything healthy.
Thinking of that, Nadine dragged herself toward the kitchen. She opened the cabinet where she usually kept her prenatal milk… only to find it empty. Awesome.
Sighing, she opened her sleek silver fridge, grabbed a nearly-empty bottle of orange juice, and poured the rest into a glass. Down it went.
"Was it good, baby?" she asked, rubbing her belly gently.
Yeah, she talked to her baby. A lot. Google said it was good for development and bonding, and hey, she liked it. It made her feel less alone.
As if responding to her, the baby moved.
Her hand stilled.
Thump.
Another tiny flutter rippled through her belly.
"Was that a yes? Aw, you're such a clever little bean," she whispered with a soft smile.
Thump.
The baby kicked again, and Nadine beamed, cupping her bump with both hands.
"You stay healthy in there, okay? Mommy can't wait to meet you."
***
Fresh out of the shower, Nadine felt like a whole new human. Pregnancy had turned her into a bottomless pit, she no longer ate just three times a day. Oh no. Six, sometimes seven meals were her new normal. According to Dr. Lauren, it was perfectly reasonable. Hormones, cravings, and, you know, growing a whole human inside her kind of justified the midnight snack runs.
To make sure her pregnancy stayed on track and the baby came out healthy, Nadine paid serious attention to what she ate and drank. And today, her fridge was screaming "empty." So, off to the supermarket she went.
Wearing a thin white T-shirt layered with a gray hoodie and black joggers, Nadine hopped into her car and drove to the nearest store. Finding her usual pregnancy staples was a breeze—oatmeal, cereal, juice, fruit, milk. All the good stuff her doctor practically drilled into her head.
"Pretty sure that's everything," she muttered, eyeing her haul in the cart.
On her way to checkout, a wild craving hit. Ice cream. Yep, she needed it. No negotiation.
Spinning on her heel, she marched toward the freezer section and grabbed three tubs, vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. Might as well be prepared for mood swings. She also snagged a couple yogurts while she was at it, just because they looked good. Classic pregnant impulse buy.
What started as a modest grocery trip had morphed into a full-blown feast. But hey, baby needed fuel.
After paying, Nadine stepped out of the store with an unbothered grin on her face, shopping bags swinging from both hands. One of the plastic bags in her right hand was getting annoyingly heavy, so she started shifting it over to her left to balance the load.
And that's when it happened.
Thud.
"Sorry," she said automatically, glancing up.
A guy stood there, wearing dark sunglasses and a cap pulled low over his face.
Mysterious much?
"You?" the guy blurted out, pointing at her like she'd just walked out of his dream.
Nadine blinked. Okay… weird. Judging from his reaction, he clearly knew her. But she had absolutely no idea who the hell he was.
"Uh… sorry. Do I know you?" she asked, trying to place him.
"Where have you been?" he shot back, like she'd ghosted him after a five-year relationship.
Excuse me?
"…What?"
His gaze suddenly dropped to her stomach.
"You're pregnant?"
She nodded slowly, narrowing her eyes.
"You're pregnant?" he repeated, louder this time.
"Yes. What, is that a problem?"
"You're seriously pregnant?" he asked again, like her baby bump might be a hologram.
And that's when she lost it.
"No, I'm just walking around with a giant pillow under my shirt for fun," she snapped, rolling her eyes and brushing past him.
But she didn't make it far.
The guy reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Let go of me," she barked. "Let. Me. Go. Or I swear I'll scream."
Instant panic hit. Her heart raced.
Was he a kidnapper? A psycho? A stalker?
Just as she was about to fight back, the guy let go, only to remove his sunglasses and his cap.
And Nadine froze.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Right in front of her… was the last person she ever wanted to see.
The guy who got her pregnant.
The stranger from that night.
The man she never planned to meet again.
Sh*t just got real.
***