Her Dad's Best Friend

Secrets Unraveling

The days passed in a blur, but I couldn't ignore the changes happening in my body. The nausea was unpredictable, coming in waves that left me shaky and breathless. And the secret I was carrying—that I might be pregnant—was growing heavier with every passing day.

I hadn't worked up the courage to take a test yet. Something about seeing it in black and white made it too real, and I wasn't ready to face the truth. But even without the test, I knew. Deep down, I felt it.

Jordan, for his part, hadn't noticed anything—at least, not yet. We still spent our nights together, tangled up in each other like nothing had changed. But I had.

I started wearing clothes to bed. At first, it was just a flimsy excuse. "I'm cold," I'd say, pulling on a tank top or one of his T-shirts. "The air conditioning's too high." He'd give me a look, like he didn't quite believe me, but he never pushed it. I figured I could get away with it for a little while longer—until I figured out what the hell I was going to do.

But tonight, I could feel his eyes on me as I slipped under the covers, wearing one of his oversized shirts and a pair of shorts. He was sitting up in bed, watching me with that curious expression, the one that told me he was putting the pieces together.

"You've been wearing clothes to bed a lot lately," he said, his voice careful but probing.

I pulled the covers up to my chest, avoiding his gaze as I shrugged. "Yeah, like I said, it's cold in here."

He didn't respond right away, and when I glanced at him, I could see that familiar furrow in his brow, the one that always appeared when something didn't add up. He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from my face. "You never used to mind the cold."

I forced a smile, hoping it would be enough to deflect his suspicion. "I guess I'm just weird like that."

But he wasn't buying it. His hand lingered on my cheek, his thumb brushing over my skin in a way that sent a shiver down my spine. "Is something going on, Hailey?" His voice was soft, but there was an undercurrent of concern. "You've been acting... different."

I opened my mouth to deny it, to brush him off like I had been for the past couple of weeks, but the words stuck in my throat. I could feel the pressure building, the weight of the secret I'd been carrying threatening to burst out. I couldn't keep this from him forever.

But I wasn't ready. Not yet.

"Everything's fine," I lied, shifting under the covers, trying to put some distance between us. "I'm just tired, that's all."

Jordan studied me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine like he was trying to see through the walls I was putting up. But eventually, he let out a quiet sigh and leaned back against the pillows, pulling me into his arms.

"Okay," he said, though I could hear the doubt in his voice. "If you say so."

I nestled against his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing. I wanted to believe that everything could stay like this, that I could keep this secret just a little longer. But I knew it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down.

***

A few days later, the tension between us had only grown. Jordan wasn't the type to pry, but he wasn't stupid either. He could sense something was off, and I knew he wasn't going to let it go much longer.

We were at his place again, and this time, the atmosphere was different. Heavy. I could feel it hanging between us as we sat on the couch, watching some mindless TV show that neither of us was paying attention to. I kept sneaking glances at him, wondering if tonight would be the night he finally called me out on the changes.

The nausea hit me again, sharper this time, and I pressed a hand to my stomach, trying to will it away. I hadn't been able to eat much all day, and now it felt like my body was rebelling against me.

I stood up abruptly, heading for the bathroom. "I'll be right back," I muttered, hoping he wouldn't notice the panic in my voice.

But of course, he did.

"Hailey?" Jordan's voice followed me as I hurried down the hallway. I could hear him getting up from the couch, his footsteps not far behind. "What's going on?"

I made it to the bathroom just in time, slamming the door behind me as I knelt in front of the toilet, the nausea overwhelming me. My body shook as I emptied what little was in my stomach, my hands gripping the edge of the sink for support.

Jordan knocked on the door, his voice laced with concern. "Hailey, let me in."

I wiped my mouth, my heart racing as I sat back on my heels. I couldn't avoid it anymore. The truth was right there, staring me in the face, and I couldn't hide it from him any longer.

"Hailey." His voice was firmer now, the door handle jiggling as he tried to open it. "What's going on?"

With a shaky breath, I stood up and unlocked the door, letting it swing open. Jordan stood there, his eyes wide with worry as he took in the sight of me—pale, trembling, my hair a mess. I could see the realization dawning in his expression, the pieces clicking into place.

"Are you sick?" he asked, stepping closer, his hands reaching out to steady me. "You've been... off for weeks now."

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. I couldn't keep lying. Not to him.

"I think I'm pregnant," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

His reaction was instant. His face went blank, his eyes searching mine for some sign that I was joking or that he had misheard me. "What did you just say?"

"I..." My voice faltered, and I looked down, unable to meet his gaze. "I missed my period. And I've been feeling sick... nauseous."

For a moment, there was silence. The kind of silence that stretches on and feels like it might last forever. Jordan just stood there, his hands slowly dropping to his sides, his eyes locked on me but unreadable. I couldn't tell if he was angry, shocked, or something else entirely.

"When did this happen?" he asked finally, his voice tight.

"I'm not sure," I admitted, my heart pounding in my chest. "A few weeks ago, I guess."

His hands raked through his hair, his expression a mixture of confusion and frustration. "A few weeks ago? And you didn't tell me?"

"I wasn't sure!" I blurted out, tears stinging my eyes as the weight of it all came crashing down. "I didn't want to believe it. I thought... I thought maybe I was just stressed. But then it didn't go away, and I didn't know how to tell you."

Jordan let out a harsh breath, his jaw clenched as he paced back and forth, clearly trying to process everything. "This is... this is a lot, Hailey. A baby? Do you even realize what that means?"

I nodded, tears slipping down my cheeks. "I know. I didn't mean for this to happen, Jordan. I didn't want this."

He stopped pacing and turned to face me, his expression softening as he took a step closer. "Hey, hey... I'm not mad. I'm just... shocked. I wish you'd told me sooner."

"I was scared," I whispered, my voice breaking.

Jordan pulled me into his arms, holding me tight as I buried my face in his chest, the tears finally spilling over. "It's okay," he murmured, his hand stroking my hair. "We'll figure it out. We'll figure this out together."

But even as he said the words, I could hear the uncertainty in his voice. Neither of us had any idea what we were going to do.