Sealed With A Kiss

19

"I SEE that you've gained some weight, Allie," I slowed down my chewing, deciding if I should respond or not.

"Life's treating me well," I picked up a napkin, and wiped my lips, "how was detention, Dad?"

He looked up from his plate, and smiled at me, "exhausting—the kids these days."

"Have you heard from Ricky yet?" My mom asked curiously. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. As much as I wanted to answer her rudely, I didn't want the night to take an ugly turn.

"Nope. I guess he realized that I'm not interested," she shook her head disapprovingly, "I can do way better than him."

"It's hard to find a man who works for over six figures a year these days. There's so much competition with younger women," she looked intently at me, "that you're lucky he's still interested in you."

"I'm not that old, Mom. And you should be happy that I won't settle for someone who doesn't deserve me."

She looked away and sighed, "you're going to regret all these choices when you get even older. You need to settle down, have some kids. Work shouldn't be the most important thing in your life," if only you knew.

"That's right. God should be," my grandfather spoke. I inhaled a deep breath, and closed my eyes.

"Yes, grandpa. God, work and myself," not in that exact order.

"Don't forget family," my dad added, and my unborn child, which should be number one on the list.

"Right. I keep telling you this, Mom. I don't need a man to be happy. They don't add anything to my life."

"But don't you want to be loved? I'd like to meet my son-in-law before I'm dead. And with the rate you're going, I will be," or it'll never happen.

"It's not that I don't want to settle down. I'm waiting for the right person," she nodded dismissively, "thanks for dinner, Mom. But I need to head back soon. I'm leaving early tomorrow. And I'll try to visit more often," I didn't want to tell them that I'd be moving back, or that I was pregnant. They were irritating me too much.

"I hope you do," she said. I stretched a smile across the table.

SITTING IN my office, looking at baby clothes online, I felt extremely overwhelmed. I could have barely kept a fish alive, how can I keep a baby alive? I was in no way prepared to be a mother. But was anyone really? I tapped my fingers onto a notepad that had a list of all the things that I had to get done, before the baby was born.

Aw, this is so cute. The orange-colored onesie melted my heart, "Miss Masters?" Meggie walked into my office with a cup of coffee in her hand.

I'd already had my two hundred mg of coffee that day. Google said that anymore than that, and I'd risk having my baby with a low birth weight.

She placed the cup onto my table, and looked at me, "thanks, Meg."

"You're looking super radiant lately. New skin routine?" That's the pregnancy, dear.

"No, just been less stressed."

"Really?" She crossed her arms over her chest, "you're actually happy to relocate?"

"Yeah. I'll get better pay, and I'll be closer to my family. Seems like a good idea."

"Okay," she looked down, "when are you leaving?"

"A week before Christmas," the case for Mrs. Aquilla wouldn't commence until the beginning of the upcoming year. I had enough time to get my affairs in order. There were lots of other clients that wanted my assistance in both Chicago and New York. But the best ones were in Chicago, and I'd travel back and forth when needed.

It wasn't the best idea when considering the bean inside of my belly. But I couldn't let pregnancy affect my career. I'd make it work. I'd have to hire a live-in nanny—one that could've travelled with me when needed.

"I'll miss you, Alyssa," she whispered, before walking away. I felt as though I broke that poor girl's heart. But there was nothing that I could have done about it.