One Day [PRN]

Ten

After dinner, my brother Stephen wandered into the den, where he settled onto the couch, half-watching whatever movie was playing on TV. I joined him, sitting down with a tired sigh, grateful for a moment of calm after the storm that had been dinner.

The room was dimly lit, and the low hum of the movie provided a quiet backdrop as we sat there. My brother stretched out, his eyes flicking between the screen and me. It was clear that his mind wasn't on the movie.

"So," he said after a few minutes of silence, his voice casual but probing, "Prince, huh?"

I nodded, not sure how to respond. His tone wasn't judgmental, but I could sense the weight of the question behind his words.

"You really... love him?" he asked, turning his head to look at me more directly now. His expression was a mix of curiosity and concern, like he was trying to understand something that didn't quite fit into his world.

I hesitated before answering. "Yeah, I do," I said softly. "It's complicated, but he's been there for me."

He nodded slowly, taking that in. "Is he... good to you?" There was an edge of protectiveness in his voice now, the older brother instinct kicking in.

"He is," I said firmly, wanting to reassure him. "He didn't have to be, but when I found out I was pregnant, he stayed. He's taken care of me."

Stephen rubbed the back of his neck, processing that. "I guess that's something," he muttered. "But you know how this looks, right? To Dad? To everyone?"

I sighed, leaning back against the cushions. "Yeah, I know. It's just... it wasn't supposed to happen this way."

He was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "And you're sure he's not just... taking advantage of you?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "It's not like that. He even said he was too old for me. But things changed. It's hard to explain."

My brother didn't press further, but I could tell he was still processing it. He let out a deep breath and shifted in his seat, glancing at the TV. "Well, I just want to make sure you're okay, you know? That's all that matters to me."

I gave him a small smile, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "I'm okay," I said, though my voice was tinged with uncertainty. "I think."

We sat in silence for a while after that, the movie playing in the background as we both got lost in our own thoughts.

After a while of just sitting and talking, I felt a familiar craving hit. Being pregnant seemed to bring an endless cycle of hunger, and right now, I wanted something sweet. I glanced over at my brother, who was still half-watching the movie.

"I need a snack," I announced, pushing myself up from the couch. "You coming?"

He raised an eyebrow, a smirk already forming. "Sure, let's see what crazy concoction you're about to make."

We headed into the kitchen, and I immediately went to work, pulling out ingredients with a plan forming in my head. Popcorn, chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers—it was all going to come together. My brother leaned against the counter, watching with amused curiosity as I popped the popcorn in the microwave and started melting the chocolate in a small pot on the stove.

As soon as the popcorn was ready, I poured it into a big bowl but scooped out some into a smaller one, setting it aside for myself. Stephen watched as I then drizzled the melted chocolate over my portion, then popped a few marshmallows in the microwave to soften them. I quickly mixed them into the popcorn, the sticky sweetness pulling everything together. But I wasn't done yet.