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JALEN SAT ON his couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table and his laptop in his lap. His fingers moved quickly across the keyboard as he Googled yet another question.
How to properly make baby bottle.
He huffed quietly as he clicked on a website that opened what seemed to be the hundredth tab on his laptop.
"Why can't they just drink regular milk?" He mumbled, opening a new tab.
Harlym sat across the living room just watching Jalen, it had been a week since he told her about Breah and this was her first time back in his apartment. They had barely spoken two words to each other, but Jalen was glad that she was at least back in her presence.
"It has too many proteins." Harlym answered, her eyes still trained on him.
Jalen looked over at her, "How can something have too much protein? Isn't protein good?"
She shook her head, "Not fa' newborns. Too much can make them sick."
She was still trying to wrap her mind around Jalen being a dad. The only thing keeping her sane was the fact that Breah was about to give birth meaning she had gotten pregnant before she and Jalen gotten together. It hurt, a lot, but she figured Jalen was just as blindsided as she was. She almost felt more bad for him than herself. That's why she was back sitting in his apartment, watching him stress over baby formula.
"Oh," He mumbled, opening another tab, "So they just live off of formula for. . .how long?"
"Just a couple months," She stood up and walked over to him, sitting down right next to him. "Close all these damn tabs, the computer is strugglin' to breathe."
He looked over all his tabs, "What if I need 'em?"
She reached over and closed the laptop down, "I'll buy you a parenting book."
"Harlym," He looked at her, "I can't do this."
"What? Be a dad?" She pulled the computer from his lap, setting it down on the table.
Jalen shook his head, "Read a parenting book. I haven't read a book since I was in high school."
She mushed his head to the side with a laugh, "You're so unserious."
He laughed but didn't say anything for a few moments, "I missed the baby shower. I feel bad."
"Don't. You don't owe her anything right now." Harlym mumbled, just staring at his side profile. "But you do gotta be a daddy so you need to get it together." She ran a finger over her eyes.
Jalen just watched Harlym, he could tell she was trying her best to hold in any emotions she wanted to let out for the sake of him since was already going through enough. "You a'ight? talk to me."
Harlym shrugged yet again, "Whatchu mean? I'm good." She played with her fingers watching as Jalen turned his head to face her. "What?"
