Red Bullets in June

Chapter 34: The Art Show

August 25th comes and goes and my 2nd birthday present from Jaxon, the tickets to fly to South Korea and see BTS, fall to waste. I contemplated giving them away to someone else, but a small part of me kept holding on to the slight chance that he would change his mind about our baby and come back to us. But of course, that didn't happen.
Since then, I've taken to painting to let all my feelings out on canvas. I've been having very vivid and ethereal dreams lately that have inspired my current piece and I know exactly what I'm going to do with it...

September draws to a close and it's already Thursday, September 20th before I have time to blink. Today's the day of Woodmere Art Gallery's art show and auction for their painting exhibit.
As my mom drives me to work at 7:20 AM, the anxious excitement for today begins to set in. This is my first time doing anything like this and I'm so nervous. I know Brad will be there to help, but he's just gonna flirt with me as usual and ask me out for the hundredth time. He'll bring me a cup of coffee with cream and sugar, just as I like it and then he'll ramble about his past relationships and how he would never leave a girl like Jaxon left me and then I'll correct him that Jaxon didn't leave me, I left him. Then he'll go on to ramble about how good he would treat me if I was his girlfriend and invite me to dinner at his place in which I'll politely decline...
I sigh.
I wish Jaxon was here...
At 7:45 AM, my mom parks the car in front of my work and I open the door to get out. "Good luck, sweetie. You'll do great."
"Thanks mom."
"And Charlotte..."
I turn to face her. "Huh?"
"Your baby bump is showing," She winks with an overly-satisfied grin.
"It is...?" I glance down at my flowy, light pink dress in horror.
I can't be showing. I purposely wore this loose-fitting dress so I wouldn't be showing.
"Am I really? Mom? I can't be showing! Is it that noticeable? Should I go back and change into something else?"
"No, Charlotte. It's fine. You have a big day ahead of you and you can't be late."
"But Mom, I can't be showing. I-"
"Charlotte, it's fine. I just have an eye for that kind of stuff. I'm sure no one else will notice."
"You think?"
"Yes, it'll be fine. I'll see you later, sweetie. Good luck!"
"Okay... Thanks Mom. See you later."
I pull my dress out as I walk, attempting to conceal my baby bump in its sea of pleated fabric.
It's not visible, right?
Right... My better judgement raises an eyebrow.
I brush her aside.
Brad is waiting for me at the front desk with a cup of coffee in hand, as usual. He stretches out both arms to offer it to me, but stops in his tracks upon glimpsing my outfit.
Oh no...
His honey eyes gradually pass over my flowy, light pink dress and then halt on my belly as they widen incrementally. "Charlotte... Are you...?"
Crap. No one will notice, huh?
I snatch the coffee from his hands and place the cup in front of my stomach. "Thanks for the coffee, Brad! You are so thoughtful, as always! Let's start setting up, okay?"
I veer around him and toward our small auctioning auditorium.
I need a different dress. I need a freaking Moo Moo to cover this baby. They can't know I'm pregnant. Nobody at work knows I'm pregnant yet. I've been so good at hiding it...
Not that good... My better judgement sneers.
Crap. She's right...
Brad scrambles after me. "Charlotte, why are you running away? And why didn't you let me fin-"
I spin around. "It's nothing, Brad. Just drop it."
He raises an eyebrow. "It is not nothing, Charlotte. Anytime you say, 'It's nothing,' it really is something."
"Well, this time it really is nothing."
His eyes fall to my stomach and I instinctively cover it with my coffee cup again.
"Then what is that?"
"What?"
"That bump spanning across your belly."
"Bump? There's no bump?"
"Charlotte, don't play dumb."
"I'm just really bloated today, okay? Period problems. Geez. Do you have to point it out?"
He narrows his eyes at me. "I don't believe you." And then, those honey eyes are interrogating my very soul and I can't handle it.
"Alright. You caught me. I'm pregnant."
"I knew it! I knew that jackass knocked you up! You've been gaining weight and acting weird and-"
"Shhh! And rude!"
"That just makes his leaving you that much more callous! I couldn't believe he left you before, but his own child?? And to leave you to raise the baby alone?? I'm telling you, Charlotte, you need someone better. Someone who will take care of you and your baby. Let me take care of you both. Please."
"Brad, you already know the answer to that. Now, please just stop talking about-"
"But Charlotte, I just want you to be happy. And I can make you happy. I promise."
"I know you can. But you're just a friend, Brad. A friend."
"Still just a friend?"
"Yes, Brad. Still just a friend. Now, enough about me. Let's go set up, okay?"
He sighs in defeat. "Okay. I still wish you would've told me sooner. Then I could've helped you with prenatal vitamins and-"
"Brad, it's fine. You know now. And don't you go telling anyone! I meant it!"
"I'm sure they'll figure it out..." He glances at my belly."
Dang it. I really need a Moo Moo... I'm texting my mom to bring me one...