How could we?

Chapter 72

Fatima POV:

As the meeting wraps up and everyone begins to mingle, Andi and I stay behind, sampling the finger foods and chatting with a few team members. We decide to make the most of our day by settling into our new office space at Taylor Real Estates, getting familiar with the environment. Soon enough, I notice Danni and her team starting to clean up the boardroom, and I catch sight of her again, her face carrying a subtle weight. I seize the moment to check in on her. 

Fatima: Danni, hey, got a minute?

I call out, moving closer to her. She pauses, giving me a small, weary smile. 

Danni: Not here, please, Fatima.

I nod, understanding that she's not ready to talk in the middle of the boardroom. 

Fatima: Alright, I just wanted to make sure you're okay. We've got a little office here now, so come by whenever you're ready.

But she doesn't move, and I see her eyes starting to glisten. She's on the verge of tears, and I instinctively take her hand, guiding her to our office. By the time we get inside, she's already full-on crying, and I just pull her into a hug, holding her as she lets it all out. Once she begins to calm down, I hand her a tissue, and she takes a deep breath, wiping her eyes. 

Danni: I don't know why I'm being so emotional over this. It's all just... I don't know.

I sit beside her, nodding softly. 

Fatima: It's okay, Danni. Just take your time.

Danni: (taking a deep breath) So, I missed my period and thought maybe... I might be pregnant. I took a home test, and it came out positive. (sniffs) When I told Preston, he said we should wait until he was in town to go to the doctor, just to be sure. We planned to go tomorrow, but this morning... I got my period.

Fatima: Oh, Danni...

I whisper, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

Fatima: I'm so sorry. I know that must've been a lot to take in.

She nods, sniffling. 

Danni: It was. But honestly, that's not even the part that hurts the most. When I told him today that I wasn't pregnant, he seemed relieved. He told me it's better this way, that this isn't the right time or situation to bring a child into the world, especially since we're not... together.

Her voice breaks, and she dabs at her eyes. 

Danni: I know he's right. I mean, we're not even a couple. But hearing it, actually hearing him say it, made me feel so... rejected. Like he was just glad it wasn't happening.

I feel a pang in my chest for her. 

Fatima: Danni, that's so hard. It's one thing to logically understand, but hearing someone you care about say it that way... it hurts.

She looks at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and vulnerability. 

Danni: It's just... I guess I never realized how much I wanted a baby until I thought I was having it. I imagined this whole future in a matter of seconds, you know? And then, it's like it got taken away just as quickly.

I take her hand, squeezing it gently. 

Fatima: That's perfectly normal. Sometimes, things we don't plan or expect come up and suddenly make us realize what we actually want. It doesn't mean you're silly or wrong for feeling this way. You had a glimpse of something, and it mattered to you. That's real.

She nods, her shoulders relaxing a little as she leans into me. 

Danni: Thank you, Fatima. I think I just needed someone to understand... and not make me feel ridiculous for feeling this way.