There Will Be Freedom (not mine)

15. Easter Sunday

Bridget sighed from the other side of the table, and I knew she wanted me to ask her what the problem was.

"What's the matter, Bridget?"

"Nothing." She took a small bite of her pizza.

Olivia and I looked at each other with knowing glances. No one else seemed to care or be paying attention.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "You look pretty down."

"Well... I saw some girl I went to college with today. She's the same age as me and has three kids, three."

After learning about Bridget's conception problems, I was a little more sympathetic towards her cause. Olivia, on the other hand, wasn't so silent about her thoughts.

"Good for her." Olivia nodded. "If that's what she wants then good for her."

I glared at Olivia. "Bridget, it'll happen for you too. Don't worry."

"But when?" She exhaled. "I'm doing everything the doctor told me and I'm just... waiting. It's so hard."

"I know, but it will happen. I know it will."

"I see all these people who just get pregnant from looking at each other." She slammed her hand down on the table, silencing the conversations. "They don't even want babies and everyone can get fucking pregnant except me. Some people don't even deserve to be parents."

I tried not to move my eyes to Jaxon, but I could tell that he was looking at me. Justin sipped his beer, as if he was bored with the conversation. Olivia did the same.

"Babe, we're trying everything we can." Keegan put an arm around her. "You've got to have some faith."

"I'm just so tired." She laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm trying to be positive, but it's not working. I hate women who just get pregnant and don't even want children."

"It's not really their fault," I said quietly. "Sometimes, those things can't be helped."

"It still hurts. I could take care of a baby better than half the mothers out there."

I couldn't take much more of this conversation, so I made up some excuse about me having to use the bathroom and left the table.

Bridget didn't know about the baby growing inside of me, and my decision to tell everyone was just going to make this harder for her. I pulled myself together after a quick splash of water on my face and went to sit back down. No one seemed to take my absence as anything alarming.

After that, dinner was filled with forced happiness. Bridget was just ready to go home, but stayed for Keegan. I was trying to participate, but my mind was more focused on how I was going to tell Justin about this baby. The clock was ticking, and I didn't have any time for beating around the bush.

Everyone left around midnight, and I dragged myself up to bed with Justin following me. As soon as we hit the sheets, his hands started to touch over my body, making my skin tingle in that familiar way I loved. He blamed the alcohol. I blamed his insatiable libido. Nonetheless, I was ready.

"Maddie, I love you," he hummed against my neck as he placed kisses there, "God, I love you so fucking much."

"I love you too." My fingers tangled in his hair.

My hands traced the contours of his body: the sculpted ridges between the muscles of his shoulders; the firm mounds of his pecs; the deep dips of his abdomen. Justin Bieber was a god among men.

I felt his breathing hitch when I hooked my fingers in the elastic of his boxers.

I began to push them down. He completed my motions. I soon felt the weight of his completely naked body above me, forcing me deeper into the sheets.