Tainted Desires | 18+

48 - Baby Fever

Mirabelle Morrison

It's been hours since I got back from work. Hours since Terrence and I had sex again because I still had an attitude that was yet to be removed. His words. The aftermath of our sex left me in a daze, the scent of him clinging to me. Despite my state, I felt a lethargic reluctance to leave the bed and shower.

Stacey had come over to hang out, but from the tone I had picked up when she called, her voice hinted at something deeper than a casual hangout. Whatever was troubling her, I decided to give her space and wait for her to open up when she was ready.

"I miss Emily so much," Stacey whined as she rolled onto her back on my bed.

"Me too," I fell back onto the bed. "We had such a blast when she was here."

"Her energy is just the best," she replied, a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

I nodded, staring at the ceiling. I missed Emily so much, and it wasn't helping that she was still pissed at me because of the issue with Terrence. I had told her that we'd made up, and instead of lashing out like I'd expected her to, she just went silent.

Snapping me out of my thoughts, I felt her hand slip into mine. "I'm pregnant," she whispered, but her words rang clearly in my ears.

Surprised, I turned to look at her, my eyes widening, and I sat up, turning to face her. "Wait. You're pregnant?"

She nodded, her expression a mix of excitement and uncertainty. "Yeah, I just found out."

Concern washed over me as I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Landon... have you talked to him about it?"

She sighed, a hint of worry creasing her forehead. "I haven't yet. It's not that I haven't had the chance, I just couldn't."

"What do you mean you couldn't?" I frowned as she moved to sit down cross-legged.

She looked down at her hands, her voice tinged with a hint of vulnerability. "I've been scared, you know? Scared of his reaction, scared of what it might mean for our relationship. Then, all of a sudden, he said he wanted to talk about settling down."

My stomach churned as I remembered the conversation Terrence and I had with Landon days ago.

She continued, "I was happy, really happy that he was possibly thinking in the same direction as me. I'm such a mess." She chuckled dryly.

"Stacey-"

She looked up at me with a faint smile, I could tell from her face that the conversation did not go the way we all expected. "He doesn't want to settle down just yet," she bit her lip to stop it from quivering.

My heart sank as I saw the disappointment and sadness in her eyes. I scooted closer to her on the bed as i tightened my hold on her hand. "I'm so sorry, Stacey."

She nodded, a tear escaping from her eye. "I thought we were on the same page, that we were finally ready to take that step together. But he wants more time to pursue his career."

I sighed, feeling a mix of empathy and frustration for her.

"I mean, I understand that his career is peaking and all, but we've been together for years now. I also have a career I'm pursuing, but that isn't stopping me from thinking about settling down." She took a deep breath. "And his excuse was that he's just twenty-eight."

I listened attentively, feeling the weight of her disappointment and frustration. I squeezed her hand gently, offering her support.

Stacey nodded to herself, wiping away her tears. "I've always envisioned building a future together, and I thought we were on the same page. But age shouldn't be the sole determining factor in settling down. It's about being ready and committed to each other."