*** This story is now FREE!!!***
After a traumatic breakup with her college sweetheart, Aria Davenport meets an older, more sexually experienced businessman who promises to change her life forever.
*****
W...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Present Day
"Sounds like it was getting real between you two." Aya munches loudly on cheese crackers.
"I was on cloud nine. Nobody could tell me nothing."
"He sure has the means. He sounds like a baller. Must be nice."
"It was nice. Is nice . . . I think."
"I remember that feeling. That's how I felt when I met Jason." Aya looks down at her growing belly. "It's not like that now. Now, it's just complicated."
"You know it's never too late." Talking to both myself and Aya, I realize the truth of my own words.
Aya jumps in her seat. "It kicked! I've only faintly felt that a few times before. I'm sure of it now. It kicked!" She grabs my hand and places it on the side of her belly. "See? Feel that?" Her eyes are wide, and her mouth is frozen open. She looks surprised, maybe even a little scared or excited. I can't tell which.
"I felt that! That was definitely a kick, Aya!"
Forgetting the past for the briefest of moments, we celebrate. Jumping up and down in our seats like two silly girls seeing their celebrity crush in person for the first time. I'm so happy for her.
Out of nowhere, I hear commotion coming from outside. "What's going on? Where's all that noise coming from?"
Aya laughs. "Girl. Have you been here before?"
"No?"
"Those are protesters." Aya looks at me with a you-got-to-be-kidding-me smile.
"What are they protesting?"
"Honey. You know this is a clinic."
"And? They do women's wellness, right? That's why I'm here."
"They do a lot of things here. Some things, people don't agree with."
I raise my eyebrow. "Oh, really?"
Just then her phone rings. "Excuse me for a second." Aya gets up and walks to the opposite side of the waiting room. Hunched over, she whispers into the phone, "I don't care! Don't talk to me like that — no, you listen . . . . Please . . . please don't . . . . We can work this out . . . it's ours . . . ." She stands there for a long time, staring at the phone.
Aya returns to the seat next to me. "It's hard you know. I'm too young for this shit. This asshole! He's not giving me a choice."
It dawns on me. She's seeking my advice, but I'm not sure about what.
"Aria, I know we've only known each other for a short time but you're here. Telling me about your life and I feel comfortable with you." She pauses. "I'm so glad I'm talking to you. There aren't many people I can talk to in my life right now. I told you this clinic handles a lot of things? Well, that's why I'm here."
