The Bridge

Chapter 40

Aubrey

My mind was reeling all night at the possibility of Charlie being pregnant with my child that I couldn't sleep. Trying to pin point when this could have happened but I knew it was when she was in Toronto for my birthday. I definitely hit raw a few times and Charlie assured me she was on some shit but I knew better than to go off some shit that was only said with no proof.

I laid in bed and rubbed my hand down my face. Aurelia slept peacefully beside me and a slight smile graced her face. I knew that smile wouldn't last much longer. I knew I had to tell her but I wanted to stay in our happy bubble a little longer, just until I figured out what I was going to do. I needed to speak to Charlie, in person. All I could think about was how I just made things right with Aurelia. Then this shit. If Charlie was really pregnant with my seed then I have to step up and Lia will just have to accept me and my new family. My fear is that she wont. Who wants to be step mother to a kid I had with a side bitch? Even with the most understanding woman that would be a problem.

"Fuck.." I breathed out.

"Baby whats wrong? Why aren't you sleeping, it's late." Lia softly whispered, her eyes still closed.

"Baby we gotta talk..." As much as I didn't want to have this conversation with her, at this moment I figured I should get it over with. There would never be a good time to have it but sooner is always better.

"Right now?", she asked groggily, "baby it's like 3 am."

"Yeah baby right now." I sat up and rested my back against the bed frame.

She slowly did the same while rubbing sleep from her eyes, "is everything okay?"

"No baby...it's not."

She turned her head and stared me down.

"Aubrey...you're scaring me."

I could see her looking at me from the corner of my eye as I stared ahead. I was too afraid of meeting her gaze. I had already disappointed her so many times. This would do us in. There would be no recovering from this.

"Aubrey?" She placed a hand to my forearm and rubbed the length of it while moving closer to me.

"Charlie is pregnant."

Her hand movements ceased.

"What?"

I turned my head and my eyes met hers. The sadness on her face was beginning to take shape. Her lips drooped into a frown, her eyebrows furrowed deeply and tears were starting to pool.

I grabbed my phone and unlocked it, pulling up the messages and handed her the phone. She took the phone from me and read them.

She set my phone in her lap and stared straight ahead.

"Baby?" She was still for so long I was unsure of what to do or say.

"Did she mention being pregnant when you met with her?"

My eyes widened, "when I met with her?"

She turned and look she gave me struck fear within me, "When you met with her at the restaurant? Did she mention being pregnant?

"How did you know about that?"

"Answer the question Aubrey." Her voice was chillingly calm but warmth was no longer present in her tone.

"No."

She shook her head, no longer looking in my direction.

"Baby that meeting was nothing, it wasn't even like that. I just wanted to let her know what it was between me and her especially since we in the same city now."

"She says it yours? The timeline makes sense."

"Yeah...it does." I lowered my head, "I'm scared to ask where this leaves us?"

She continued to stare straight ahead not responding to my question.

I'm praying no answer is better than the one I was anticipating.