The Ex-Husband of Alice Langley

33

PARIS SWIFT-KELCE
The two of us are tangled in the warm embrace of the bedsheets, the room filled with the soft glow of early morning light. Stripped of clothing, the intimacy between us feels electric, yet comfortable. Lauren, her hair tousled and cheeks flushed, reaches for the Polaroid camera resting beside her on the bed. She snaps a quick selfie, her lips pressing against my cheek while I smile with my eyes closed, completely at peace.

When the photo finishes printing, I grab it and instinctively start to shake it. "Hey, don't shake it! You'll distort the photo!" Lauren exclaims, laughing as she snatches it back from my hand.

I give her a confused look. "Wait, what? What's the whole 'shake it like a Polaroid picture' thing then?"

She rolls her eyes playfully. "Lies! So many lies!" she declares dramatically before collapsing back onto the pillows with a giggle, her laughter filling the space between us.

I smile, leaning over to peer at the slowly developing image in her hand. "So what are we supposed to do, just wait?"

She grins up at me, her eyes shining. "Yeah, we wait. Patience, Paris."

I flop back onto the bed beside her with a groan. "I'm not good at waiting."

"You waited long enough for me," she teases, nudging me with her elbow.

I glance over at her, feeling a warmth settle in my chest. "Yeah... I guess I did."

Lauren lies next to me, her head resting on her hand as she traces absent circles on my arm, her face glowing with that familiar, soft smile. "So, what do you want to do for our two-month anniversary?" she asks, her voice casual but curious, like she's been waiting for this conversation.

I take a deep breath, glancing at her before looking around the small studio apartment that's become more of a home than I expected in the last few weeks. "Honestly, I've been thinking... maybe it's time you meet my parent," I say, my words hanging in the air for a second, heavier than I intended.

Lauren's eyes light up immediately, her smile widening into something almost giddy. "Really? You mean it? I would love that!" she beams, barely able to contain her excitement.

I can't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. "I should pay them a visit anyway," I add, running a hand through my hair. "I've basically been living here for the last three weeks."

"At this point, you might as well move in," Lauren teases, nudging me lightly with her shoulder.

I raise an eyebrow, chuckling. "Yeah, right. Leave the seven-bedroom, multimillion-dollar Tribeca loft for a studio? Totally." My voice drips with sarcasm, but I can't stop the smile tugging at my lips.

Lauren laughs, shaking her head. "Fair," she says with a playful grin. She settles back against the pillows, her fingers brushing against mine for a moment.

Just then, I feel it—soft, rhythmic taps, like tiny flutters against the top of my bump. My hand flies to the spot, pressing lightly as I feel the unmistakable sensation again, this time a bit stronger. My heart skips a beat.

"Wait..." I murmur, my eyes widening in astonishment. "I think I can feel the baby. Like, actually feel it."

Lauren's face lights up with excitement, her gaze darting from my face to my belly. "No way! Can I feel it too?" she asks, her voice hushed but full of eagerness as she shifts closer to me, already reaching out.

Without saying a word, I grab her hand and guide it to the spot, pressing her palm gently against my skin. For a moment, there's nothing, and I start to think maybe it was just a fluke, but then—there it is again. A soft but distinct kick.