The bright sun radiates heat onto EJ and me as we make our way through the crowded town square, bustling with locals and tourists alike. My nose catches the delectable smell of blueberry muffins from the bakery nearby, making my mouth water. We draw closer to the doctor's office for another weekly visit. Our steps slow down as I think about all that's changed since we received the news at our first appointment; a newfound comfort washes over me knowing that our little one has grown strong enough in this last month to survive if something were to happen.
I'm tempted to tell EJ that it's time to find out the sex of our baby, but I resist the urge - we've waited this long, might as well wait another month until we can officially know.
He was here, but his presence felt heavy and uncertain. I knew there had been words exchanged after I'd gone, yet he'd stayed for almost an hour and laid beside me in the night. His closeness made my heart swell, but I couldn't bring myself to share it. In that moment, just his being here was enough.
As we stepped into the square, I heard Sami's voice rising in anger and saw her finger pointing accusingly at a small, trembling figure. My heart sank. The tone of her voice was blistering and I recognized it all too well — she had launched into one of her notorious rants, something she always did with total conviction and certainty. All I could do was stand there in awkward silence, my face burning as I transported myself back to a time when that same righteous fury was directed at me.
Sami stood in the town square, her hands clenched on her hips as she berated Sloan. She had a history of taking out her frustration in this way, and I could feel EJ tensing up beside me. Her sharp words cut through the hum of the market like a knife, and I stepped back to let EJ step between us.
My hand rested protectively on my growing belly, our unborn child stirring within me. We were headed to the hospital for another prenatal checkup before picking up some muffins for the baby shower. As Sami's voice grew louder, EJ shifted nervously beside me, his gaze flicking between Sami and myself.
EJ's hand gripped mine like he needed to hold me tight though his knuckles were white with tension. His gaze searched mine, silently imploring me to come up with a plan. Across the square, Sloan strode confidently towards us, an eager smirk playing on her lips that foreshadowed trouble.
"Let's get the muffins and get out of here," EJ said hurriedly, as if that would save us from what we both knew was inevitable. Panic bubbled in my chest as all eyes followed Sloan's progress.
"Forget it," I said with more conviction than I felt. "Let's just go."
Too late; Sloan already stood before us, exhilaration shimmering in her eyes as she asked, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear: "Sami, are you going to tell Nicole and EJ, or should I?"
My heart felt like a racehorse at the starting gate, wild with anticipation and fear. EJ stood next to me, his hand resting on my lower back, grounding me. We didn't hear Sloan's footsteps as she approached, but suddenly she was there, her eyes intent on mine. My confusion must have shown on my face because she spoke again. "The baby, Nicole. It's Eric's not EJ's."
The words hit me like a sucker punch to the gut, all the air in my lungs evaporating like mist. For a moment, everything went black around the edges of my vision as I struggled to comprehend what she'd just said. Then everyone in the square seemed to gasp at once and start murmuring amongst themselves. A hot blush rose up my neck and suffused my cheeks with shame and disbelief; how could this be happening? EJ looked completely stunned too, his face pale and his eyes wide with shock.
Sami glided across the square, her steps light as air. She threw EJ a triumphant smile, and a cruel laugh escaped her lips. Her voice was filled with malice as she snidely declared: "I told you, EJ. You can still escape this mess."
EJ's expression turned stony as he stepped towards her. His voice was taut with emotion as he dismissed Sami: "This isn't about you, Sami."
The other people in the square watched with rapt attention, their eyes shifting between EJ and Sami. As Sami made her exit, the alleyway seemed to hum with anticipation. The seed of doubt that had once been a mere niggling worry had now grown into a fully grown tree, its roots threatening to shatter our foundation. EJ's gaze met mine, his face etched with worry and concern. I saw the despair hovering over him like a fog – he could see it too, the path that had taken a detour from what we'd originally planned for our future. Our hospital visits for our weekly prenatal checkup were forgotten in the wake of Sloan's claim; everything felt uncertain and fragile. A hot blush rose up my neck and suffused my cheeks with shame and disbelief; how could this be happening? EJ looked completely stunned too, his face pale and his eyes wide with shock.