Friendship and Murder.

"I'll be fine," I mumbled, feeling better than I was all day. I watched the concern flush out of Ryan's face as his face grew a more pleasant smile.

"I decided we should eat Japanese if that's fine with you. Have something to eat the next day as well." I knew Ryan would say he wanted Japanese, it's his favorite next to Mexican. I nodded my head in agreement and tried focusing on feeling better.

We pulled in a parking space next to a fancy SUV Lexus painted in a gold-ish brown and a bright but deep red Jeep Cherokee. The building looked like it had been abandoned for quite some time but the amount of cars showed otherwise.

Inside was filled with decorations, music, voices and a scent of fire and delicious food. "Do they cook in front of you here?" Asking Ryan a bit scared, sorry but no, me and fire are not friends.

"Yeah! It's so neat! I've never got to see it in person," excitement in his tone almost made me too afraid to explain him my fears.

A small and short black haired Asian lady came around the wall, "two?" She asked grabbing menus from the hostess desk. Ryan nodded in agreement as we followed her.

I grabbed Ryan's arm, interlocking it with mine, as if we were kids about to skip to school. "I'm afraid of fire, Ryan." I whispered low, fearing other customers would hear me and laugh.

He looked at my fearful and terrified expression plastered all over my face happily, how could he do this to me? "Aubree, these guys are pros, nothing's going to happen." He patted my arm reassuringly.

We sat down with a family; mom, dad, son and a daughter, and another couple. "Hello," someone spoke sweetly to us. I figured the workers were trying to fill up the seats before the terror began. "Are you two from around here?" The same woman spoke, the mom. Her skin dark, hair light brown and eyes dark green.

"Yes we are, just trying a different type of scenery. Is this place any good?" Ryan asked to make some nice conversation. Next to fire the other thing I'm afraid of? Crowds. Thank you, Ryan, I'm going to murder you.

"It is indeed! We try to eat out once a week and it's always here. We love it, glad to see some new faces. Is this your wife?" She spoke as if she knew Ryan, not know him entirely, but one of those, "I know of him," deals.

"I'm Aubree, I'm his-"

"She's my girlfriend," Ryan interrupted me before I could even say best friend. LIAR! Why would he lie to these strangers? I wanted to just, ugh, I'm done.

"That's adorable! How long have you two been together?" Yes, lady, while Ryan lies to you, I'll be out back digging myself a grave and politely see myself out to go die.

"Two years," I quickly and absentmindedly admitted. Did I really just lie? Did I just say my first lie? I shut my mouth promising to not open it until we left this place. I focused on the menu for now, I had no idea what I wanted.

"We've gone to school together all our lives so we pretty much know each other. It was only two years ago that I decided to ask her the second best question next to marriage." Ryan started joking and the dad and boy of the couple began laughing.

What have I gotten myself into? Where's the waiter? Can I like, go die?

 

With no other customers coming in our chef walked in and began setting up his equipment. He turned to me, his big red hat making his head look sort of goofy, "hibachi steak no mushrooms? Extra shrimp sauce?" Making sure he got my order correct. I nodded as he continued around the room.

I felt Ryan's hand mangling around with mine, I could tell he was putting on a show. Why not make it look real? I took his hand in mine as the chef began showing off his cutting skills and putting on a real show.

"Is anybody here celebrating anything?" He asked looking around in hopes someone had a birthday.

"It's our two year anniversary!" Ryan exclaimed excited and I was going to slit my throat. I shot him an evil glare as my cheeks brightened. Everyone began clapping for us, clapping for something nonexistent, not real, just a big fat lie.

After everyone calmed down we watched our chef with amazement, until I seen a clear plastic bottle full of clear liquid. I quickly buried my face in Ryan's arm, knowing exactly what it was and was going to do.

I felt the heat off the huge fire and a second later it was over. My eyes shot open in a sudden rush of remembering, "Ryan, I forgot to pack pajamas, take me to the mall to get some."

Ryan grinned and sort of laughed under his breath, "okay."

I had an idea of what I wanted, I needed pajamas anyways. I was getting tired of wearing my old high school shirts and baggy sweats, I wanted actual pajamas. I love lingerie and there was no way I was going to wear any of that around Ryan. He would probably kidnap me and I would never be home!

The chef began popping pieces of steak onto everyone's plate, giving us sauces to dip it in. We clapped again in amazement like kids watching magic shows.

Shortly after that little trick he was passing everyone's food out. It smelled pretty good, I love fried rice and zucchini so I figured it would be delicious.

I dumped all of my shrimp sauce on my food and dug in, I took a bite of zucchini, tossing it around in my mouth, it tasted different. Really different 'cause I had to go excuse myself to throw up, I made it just in time to the women's bathroom toilet and painted an original Picasso.

I walked over to the sink, letting the water run warm, my hands on either side, glaring at my sick looking reflection. I ran my right hand over my forehead, no fever, I wrapped my hand around my hair and washed out my mouth in the warm water. I stared at my reflection, my Aubree glow coming back to life I decided to walk back out and continue eating.

I knew I was going to hear it from Ryan once we got in the car. I drank a few sips of my tea and then dug in and ate like a hungry bear, I ate my whole plate full, no left overs.

A few moments later our waiter came and handed us our checks, I made Ryan guess the total for fun. "Eighty?" He questioned with a smile, knowing he shot a little high.

I stuck my tongue out, "forty even." I placed the crisp twenties in the small little book, downing the last half of my tea in a matter of seconds.

Ryan again putting on a show held my hand the way out. Saying our goodbyes to our guests, we walked from the room and down a path passing other customers. We walked past what looked like a pair of Japanese flowered themed pants cut in half and through the door.

"Aubree are you pregnant? I mean, you ate entire, like, five pounds of food, I can't even do that, and you've thrown up. On our way to the mall I'm getting you a test and you're going to take it at the hotel." I felt like I was listening to my mom, my cheeks flared bright red.

"Okay," I mumbled emotionless, I waited by the passenger door to be unlocked. I got in buckling up in complete silence, letting Ryan's words run all over my mind, "Aubree, are you pregnant?"

I automatically began calculating in my head, numbers, dates, guys names. I started thinking of common symptoms of pregnancy, are my boobs tender? The felt heavy. Nauseous? Check. Low abdominal cramps? If that meant ovaries, check. Food cravings? None. Food adversion? Zucchini.

Worry flooded every inch of my body, the possible chance was when I dated Vance, almost four weeks ago. He swore he wore a condom, he even showed me! He swore to me he did!

Tears streamed down my face, trying to keep my mouth closed, knowing if I open my mouth I would babble and ball like an idiot. Ryan held my hand, rubbing his thumb on the top of my hand sympathetically. We stopped at a red light, his right turn signal the only noise within the car.

I wiped my eyes with my free hand as he searched for a parking space. He pulled down the last row and snatched the fourth space from the door, "I'll be right back."

I ran in through the glass door and seen Kay Jewelers, Hollister and Victoria's Secret. I decided to walk to Victoria's Secret, the sweet smell made me happy, it smelled good here. I walked around looking for anything sleep wise, a light orange tank top in black words read 'sleep with me' I grabbed a medium and looked for some shorts or pants. I seen a pair of white pants with Christmas themed paintings, random gingerbread men, presents and candy canes, I had to have them. They were clearanced, trying to sell them for the next shipment. I grabbed a large and decided I should get a few more things, a jacket, shirts, some more sleepwear, underwear and perfume. I decided to pay before I end up getting one of everything though it looked like I did.

I sat everything on the counter and a tall, skinny, blonde haired lady smiled, "find everything alright?" As she ran everything through the scanner and popping off the tags.

"Yes I did, thank you," I smiled back with my wallet open ready to pay a pretty heft price for two bags worth of clothes.

"Your total comes to $120.54," I took my wad of money out making it look like it was no problem. I paid the lady and got a penny in return, I threw it randomly in my wallet.

"Have a good night," she smiled as she handed me my huge pink and red stripped bags. I carried them on one hand and decided I kept Ryan waiting long enough, though I wanted to shop a little more. I walked out the glass doors I had entered and towards the car, he moved it up front so I didn't have to walk.

Opening the door to my seat throwing the bags in the floorboard between my feet. "More than pajamas I would assume," he joked. I laughed at him nodding.

"Just go get me a damn pregnancy test. I want to lay down, the sooner the better," anxiety in my voice brought my worry back.

 

I calculated every possibility in my head, blowing off the fact I was sleeping thirteen hours a day as the side effect of third shift. Even though I was going to bed at 7:30AM and waking up at 4PM, now I was sleeping from 7:30AM to 8:30PM.

I had been eating a lot more, packing my cooler bag as full as I could. I just used to bring a can of spaghetti and maybe one or two Hostess cakes plus a drink. Now it was stocked with Doritos, Skittles, three pouches of Kool-Aid, spaghetti, cookies and five one dollar bills for the vending machine. Okay, I blamed that on third shift as well, I work twelve hour shifts, a girls gotta eat.

Maybe this pregnancy thing was in my head, making myself believe something was in there when it's my imagination. Was I living in a false sense of hope that I, Aubree, was indeed not pregnant?

I was so caught up in thinking I hadn't realized Ryan was pulling into the hotel. Had he forgot my pregnancy test that quick? I looked at him confused, my stare blank, I saw him hold up a small plastic bag, inside; a pink box. Shit.

I gathered myself as he went to check us into a room. I stuffed the embarrassing bag in one of my pink bags, hiding it with the pink colored pieces of paper that hid my clothing from the world. I liked that they kept my pieces of fabric that I purchased a secret, no one knew what I had bought but me.

Ryan hopped back in the car not bothering with his seat belt. He parked randomly close to the road and helped carry the bags, "we're on the fifth floor," flashing the room key at me to take it since I had less to carry.

The doors opened automatically for us as we walked in the lobby. I love the smell of hotel lobbies, they smell clean. I called for the elevator and looked around to find any indoor pool signs, none.

"The pool is in our floor," I could feel Ryan beaming at me, could this elevator take any longer? Damn.

The big metal doors opened and Ryan punched the five button just as I was walking in. I liked to make him wait, it was cute to see him annoyed.

Finding room 521 I slid the card in and propped my bags next to the bed with the heater and the one closer to an outlet, the window bed. Ha! Ryan got to get disturbed by housekeeping while I slept in. "They wouldn't let us have one day here, I had to get three. That's like, their policy." Ryan mumbled as he flipped through TV channels.

"I don't care," as I searched for the test. I threw the plastic bag in the floor, ripping open the pink box and throwing everything else on the bed.
"Pee on your stick."
"Shut your damn mouth, asshole."
"I'm calling your mom."
"Call her."
We started laughing, I stared down at whatever this was in my hand, figuring out how to use it. Where do you pee on it? Will my hands get wet? Do I just shove it in?

"RYAN! I CAN'T USE THIS HIGHLIGHTER. BRING THE INSTRUCTIONS." I screamed from the bathroom, I wonder what our neighbors thought. I could hear Ryan laughing and paper rattling get closer. He opened the door to hand them to me, "no, bitch, stand here, watch me pee and read me the instructions."

"You're an evil woman," as he flipped the paper around trying to find step one. "Pull off the plastic lid, have you even managed to do that?"

"Yes, it's in the trash because I cracked it," he shook his head. Sitting on the toilet I was already in preparation to pee, I was just holding it in.

"Pee on that part that had lid on it then use the lid to cover it back up when you finish, shake it then let it sit." He walked out before he could contain the laughter.

I still pretty well had no idea what I was doing, good thing I had another. I peed where I was supposed to and had the lid on shaking it, I gently placed it on the sink and went to sit on my bed.

"Are you with child?" Ryan joked, trying to make the tension around the situation lessen. In a way I sort of wanted a baby, I can raise it on my own, take care of it and be happy as a single mother. I had the extra money, I can afford a baby, it could work.

I took short strides into returning back to the bathroom, truthfully frightened of seeing two blue lines or one, whichever meant pregnant. "Ryan, look for me, please."

I brought him the stick, the instructions still in his hand, figuring he would probably have to dumb it down even more for me. He looked over at the stick then to the paper, back at the stick and the paper again.

"Aubree, it says you're pregnant," I jerked both the paper and test from him knowing he was joking. I looked at the test, two strong blue lines, one vertical and the other horizontal. I was in fact pregnant. Shit.

I walked over to my bed, ignoring everything I had thrown on it earlier. I laid down under the soft blankets and sheet not saying a word, my face emotionless.

"Aubree, if you want help, I'll be here for you, always. I'll be a father if need be, I don't care who the baby belongs to, obviously he doesn't care."

"No, Ryan, I'm not going to put that pressure on you. I can raise it myself, if I need help I'll ask but I'm not making you feel obligated to something not tied to you."

"Damnit, Aubree! Can you not see, can you not see that I lo-"

I fell asleep in the middle of his sentence. I was out cold, tired, weak, exhausted. I wasn't dreaming, it was just blackness. No dreams about Ryan, babies, pregnancy or anything.

I woke up completely relaxed and sick, running to the bathroom. I haven't even peed yet, I was going to die, I wanted to pee on myself but then Ryan would have something to blackmail me for later.

I walked back to the bed, it was 9:30 at night, where was Ryan? I didn't have a missed call or a voicemail from him.

I seen a white paper on the dresser, unfolding it.
Aubree, I went out to pick up a few things, will return shortly. Ryan.

Well, that answered my questions, staring at my bed, I wonder what happened, one pillow in the floor and another at the foot of the bed. My sheets twisted and tangled up, looked like a murder scene minus the blood.

I stumbled across my dreaded pink box, picking it up gently like it was a bomb. I stared at the last test, questioning it, debating to use it, after all the first could have been wrong. I took the tiny highlighter to the bathroom with me, my nausea picking up where it left off, nothing that was going to come up any time soon.

I peed like a champion on the stick, knowing what I was doing now, like an expert. I shook the stick and say it down on the sink, thinking of things to keep me occupied for a while.

 

I looked in the fridge, hoping Ryan brought home his food and if he did, I prayed he didn't eat it. I stuck it in the microwave for a minute and thirty seconds, hoping I could find a fork within that time.

I sat down at the desk, remembering what Ryan said last night, "I'll be the father…"

Those word circled in my head for so long I had almost forgot the beeping of the microwave. Ryan would be a father to a baby that didn't even have his DNA? Speaking of baby I decided to go check my last test, hoping I had a false positive result last night. I faced the sink, closing my eyes and exhaling slowly, I picked up the test and looked down, another positive result.

I rushed out of the bathroom, my eyes beginning to flood with tears. I speed dialed Ryan's number, he was number one, the tears coming one after another.

"Hello, Aubree?"
"R-R-R-R-Ryan, can you pi-pi-pick up some m-m-mo-more tests?"
"Yeah, I'll be there soon, okay? Calm down, Aubree. We'll talk later."
"Th-th-thanks, Ryan... I-I-I-I love you..."
He went silent.
"I love you too, Aubree. Lay down and relax. I'm picking up your tests right now. I gotta go, okay?"
"Dddddd-don't go."
"I have to, Ree. I'll be there in three minutes."
'click.'

Out of anger I went back in the bathroom, picking up that test and slamming it on the floor, the lid shot off and slid, somewhere I couldn't see. Picking it up again I slammed it down even harder on the white tile and slammed my bare foot down on it, it broke.

"Fucking piece of shit, stupid son of goat. Do you get off on ruining people's lives? Fuck your blue lines, fuck my pee, fuck everything." I sat down, putting my back towards the tub, pulling my legs up to my chest, I began sobbing. I heard a door close and I jumped, startled, I saw Ryan walking by, his hands full of bags.

I sobbed even more, Ryan came and sat beside me, after seeing the shattered test laying in millions of pieces around the floor. "Another positive?" He questioned rubbing my back.

I only nodded my head, I heard a light chuckle from his mouth, "trying to steal my food?" I grinned, looking up at him. "There she goes, come here and see what I got."

I followed him to the dresser, "I got you six more tests, I want you to be absolutely sure you're really pregnant. Also some prenatal vitamins, pickles, ice cream, all kinds of snacks. The lady checking me out laughed for days so appreciate this that you weren't there."

I hugged Ryan, wrapping my legs around his waist, I just felt so happy. Happier than I had been since last night and today. I jumped down from him and popped open the pickle jar, I picked out two and chomped away.

"Prego lady," he joked and I flipped up my middle finger. I sat down on Ryan's bed watching TV, deciding to lay down.

"I think you need to get tested at the doctor, even though I believe you're truly pregnant. It would be best for you and the baby."

 

I agreed to seeing a doctor, I wanted a real positive or negative test. Ryan bought six tests, each with two tests inside. In the six, there was one box that stuck out, a test that said how far along you was. I grabbed it and ran to the bathroom in long strides.

I took out only one of the tests, peeing on it like the past two. This one didn't need shaking, just to sit for a moment while it processed the hormones in my urine. If I was one or two weeks it would say, if it was more it would tell me, as long as I wasn't over a month.

I finished my business but I felt like I had to go again, I grabbed the last test from the box and tested my urine again. After I was sure I had finished I cleaned up in the bathroom and went out to sit on Ryan's bed.

I sighed, "thanks, Ryan, thanks for doing all of this for me. Thanks for coming with me to see my mom, even though you're the one who brought it to my attention. There's a lot of things I've had to go through by myself and it doesn't compare to going through it with your best friend. I know I've been pretty hard to handle lately and probably will be with the mood swings and pregnancy."

My brain couldn't quite get a grip on the fact I could possibly be with child. Ryan only smiled his Ryan smile as I got up to check my tests.

My first test read '1 mth' I threw it out in the room, the other test read the same thing, I also threw it, this time hearing "ouch!" I must have hit Ryan.

"Sorry!" I cried from the bathroom. I came out with a hand over my mouth to cover my laughing smile, I seen Ryan holding his toe, my laugh being controlled by my hand made it hard to not laugh any harder.

"So, those tests told me I'm a month pregnant, whether you believe it or not." I said going to my bags to lay out whatever I came to. A grey light sweater with leopard print words read 'PINK' down the arm and back of the sweater, a pair of medium wash jeans heavily destroyed with holes and red paint.

I started undressing where I stood, not caring if Ryan turned around or not. Being friends since babies, he's probably seen it all but not remembering it by now, "think the hospital will test me? Them bitches will now, if I say so," I joked.

"I'm coming with you, I want answers." Ryan demanded, not bothering to check me out in his peripheral vision as he grabbed the keys. I slid on my flip-flops, grabbing my plain black backpack I called a purse.

In the middle of November, the fall felt like summer, okay, to me it did, it was a bit chilly but warm nonetheless. Walking to the elevator felt like a blur, I didn't remember the elevator opening or going down to the lobby. A slow blur was my vision until we reached the car, getting in the car I pulled out my phone to hear my favorite song; Pretend- Tinashe ft. A$AP Rocky.

It reminded me of certain boys, but not in a good way. "Let's pretend I ain't your friend, so we can get it on again..." The lyrics began to make sense, when I really listened, "when I'm looking for love, I pretend it's you."

The song was about Ryan, it perfectly explained, in a strange way, how I was treating him. I'm surprised he was still around for me, I had been a bitch to him, I wanted that to change. I now saw it in front of me, I saw it clearly, he loved me the way I wanted a bad guy to love me.

All of those sleepless nights in my bed, crying, as he sat downstairs in my apartment watching ESPN on high to block out my loud sobs and cries. He loves me the way I didn't want him to love me those months back, I never thought about it, too afraid I would fall for him.


Love knows no boundaries, it knows no rules or cliques. It's a beautiful thing when you love someone that really loves you back. I had known what love was, what it used to be, before it turned into hatred. I strung Ryan along through all my emotional steps; in love, love, doubt, worry, anxiety, nervousness, hate, and depressed.

What felt like an hour in my head was only ten minutes in reality, we were at the hospital. We walked in through the ER, at the desk sat an older woman with grey hair, "can we help you?" She spoke quietly.

"My friend here thinks she may be pregnant, is there anyone here we could see?" He spoke trying to sound like he didn't want to anger her.

"You're just in time, on the sixth floor, there should be a lady up there that will help you." She pointed towards the set of elevators. We walked around past the desk and my childish side came out, calling for all three at once, I stuck out my tongue at Ryan.

The middle elevator opened first, I pressed number 6 and held on to the rail. The metal doors opened to a room painted pink, there at the desk sat a black woman.

 

I walked with Ryan to the desk, "hi, I was wondering if I get checked to see if I'm pregnant." I spoke nervously to her, she smiled as she stood up walking over to me.

"Follow me," she replied sweetly, she led us into room 602. "If you will sit up on the examination chair and we'll take a look." I sat on a leather seat bigger than me.

"Have you took any tests or showing symptoms you think might make you be pregnant?" She sat at a computer, typing random things in.

"Yeah, I took four. Two that I took said I was month pregnant. I've been sleeping a lot, eating and throwing up." I blushed, nervous that Ryan was about hear intimate things of my body.

"When was your last menstrual cycle, dear?" I blushed brighter, trying to remember the exact day.

"October 20th," she typed more things into the computer. I looked over at Ryan nervous, hoping I wasn't with baby, even though I believed my symptoms.

"Okay, we're going to take some blood from you then get an ultrasound, I'd like to do an ultrasound since you've taken four tests. We don't want to leave you confused, plus if two said a month pregnant we'd need to get you started on prenatal care." She left the room and came back a minute later with a small needle.

"You shouldn't even feel but a tiny prick, I'm going to take it from your arm." She stood next to my right arm, sterilizing her area of choice for the needle to be inserted. A tiny prick pierced my arm, I watched the needle fill with my blood in amazement.

"Okay, I'll set up your blood and we'll know in about five minutes. While we wait I'd like to do an ultrasound, so we know for sure." I nodded and followed her to another room across the hall.

"I'll need to sit there that chair and lift your shirt, the gel will be cold." I followed her instructions better than the pregnancy tests. She placed a clear but blueish gel on my stomach and turned on a monitor.

Using the camera to go around my stomach she searched for any sign of a fetus developing inside me, "there he is. Congratulations, you're three weeks pregnant!" She exclaimed happily.

A thing inside my stomach that resembled a weirdly shaped dinosaur laid in my stomach that would turn into a baby. "We'll go back and get everything you need." Ryan was still in the examining room waiting on me to finish the ultrasound.

"I printed out your ultrasound for you and some papers on what to expect and what you can do. Any questions?" She sat in the chair with her hands crossed.

"What's her due date? When can we find out the gender?" Ryan questioned her in his chair fidgeting.

"We're looking at August and it should be when's she around 20 weeks. When the baby has developed more noticeable features." She smiled walking us out of the room, good thing my insurance covered all this mess.

"Take care, and congratulations again!" She called from the desk, I waved at her from the elevator. The doors shut and opened back to the ER, we walked back to Ryan's car.

"Do you have a bump yet?" Ryan asked with low key excitement in his tone. I stopped walking and lifted my shirt up, complete flatness, nothing out of the normal.

Thoughts in my head about names but most importantly, the baby shower. How can I tell my foster parents and my mom that I'm pregnant from a guy that's long forgot about me? Was Ryan going to tell his parents he knocked up his best friend? It seemed so crazy in my head but I knew Ryan could handle it.

As for names? I thought about RyBree, combining our two names into one. That didn't sound like a persons name but more like a name of bread.

I knew being pregnant meant sacrifices, I couldn't go out and spend hundreds of dollars on clothes for me. I was willing to sacrifice everything I could for this child, to see to it that my baby had everything. I would be willing to let Ryan raise it, a child needs a father, I grew up never knowing mine and my child didn't deserve that.

If I had around twenty weeks to find out the gender then I would start buying clothes, bottles, diapers and whatever else I could. As for a baby shower, I guess close friends, and family even though I dreaded it.

"Any names come to your mind?" Ryan smiling, he looked truly happy in this moment right now. Telling him he couldn't raise my one night stand baby would probably make him die. I wouldn't take that happiness from him, I knew the child's dad wasn't going to be around, he's too busy going to parties and local hang outs showing off his Chevrolet Camaro.

I decided to send Vance a text message to let him know my good news. I typed his name in the address and wrote "I'm 3 weeks pregnant, thought you used a condom?"

I smiled devilishly as I watched it send but suddenly regret sending it in the first place in fear of what he would reply back, if he bothered to.

My phone went off in my hand, he had responded, shock ran through my body as I went to read it.

I did use a condom, Aubree. I swear to you on my life I did! I'm in college for collision repair, I won't have time to be there. We can set up visitation days, I don't think I'm mentally ready to be a father."

What's going on this world? Vance didn't even say it wasn't his after swearing up and down he wore a condom. Vance isn't the type to tell the truth, much less come around to accepting he's a father. At least he wanted some visitation, I figured he could see his baby every other Saturday for just a few hours, especially to start out. I didn't want him to have my child at his house where God knows what goes on. I needed the trust to be built up on a strong level before my child stays with him, which I doubt that would happen, "Aubree, can you take him, I need to get laid from this doped up hooker around the corner."

That sounds in the likely ballpark to what he would say. At least I trusted Ryan to be a damn good father, DNA or not, he wanted to take the responsibility for someone else's mistake. I'm proud of him, not only for that but for everything, him working, paying bills and still managing to have time with his best friend.

 

Chapter three: Ryan

It had been a while since I saw Aubree, work kept me busy. I planned to see her today, her pregnancy was making her sick, doctors cleared her with a clean bill of health but she looked like her death bed was inching closer.

Aubree is now six months pregnant with a healthy baby girl she's naming Zada Marie Brewer, my last name. With only three months left, she looked ready to pop, well, you would too if you were small like her. Her 5'4" statue made her stomach look like a planet, it's adorable.

She couldn't do much, her doctor put her on bed rest for the remainder of her third trimester. She's only allowed to get up for the bathroom and to sit up when she eats, I hated to say this but I really thought the baby was going to kill her, inside and out.

She insisted, more demanding really that I move in with her before the baby arrives. I already thought I should've moved in months ago, I just waiting for her to say something about it. Today and through part of tomorrow I was finishing the paint job for the nursery.

Aubree continually searched online for furniture and baby things and would send me out to get them. She wrote down everything, the color, the brand, even the item number. It made it so much easier on me, unless the store didn't have it just meant more driving. I was determined to get her what she imagined for Zada, I was in the same boat so I never complained.

The nursery Aubree wanted, though a little much was a deep but subtle light pink with black cheetah print only on one wall. I actually kind of liked it, it matched the white painted wood furniture.

With no conversation about a baby shower Aubree and I just bought whatever we didn't have yet, we only needed a crib, Aubree bought the clothes, bottles, diapers, pacifiers, blankets and formula. Which left me to the furniture, baby wipes, powder and maybe some toys or clothes if I saw any cute enough that would please Aubree.

We were set on diapers from newborn to at least a few months, expensive now but a money saver later. She had bottles for every day of the week and days in between. Clothes from newborn to one year, I finally had to stop Aubree or she would've went all the way to five. I understood Aubree for buying so much, fear of running out, seeing as how her mom had to sacrifice for things she needed when Aubree was a baby I guess fueled her to buy in bulk.

Pulling up to Aubree's apartment was like any other day. I brought the remainder of my clothes and some other things I needed to move in and I would finally be done. I left the clothes in the trunk, they could wait, I couldn't, I had to see Aubree.