"I'm pregnant."

The words that Meghan spoke last night play through my head over and over again. I was so thrilled when she told me she was pregnant I had to turn away so she wouldn't see the happy tear that fell from the corner of my eye. This is what I've been praying for for the past five years. A chance for us to reconnect, to start a family. Obviously, this isn't how I planned it but it doesn't matter.

The thrilling feeling I felt only lasted a second before I realized she was pushing me away. She's pregnant but she's saying we can't be together. I didn't understand why and when I turned around to ask her she had gone inside already.

I've spent all night staring at the ceiling, trying to figure out why she was pushing me away. It suddenly hits me and I want to laugh at how obvious it is. The more I think about it the more I realize it's the only reason she could be pushing me away. She doesn't think I'm responsible enough to be a father. She sees me as the guy I was in high school, the one who turns everything into a joke. I'm not that guy anymore. I'm responsible, I can support a family. I just need to prove that to Meghan.

Jumping out of bed, I quickly throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I have the perfect plan. I send Cameron and Melanie a quick 'emergency' text, I'll need their help to make this work, and head to my truck.

—————

When I get back to my house an hour later Cameron's Audi and Mel's Ferrari are both sitting in my driveway. Good, they can help me unload these supplies. I get out of my truck, then grab the buckets of paint I just bought and walk toward the house.

When I step inside Cameron is already by the door. "You said you had an emergency so I canceled all my meetings and drive here and you're not even home. Why do you have paint?"

"There's some tape and rollers in the back of my truck, go grab them." I tell him, ignoring his question. I look at Mel who's studying me. "Come on."

She silently follows me to the extra room across from mine and Cameron walks in after her. They both stare at me like I've finally gone crazy.

"I thought you weren't going to decorate any part of the house without Meghan." Mel whispers, as if hoping I won't get upset at her for mentioning Meghan. In the past, I probably would have but now it's different.

"Meghan's pregnant and I want to surprise her with a nursery." Cameron's jaw drops and Mel squeals then pulls me into a hug.

"What can we do to help? Want me to start unwrapping brushes? I can stir the paint if you want?"

"Actually," I pull a pamphlet out of the pocket of my jeans. "A guy at the paint store gave me this, it has ideas for nurseries. This," I point at the nursery I think Meghan will love "Is what I want. If I give you my card can you go get a crib and a changing table and everything else we need to decorate the room?"

"You're asking me to go shopping?" She gawks.

"....Yes."

"Where's your card?"

I hand her my card and she practically sprints out of the room like a child going to get ice-cream.

The second she's out of the room I notice Cameron has already opened a can of paint and is smirking at me.

"What?" I ask grabbing paint tape from the bag on the floor.

"Nothing." He shrugs. "Haven't seen you this happy in a while."

The thought of Meghan makes me happy. Just like the thought of Mia used to make him happy. "You know, when Meghan and I get back together, Mia's going to be around a lot."

The straight line of grey paint suddenly swerves and Cameron curses under his breath then fixes the paint.

"Yeah, I assumed she would. She is Meghan's best friend."

"Right," I grab the other paint roller and move to the opposite wall. "So, what are you going to do?"

He sets the paint roller in the pan of paint and turns to look at me. "Nothing?"

"You have to do something." He only tried once to tell Mia he loved her, she didn't respond and he gave up.

"No, I don't. And if you say, 'Yes, you do' I'm going to leave and you can do this by yourself."

"So you don't want to talk about Mia?" I know I'm pushing him when I see his fist tighten on the roller.

"No, Isaiah, I don't want to talk about Mia. Why don't we talk about this nursery were setting up."

"She told me we couldn't be together." I mutter.

"What?"

"Before she told me she was pregnant, she said we couldn't be together."

He looks at me and his eyebrows crinkle in confusion. "Why?"

"Because she hasn't seen me as an adult. I think she still sees me as that guy that laughs at everything. That's why we're setting up the nursery. I can be responsible. I'll make a good father."

Cameron walks across the room and put his hand on my shoulder. "Yes, you'll make a good father."

—————

Yesterday when I stood in this room it was empty with white walls. Now the walls are grey, there's a white crib on the left, a white dresser on the right, and a rocking chair in the back corner. The curtains hanging from the window are a calming mint color. There are little bits of decor hanging on the wall. Mel did not disappoint.

"You gonna call her or just continue to look at the wall." Cameron walks into the room holding a white bear.

I smirk at him. "I like the grey, it's calming."

"Yeah," He nods. "Just remember the calming feeling when you're rocking a screaming baby at three in the morning."

I chuckle and pull out my phone. "Is it bad I'm kind of looking forward to that?" I ask him while dialing Meghan number.

"No, it's not."

"Hello?" Meghan's voice sounds through the phone and a smile instantly comes to my face. I love her voice. I love her.

"Hey," I breathe. I had decided last night I would just ask her to come over and she can see the nursery herself. The nursery I set up for her and the baby. Our baby.

"It's not yours." Her voice sounds rushed and my eyebrows furrow.

"What?"

"The baby," she says. "It's not yours."

It suddenly feels as though the air has been knocked out of my chest. "You're sure? Like, absolutely positive? Because I don't think we used any-"

"I'm positive." Her voice is sharp and cold, a tone I've never heard before. I feel myself panicking, the walls of the room seem to be closing in on me. Cameron must notice my expression because he pushes me to sit in the rocking chair.

I need confirmation. I need to know if there's even a small chance her baby is mine. "And there's no possibility?" Please, I'm silently begging, if there's even the smallest chance...

"I was pregnant before that night." That sentence leaves me gasping for a breath. Tears fill my eyes and I have the clear my throat so my voice won't crack. The images I made up in my head, of our happy family, suddenly burn.

"Okay."

"Okay." She echoes after me sounding like she can't wait to get off the phone.

"Good-bye." I hang up before she can respond.

Tears are steadily streaming down my cheeks. Cameron is staring at me. He looks confused, cautious, and concerned.

"It's not mine." I whisper, my voice breaking. My phone is suddenly hurled across the room and before I know it, I've yanked two picture frames to the ground and sent my fist through the wall. After I send my fist through the wall a second time I'm shoved to the ground.

The slow stream of tears suddenly turns to sobbing while my hands frantically tug at my hair.

"It's not mine."

***

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