SHAPES UNSPOKEN

-25-

HAPPY READING 🥰

Annabelle Innis

I finally pull away from Sean and step into my family’s house, closing the door softly behind me so it doesn’t creak. The quiet inside feels heavy after the warmth of his arms and the sound of his laughter only moments ago.

On the porch, I carefully place the keys back inside the small tin bird feeder hanging near the door. Mom always says the house key should stay there in case one of us comes home late. I’ve done it a hundred times before, but tonight my hands tremble slightly.

Maybe it’s exhaustion.

Maybe it’s the secret growing quietly inside me.

My mother always says never to wake her unless it’s an emergency, so I tiptoe through the hallway, my bare feet silent against the cool wooden floor. The house smells faintly of cinnamon and furniture polish, the same comforting scent from my childhood.

Everything here feels frozen in time.

I climb the stairs slowly, careful to avoid the third step that creaks, and reach my bedroom door. When I push it open, the familiar sight greets me exactly as I leave it.

My favourite boy band poster still hangs on the wall, slightly crooked. Beside it, the smiling face of Denzel Washington from my old movie poster watches over the room like some silent guardian. My single bed sits neatly made in the corner beside the lone window, the curtains fluttering gently from the night breeze.

Mom must have prepared the room before I arrived.

The bedspread looks freshly washed, and the faint scent of lavender floats through the air.

I close the door behind me and lean against it for a moment, letting out a long breath.

Tonight feels unreal.

Sean’s touch still lingers on my skin. The warmth of his kiss still burns on my lips.

I move quietly across the room, changing out of my clothes and slipping into bed wearing only my bra and underwear. The sheets feel soft and warm, and the lavender smell wraps around me like a hug.

At the head of the bed sits Mr. Ale-berry, my old childhood teddy bear.

I pull him close without thinking.

Some habits never leave you.

I press my face into the worn fur, smiling faintly at the comfort of it.

Then my hand drifts slowly down to my stomach.

I rub the small, barely noticeable curve of my lower belly.

A tiny stiffness rests there.

So small no one would notice.

But I know.

Our baby.

The thought sends a rush of emotions through me so quickly it makes my chest tighten.

Fear.

Joy.

Confusion.

Love.

It terrifies me to tell Sean.

Not because I think he’ll run away. No… Sean isn’t that kind of man. I know he would step up. I’ve seen how he loves Steph. He’s already such a devoted father.

But that’s exactly what scares me.

I don’t want him to feel obligated.

I don’t want him to feel trapped.