me & tomfoolery

Contained pt. 4 | Mikal Bridges Short Story

2 Months Later....

"Baby, you okay? You been in there a minute."

Florence sat on the side of the tub looking down at the clear blue pregnancy test.

Pregnant.

She shouldn't be surprised or even upset but it was hard not to be when she spent 80% of the time stressed or sick. The other 20% was her living in a fantasy world. For the last two months, her and Mikal had been shaking up since the world was on complete lockdown.

He couldn't play ball, she couldn't perform and they barely left the house to go to the market. It was them and Sonny all day long.

The quarantine started and within the week, more people were sick and less people were outside. National Guard standing post on every major corner, check points at those major places and even pop up urgent care centers to make up for the lack of space in hospitals. Thousands were dead, hundreds were sick and they were still trying to find a cause, a cure and some hope.

Flo went to her apartment twice for her clothes and medicine. All other items were still there, collecting dust. She didn't have to worry about rent because the government was now covering that. Her biggest woe was trying to balance not being able to do her art and remaining healthy. Now she had to tell her 'boyfriend' who she was still learning as a person, that they were expecting a kid.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'll be right out." She placed the test in an empty travel pouch, placing it under the sink before washing her hands. When she exited the bathroom Mikal had already turned the corner with the blanket over his head.

He's such a brat.

The moment she sat on the couch, he placed his whole body on her. "You sure you okay?"

"I'm fine. You okay? Why is this blanket on your head?"

Mikal was feeling a little under the weather. He didn't think it was that sickness but he was tired. If it was anything like that, he would have to stay away from her. They both knew it and hates that idea.

"I'm cold." She wrapped her arms around him so he could feel comfort. Soon they would be on zoom with their friends playing games and drinking. Something they did once a week. Some days they would have watch parties just to feel like they were close to each other.

When they revealed that they decided to quarantine together, the only people taken back were their families. They were practically strangers when this began and now they were locked in with one another.

"You're a cheater!" Jana yelled as Cam won yet again.

"I can't cheat and you next to me!" The younger couple were funny to watch. They weren't quarantining together but spent a lot of time between each other's places to get a sense of something new.

"How's the kids?" Jana asked finally setting into her couch.

"They're as good as they can be." Callie sighed, "But, they're learning, they're learning with us."

"Let's hop in 2k!" Cam's suggestion was taken right away, as the guys began moving to their respective locations to turn on the game and their headsets.

The ladies merged into their bedrooms away from the guys for a girl talk.

"So what's really going on?"

"Cam is annoying the fuck out of me. He's too happy and a little too impractical."

"Seth is doing his absolute best and I'm the one thats losing it."

"I'm pregnant and I think Mikal's sick."

Callie and Jana continued to rant until Jana stopped, "I'm sorry, you're what?"