“Getting something you need? Is marriage a business transaction? I’m telling you, Chloe, you divorce him right now or you’re no daughter of mine.”
Click. She hung up. I held the silent phone, feeling a chill spread through my body.
“She took it badly, huh?” Maya asked.
I forced a smile that felt more like a grimace.
“About as expected.”
That night, Maya stayed over. We curled up on my bed like we used to in college. I told her I was pregnant. She was quiet for a long time.
“Are you going to tell Leo?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” I whispered. “I haven’t thought that far.”
“Are you keeping the baby?”
“I don’t know.”
I placed my hand on my still-flat stomach.
“Maya, am I a complete failure? I’m twenty-nine. My career is stalled. My love life is a disaster. I’m in a sham marriage, and I’m pregnant with my ex-boyfriend’s child.”
“Don’t talk like that,” Maya said, pulling me into a hug. “Alex doesn’t deserve you. This is his fault.”
“But it’s my fault too,” I mumbled into her shoulder. “I was so stupid. I waited for three years, thinking he would change.”
The tears I’d been holding back finally broke free. Maya just held me, patting my back gently.
“Cry it out. It’s okay,” she whispered. “But Chloe, you need to pull yourself together, and fast. You’re not alone in this anymore. You’re not alone.”
The words sent a strange shiver through me. It was true. Whether I kept this baby or not, my life had been turned upside down. The next day was Saturday. I turned on my phone to a flood of missed calls from my mom and from Alex using a new number. There was also a text from Leo.
“Let me know if you need help with anything.”
Concise and to the point.
“Thanks,” I replied.
Around noon, the doorbell rang. Maya answered it and let out a little gasp. I walked over to see Leo standing there holding several grocery bags filled with fresh vegetables, fruit, and meat.
“I was driving by and thought I’d pick some things up,” he said, his expression neutral. “Can’t live on takeout forever.”
He walked into the kitchen as if he’d been there a hundred times and started putting things away. Maya and I just stared at each other.
“Uh, Mr. Sterling, you really don’t have to do this,” I said.
“It’s no trouble,” he said without looking up. “And call me Leo. I’m a decent cook.”
He was efficient, washing and chopping vegetables with a practiced ease. Maya nudged me with her elbow and gave me a look that clearly said bonus points. Lunch was three simple dishes and a soup, but it was surprisingly delicious.
“You cook often?” Maya asked.
“Got used to it living alone,” Leo said.
The atmosphere was still a bit awkward, but better than yesterday. At least we could make small talk. After lunch, as Leo was clearing the dishes, my phone rang again. It was my mom. I hesitated. Then Leo walked over, drying his hands on a towel.
“Do you want me to talk to her?” he asked.
“And say what?”
I gave a bitter laugh.
“That we fell in love at first sight and got married on a whim?”
“We can say we were set up by a friend, knew each other for a while, and decided to just go for it,” he offered. “It’s better than the truth.”
It was clear he’d already thought of a cover story. I took a deep breath, answered the phone, and put it on speaker.
“Mom.”
“Chloe, have you grown wings? How dare you not answer my calls?”
