Unfinished Business

Chapter 8: Confronting Her Fears

The days were gettin' longer, the tension between Lena and Que hangin' in the air like a heavy fog. Que was around more often than not, always doin' what he could to make sure Lena and the baby were good. But every time he came over, Lena felt the weight of her fears pressin' down on her. Could she really trust him again?

She stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, her hand on her growing belly, thinkin' about everything that had happened since Que came back into her life. They were co-parentin', but she knew deep down that he wanted more. He wasn't shy about it. He made it clear he still cared about her, still wanted to be with her. But every time she thought about the possibility of gettin' back together, that party kept comin' back to her mind.

What if he hadn't just kissed that girl? What if he had gone further? What if she let him back in, only to have her heart broken again?

The Conversation

Later that afternoon, Que showed up like usual, lettin' himself in. He found Lena sittin' at the kitchen table, her eyes distant as she stared out the window. He could tell somethin' was weighin' on her, but he didn't say nothin' at first. Instead, he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat down across from her.

"You good?" he asked, his voice low.

Lena blinked, comin' back to the present. She looked at him, feelin' the familiar knot in her chest. "I'm fine."

Que didn't buy it. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes searchin' her face. "Nah, you ain't. What's on your mind?"

She sighed, runnin' a hand through her hair. She didn't know if she was ready for this conversation, but she couldn't keep avoidin' it either. If they were gonna co-parent, if they were gonna move forward, she had to be honest with him.

"I've been thinkin' a lot," she started slowly. "About us. About that night."

Que's jaw tightened slightly, but he didn't interrupt.

"I know I was the one who broke things off," she continued, her voice soft. "But when I saw you at that party, with that girl... it broke somethin' in me, Que. I know we weren't together at the time, but it still felt like... like you didn't care."

Que exhaled, leanin' forward with his elbows on the table. "Lena, I ain't gon' lie to you. That night was messed up. I was mad, and I acted out. But I told you before, it wasn't nothin' serious. I wasn't thinkin' straight."

Lena looked down at her hands, her voice small. "Did you... did you sleep with her?"

Que's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by the question. He hadn't expected her to come out and ask that. "No. I didn't. It didn't go that far."

Lena nodded, feelin' a small sense of relief, but the hurt was still there. "It still hurt, Que. Seein' you with her, after everything we'd been through... it made me feel like I didn't matter to you anymore."

Que reached across the table, gently takin' her hand. "You always mattered to me, Lena. Always. I was hurt, and I did somethin' stupid, but that don't change how I feel about you. I ain't tryna force nothin', but I need you to know—I love you. I never stopped."

Lena's heart clenched at his words. She knew he meant it, she could see it in his eyes. But love wasn't enough. Not after everything. "I don't know if I can trust you again, Que. I don't know if I can go through all that hurt again."

Que nodded, his grip on her hand firm but gentle. "I get that. And I ain't askin' you to forget what happened. I know it's gon' take time. But I'm here. I'm not runnin'. I wanna be here for you, for the baby, and for us. If you'll let me."

Lena's eyes filled with tears, her chest heavin' as she tried to keep her emotions in check. She wanted to believe him, she wanted to trust him again, but the fear of bein' hurt was still so strong. "I just... I don't know, Que."

He squeezed her hand gently, his voice soft. "Take your time, Lena. I ain't goin' nowhere."

Facing the Future

After Que left that day, Lena sat on the couch, her mind racin'. She knew she still loved him—she couldn't deny that. But could she really let herself fall for him again? Could she open her heart to him, knowing there was a chance it could all fall apart?

She wiped at her tears, tryin' to clear her head. She needed to focus on what was important—the baby. That was her priority. Not her feelings for Que, not the past, but their child. And as long as Que was there for the baby, that was all that mattered.

But deep down, she knew it wasn't that simple. Que wasn't just some guy—he was the love of her life. And as much as she wanted to keep her walls up, she couldn't ignore the fact that a part of her still wanted him back.

She sighed, restin' her hand on her belly. She didn't have all the answers, but one thing was clear—this wasn't the end of their story. Not by a long shot.