“The baby… it’s not mine?”
I jolt my head back and gasp. “Is that what you think?”
“That’s why you broke up with me because you’re having someone else’sbaby, right?”
I’m not sure whether to be horrified or relieved. “Nate, I’ve only been with you. And for a long time before you, I was with no one. I only want to be withyou.”
I feel tears forming, but blink them away. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I found out for sure the day of the re-filming, andthen freaked out when you acted jealous. I thought if you got so worked up over that, I'd tell you about the baby and you’d completely lose it. I was also concerned about how you would react to me filming those sorts of scenes from then on. The way you reacted, I just didn’t want to put you through that pain every time I was doing a love scene. It’s not fair on you.”
He opens his mouth to speak, but I stop him, my voice trembling as I push forward.
“I also didn’t want you to give up your life for the baby and me. I didn’t want you to stop painting, to put your music on hold, to trade in your freedom for something you never signed up for. So I did what I thought was best… I walked away before you everhadto make that choice.”
I swallow hard, my chest tightening. “I became my mother. I bailed when it got too hard, and it was theworstdecision of my life.” My eyes burn as I force myself to keep going. “But at the same time, it’s made me realize something. Iloveyou, Nate… so much it physically hurts,” I exhale, shaking my head at the impossible truth.
“We’re having a baby, and I let the age gap, the differences between us, convince me that this could never work. That you deserved more time to be young, to live the life you were supposed to. But the truth is… Ineedyou. Not just for the baby, but forme.” I look at him, my voice barely above a whisper. “If you’ll still have me. Please, take me back. I’ve been so fucking stupid.”
He sits there just staring at me.
I’m not sure if he’s actually heard anything I’ve said or if he’s completely zoned out.
“Nate?”
He puts his finger up as if to halt me, then stands and walks over to me. Nate looks down at my stomach and places his handon my belly, tenderly caressing. “The dizziness, fainting, puking on tour?”
“Morning sickness,” I clarify.
He nods and exhales. “We’d been careful?”
“Not the very first time,” I remind him.
He stifles a laugh and nods.
I was pretty shocked when my scans revealed our first time together was more than likely our conception date too.
“You love me?” he asks.
Smiling, bringing my hand up to caress his face, I nod. “So very much.”
His body visibly relaxes. “I love you, too, baby, and I wish you’d told me about this sooner. I could’ve been here for you… attended your appointments. I want to be there for everything, Ria. Everything.”
I nod and smile. “Alex said you’d say that.”
“She’s a smart girl.”
“She is. I should probably tell you I had Hyperemesis Gravidarum in the first trimester.”
He furrows his brows, pulling me to him, and flares his nostrils. “That sounds serious. Are you both okay?” he asks, running his hands up and down my arms.
“I’m fine…now.”
He looks me up and down. “Ria, you’ve lost weight. You have a bump, but your arms and face are much thinner. Baby, what was wrong?”
I wrap my arms around his neck and look into his eyes. “It’s okay, it was really severe morning sickness. The doctors have it under control now, though my pregnancyisconsidered high risk because of my age, so I’m being monitored closely by my doctor. I honestly didn’t even know if I could even get pregnant.”
His face falls. “Ria, why didn’t you call me? You know I would’ve been there for you, helping you however I could.”
Half-smiling, I thread my fingers through his hair. “I know that now, and I’m sorry I didn’t come to my senses sooner. I stupidly shut you out.”
