“Hi,” I managed, forcing my voice to remain steady. “How are you?”
“Good, dear.” Her eyes warmed. “And you?”
“Just busy with end-of-semester grading.” I forced a polite smile. “I thought a little distraction was in order before my eyes started glowing from staring at my computer screen for too long.”
She nodded knowingly. “Well, I have plenty of gossip to entertain you with. The whole of Langford Tech is buzzing about Sophie Thompson being fired. She was walked out by HR and everything.”
My eyes widened. “Oh?”
“Yes.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “And Margot didn’t show at the charity brunch this week. Margot Prescott never misses a chance to be photographed holding a glass of champagne.” Her eyebrows lifted. “Although I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.”
I nodded. “That certainly sounds out of character for her.”
Gage’s mom gave me a curious little smile. “Has Ethan mentioned if everything is okay with his mother?”
It finally hit me that she didn’t know anything about our separation. Mrs. Langford knew all the gossip, so if she hadn’t heard yet, then Ethan had kept a lid on the whole thing.
I’d assumed everyone was talking about my marriage troubles. Realizing Ethan had protected my privacy meant a lot.
“Things have been so busy,” I murmured non-committedly.
“When your schedule opens up, tell Ethan we’d love to have you both over soon. It’s been too long.”
“Sure,” I replied automatically, my pulse thundering in my ears.
She walked off with a wave, leaving me rooted to the floor.
I pressed a palm against my abdomen again. Ethan had apparently cut ties with Sophie, and something must’ve happened with Margot for her to skip an important social event. It should have eased something inside me, but the uncertainty twisted everything tighter.
Ethan was respecting the distance I’d asked for, but it meant I was completely in the dark about the changes he’d made.
Back in my hotel room an hour later, I opened my phone and scrolled to the last message he had sent me.
Ethan
Take all the time you need. I’ll be here.
I stared at it with my hand resting over my belly until the letters blurred. My thumb hovered over the keyboard, while all the words I’d been swallowing for days burned in my throat.
“I’m pregnant,” I whispered into the empty room.
Saying it aloud changed everything. The truth filled the air around me, sinking into my bones. No matter how overwhelmed or heartbroken I was, avoidance wouldn’t protect me—or this tiny life growing inside me.
I wasn’t sure what the future looked like. I didn’t trust Ethan with my heart anymore. But I deserved support. And he needed to know he was going to be a father.
That didn’t make the next part any easier.
My pulse raced as I looked at the blinking cursor, wishing I were brave enough to call him, but the thought of hearing his voice while my heart was still this raw made my stomach twist.
So I shared the news with him in a text instead.
Me
I’m carrying the baby we tried so hard for, and I had to find out alone in a cheap hotel bathroom because you weren’t there when I needed you most.
My thumb trembled as it hovered over the blue arrow. Hitting send felt like stepping off a cliff. But I did it anyway.
The message whooshed away, and my heart pounded so loudly I could feel it in my fingertips. I sat there, my phone glowing in my hand, knowing nothing between us would ever be the same again. But at least he knew about the baby now. And maybe that was the first step.
