Unprofessional (Under editing)

Chapter 26: An abortion?!

The rhythmic clinking of weights filled the air as I worked through my reps in my at-home gym, my body moving on autopilot while my mind replayed last night over and over. Rowan had shown up at my door. Her face streaked with tears, Lovey clutched so tightly to her chest I could see the faint imprint of her fingers on the little girl's delicate skin. She hadn't said much, just cried herself to sleep with Lovey clutched to her chest like a lifeline.

And me? I felt helpless. No explanation, no details, just a heavy weight hanging between us. Whatever happened had shaken Rowan to her core, and I didn't know how to fix it.

A faint sound of shuffling pulled me from my thoughts. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a small head peeking through the slightly ajar gym door. I set the bar down and leaned forward to get a better look.

"Hey, Lovebug," I called out with a grin.

"Hi, Iyic," she chirped, the mispronunciation of my name tugging an even bigger smile out of me. She wandered in, her big brown eyes scanning the equipment like it was a treasure trove.

Lovey wandered into the gym, her eyes wide as she took in all the equipment. She was wearing one of my oversized white T-shirts; the sleeves rolled up so they wouldn't drag. Looking more like a dress on her than a shirt, but she didn't seem to mind.

"Love, is your mom awake?" I asked gently.

"She was up for a little, then she told me to come downstairs and find you!" she exclaimed, her excitement infectious.

I chuckled. "Okay."

"Iyic?"

"Yeah?"

"What's that?" she asked, pointing at the treadmill with a curious tilt of her head.

"You wanna try?" Her eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically.

______

Ten Minutes Later...

Lovey was sitting on the treadmill's conveyor belt, her tiny legs swinging as she looked up at me, waiting for instructions. I leaned against the machine, smiling down at her.

"Okay, so this is a treadmill," I explained.

"A treadoatmeal?" she repeated, her brows scrunching.

I laughed. "No, a treadmill. It's for running indoors."

"Why would someone make a machine for that when you can just go outside?" she asked, tilting her head.

"You know what? That's a great question," I admitted. "And I don't have the answer. Okay, stand up."

"K!" she chirped, hopping to her feet. I adjusted the speed to the lowest setting so she wouldn't fly off.

"Get ready. Three... two... one." Lovey bent her knees like she was preparing for a race.

"Go!" I pressed the start button, and the treadmill hummed to life. Lovey started to run, her little legs moving quickly. I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face.

______

Four Minutes Later...

It didn't take long before her energy gave out. She hopped off the treadmill, took one wobbly step, and let out a dramatic groan before collapsing.

I caught her mid-fall, scooping her up before she hit the padded mat. She flopped into my arms, her small frame going completely limp.

"You do that every day?" she asked breathlessly, looking up at me with wide eyes.