Gardening & Gender Mishaps

20: Smaller than life

"Polly?" I look into the living room, seeing her sitting on the couch, crying.

"Oh, B...Basil." She sniffs, rubbing her eyes.

I haven't talked to Polly much in these last few days, ever since we found out about the pregnancy. She's basically been avoiding me after she stormed out of my room that day.

"Are you okay? Why are you crying...?" I sit down next to her, cradling my legs to my chest.

"... is it really true?" Polly mumbles.

"Yes."

"..."

"Is something wrong?" I've been so worried for her since the outburst she had. Why was she acting this way? Especially towards me? Of all people, I expected her to be the most supportive.

"..." She looks at my stomach, "Does it feel okay?"

"I thought this was about you." I snark, elbowing her.

"Yeah, yeah." She shoos me off, and I wrap my hands around my knees. She lets out a huge sigh.

"Fine. I'll spill. It's the least I can do."

I smile, glad that she's not keeping things from me.

"I used to have a boyfriend, which turned into my fiancé."

"Yeah?"

"And.. we wanted desperately to have children. Especially my fiancé. We made plans for it, got ready, and..."

   She stares at her feet.

   "It came out negative. Again, and again, and again. Finally... we went to a gynecologist...."

   "They told me I was infertile." She looks up at me, staring intently into my eyes, "they told me it was impossible for me to have kids."

   "..." I can't believe it. Why did she never tell me this before?

   "Then, hearing that, my fiancé signed off the marriage."

   I hold back a gasp.

   "He broke up with me, leaving me with a single note that said... "you're a monster""

   "Polly..."

   "Sure, my periods were always different from other women. But I thought... I just wanted..." she covers her face with her hands, starting to sob again.

   I rest a hand on her shoulder.

   "He... he was the love of my life. And he left... because of me...." She chokes out words between cries.

   "No. He didn't leave because of you. He left because he was an asshole."

   "H-Huh...?" She lifts her fingers away from her eyes.

   "If he truly loved you, he would've stayed, no matter if you could have children or not. Because you love your partner unconditionally, even when things don't go your way." Fuck, I feel like I need to keep some of this advice for myself.

She sniffs, lifting her head slightly, "I... I guess..."

"That was a dick move. You didn't wanna be infertile, it just happened. So he should have never blamed it on you. I'm sorry."

Jeez, where did I get this type a sympathy from??

"T.. Thanks, Basil. I know it's not your responsibility, but thank you for cheering me up." She flashes a weak smile.

"That's the Polly I know..." I pat her back, leaning down on the couch, holding the bump.

"You wanna head to bed?"

"..."

"...?" Polly looks at me, who is fast asleep, eyes closed and everything.

"Heh... pregnancy will really knock you out, I suppose..." she whispers while giggling, a small hit of sadness still lingering in her tone.

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A/n: this chapter broke me help 😭