The drive to the restaurant is almost completely silent aside from the small conversation about Marie. As much as I hate the silence between us, I appreciate Isaiah not trying to force me to talk. I need to get my thoughts together. I need to figure out how to bring up the baby. Maybe if I just casually brought up kids. That could work.

On the outside the restaurant looks fancy but, it's not until we walk inside do I realize just how nice it is. This is just the type of restaurant I hate. The actual building is gorgeous, brick walls and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. But the type of people that come here are the type I never want to have to associate with again. The type of people who come here cheat on their spouses and get botox every week. They're type of people who, like my parents, think they're above everyone else. The type of people I never want around my child. I watch Isaiah as he barks his reservation to the host. Is this the type of person he is now?

The host takes us to our table which is in the back of the restaurant next to two French doors. On the other side of those doors is a garden full of rose bushes.

The waitress comes to the table to get our drink orders and gawks when she sees Isaiah. "Just a water please." I speak up but she doesn't even look at me, her eyes are glued to Isaiah as they roam his arms and chest. I want to tell her off but I realize I have no right. I'm not his wife, I'm not his girlfriend, hell, we're not even friends at this point.

"A water also, thank you." Isaiah tells her and she gives him a dazzling smile. "I'll be right back." She walks away making sure to add a little extra sway in her hips.

"Did you want wine?" Isaiah asks and I drag my eyes to meet his. "You could have gotten wine if you wanted."

"No, I wanted water." Now would be a good time to bring up that I can't have wine, but I decide not to.

The waitress comes back with our water and gets our orders before taking the menus and leaving again.

The silence is awkward and Isaiah is watching me as if waiting for me to say something.

"So," I break the silence. "You said you wanted to talk?" Might as well start talking before I talk myself out of telling him about the baby.

"Yeah," He takes a deep breath. "I want to talk about what happened five years ago." That topic was exactly what I didn't want to talk about. I don't want to know what happened with the girl. I don't want to learn how long it had been going on. I want to stay clueless so I can keep telling myself it was only a one-time thing.

"I- I don't-" I think it would be best if we put what happened in high school behind us. Start fresh?"

'Please' I silently beg him. Let's put everything behind us and move on.

He studies my face for a few moments before nodding once. "To fresh starts."

"Did you ever end up in culinary school?" Isaiah asks once our food has come.

"No," I shake my head. "I went to Harvard for a year and hated it so I can home. My parents gave me the choice of going back or living on my own so Mia and I moved in together. I started working at Electrik and haven't had the money to go. What about you, was NYU all you hoped it would be?" He had always wanted to be a nurse, he wanted to help people. I can still remember his face when he found out he was getting full-ride basketball scholarship. The huge smile that spread across his face. The way he picked me up and spun me around. How we talked about getting a cheap apartment and going to college together.

He chuckles lightly. "No, it was rough at first, I didn't have my head screwed on right." A look of pain crosses his face. "My scholarship almost got pulled. Then Cameron and I got into a fight and he literally beat so sense into me." I cringe at the thought of them fighting, Isaiah may have an inch on Cameron with his six-foot-three height but Cameron has the advantage when it comes to muscle. "After that, I threw full effort into what I was doing. School and basketball during the school year and work during the summer." I can't imagine what he was going through to cause him to lose so much focus. I'm about to ask but he continues talking before I can. "I've recently been thinking about going back to school, becoming a doctor."

"Do you know what would you specialize in?"

He smiles and nods. "Pediatrics, like I do now. I love working with kids."

"You were always good with kids." I whisper looking into his eyes. Now seems like the best time bring up the baby since we're talking about kids. "Honestly, I thought you'd be married by now. Even have a little you running around."

The fork in his hand slips and clangs on the plate. "M-married?" He stutters and starts shaking his head. "And kids?" His face morphs into one of disgust. As if the idea of having his own children repulsed him.

My heart drops to my stomach. "So no kids?" Can he really not see himself ever having kids? If he says he doesn't want kids I'll have to walk away right now, I won't even tell him about the baby.

"No." He confirms forcefully. "No kids."

I can feel the blood drain from my face and I try to blink away tears. His unknowing rejection of our baby hurts more than his rejection of me.

"Meg," His voice is full of concern. "You okay?" 'No, I'm not' I want to scream.

I squeeze my eyes shut trying to get the tears to disappear. "I've suddenly got an awful headache." I lie.

He stands up and pulls my chair out. "Let's get you home."

"I don't have any medicine in the truck," He tells me as he starts driving. "Do you want to stop and get some?"

"No," My voice cracks. "I have some at home." A traitorous tear falls down my face and I close my eyes again.

I can't tell him about the baby now. He doesn't want kids and he wants to go back to school.

When we pull up in front of the apartments he unbuckles his seatbelt.

"You don't have to get out." I tell him.

"I don't mind."

"Isaiah it's late, the kids are probably asleep already. Please." I about to have a nervous break down.

"Okay."

"Okay." I hear myself whisper. I feel like a should say something, anything, but I can't. So, instead, I open the truck door and get out.

"Wait," I hear Isaiah call before he rushes toward me. His hands go to the side of my face pulling me toward him. "Goodnight." He whispers and pulls me closer to our lips brush. My hands go to his chest and I push him away.

"What are you doing?" I yelp shocked by his action.

"Sorry, I know you have a headache, I just- I missed you."

I don't know what it was, maybe the way he stared into my eyes when he said he missed me, maybe the hormones but something told me to kiss him.

So instead of thinking, I pressed my lips up against his. One of his hands cupped my cheek while the other went around my waist, pulling me closer. The kiss was soft and slow, perfect for a goodbye kiss.

"Goodbye." I whisper when Isaiah slowly pulls away. Gives me a curious glance before bending down and resting his forehead against mine. "Thank you." He breathes.

"For what?" I ask, pulling away from him, my heart breaking in the process.

"Giving me another chance." Giving him another chance?

"What?"

"Our date?" Realization crosses his face. "Meghan you know this was a date right?"

"I thought-"

"You thought what? That I was trying to be your friend?" His face is full of disbelief.

"Yeah, but I realized we wouldn't work as friends."

He scoffs. "Damn right we wouldn't."

"We wouldn't work as a couple either." Marriage and kids disgust him but he wants to date?

"Why the hell not?" He snaps. His eyes soften slightly when he sees me take a step back.

'Because you don't want kids' Again, I want to scream but I know that would make the situation worse.

"We didn't work in high school, we won't work now."

His jaw clenches and he glares at me. "We didn't work in high school because-"

"It doesn't matter why we didn't work then." I cut him off. "We just didn't." I start walking away when he grabs my arm and turns me back around.

"Give me a reason." His eyes reach my face. "I deserve a reason!" He shouts and a light inside one of the apartments comes on.

"BECAUSE I'M PREGNANT!" I scream at him. "I'm pregnant." I whisper this time, my voice cracking.

Isaiah's eyes bulge and he drops my arm as if it burned him. His eyes flicker to my stomach before going back to my own, confusion, hurt, and anger swirl through them.

His hands come up and drag down his face before he turns around and just stands there, his back facing me. It's the exact way it was five years ago but instead of begging him to look at me, I walk away. Now that he's knowingly rejected our baby there's nothing left for us.

When I open the door of the apartment I see Mia standing by the living room window, the one that faces the parking lot.

"I heard shouting." She whispers as I walk over to her.

I look out the window and see Isaiah's car starting. "He doesn't want kids." I tell Mia as tears stream down my face.

She pulls me into a hug and at the same time, Isaiah's truck starts to move. We watch as it drives away, the father it gets the tighter Mia's hold becomes. When it can no longer be seen I hiccup a sob and again Mia hugs me as I cry myself to sleep.

***

Isaiah's reaction certainly wasn't what Meghan had hoped it would be.

Thoughts? I'd love to hear (read?) them.

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(9-29-17)