Where Stars Align

Chapter Twenty

Central Park should feel like an escape, but instead, it's just a place to walk in circles. The sounds of people chatting, kids running, and dogs barking blur together, like background noise in a life I barely recognize. I watch them—people with plans, people who know where they're going—and I wonder if I'll ever feel that grounded again. 

I stop by a bench, but I can't sit. My legs won't let me rest. My feet kick at the leaves—reds and oranges scattering in front of me—and it feels like some kind of release, like the only thing I can control is where those leaves land. The rest of my life? A mess. I left three messages on Richard's phone last night, but he hasn't called back. I don't blame him. What would I even say to him if he did? After what I've done he deserves more than an apology.

But now I have to figure out what happens next. I didn't burn everything down just to go back to Richard, to pretend none of this ever happened. No. This was about more than that. I need to speak to Ben, figure out where we go from here. Does he want to go anywhere with me? That's the question hanging in the air, and it's the only thing I can think about. Maybe I'll finish this book and get a small apartment somewhere—something quiet, just for me. But will Ben want to join me in that life? Could he? Should I even ask him?

A million thoughts are crashing into each other in my head, and I know I can't untangle them on my own. I need to talk to Ben. He's supposed to meet me here, but he's late. I check my phone, and there's no message. He's never late.

And then the doubts start creeping in. What will he say? Will he change his mind? Yesterday, he was so quiet, like something was different, like he realized maybe we pushed this thing too far. Maybe now that the dust has settled, he's having second thoughts.

I glance around the park, scanning for him, but there's no sign. Just me and the leaves.

My phone buzzes again in my hand, and I glance down, expecting to see Ben's name. Finally.

I answer quickly, hoping his voice will calm the chaos swirling in my head. "Hey—"

"Emma." It's not Ben. It's Lisa.

My stomach drops, the world tilting slightly as her voice cuts through my anticipation. "I'm not calling to hear you say anything," she continues, her tone as sharp as a slap. "I don't want to waste my time on you."

I freeze, my throat tight. "Lisa, I—"

"Save it," she snaps. "I just want you to know that you didn't just ruin three lives. Ben and I are expecting a child."

The words knock the breath out of me. Thank god for the bench next to me. My mind goes blank, then replays her sentence over and over. Pregnant? Ben told me they weren't even trying. But now, everything clicks. His quiet mood, the distance. It wasn't just nerves—it was this.

Lisa's voice stays cold, unrelenting. "You were just a mistake, Emma. Something Ben needed to revisit to understand what he doesn't want. He wants to settle down, not play these stupid games. We've been trying for months, and now, I won't let you ruin this for us."

Her words sting in ways I can't even process. I feel like I'm shrinking, like I'm fading into the background, smaller than the chestnuts at my feet. Before I can respond—before I can even breathe—Lisa hangs up.

I stare at the phone, my mind spinning, my body numb. Ben and Lisa. Expecting a baby.

Suddenly, I hear Ben's voice in the distance. "Emma!" I look up, and there he is, running toward me with a pizza box, smiling like nothing's wrong. "I'm so sorry! I left my phone at home, and I didn't realize until halfway through picking this up. I figured you must be..."