Jenna POV:
Matthew left me to do all the shopping, only making a quick appearance when I texted him to come pay for everything. I used those moments to sneakily take pictures of him paying.
As I scanned the aisles, anything that caught my eye found its way into the shopping cart. I'm not footing the bill after all. My child's father and husband is.
"Have you thought of any names? I have some but I wanted to see what you had." I mentioned attempting to engage him in conversation.
"Yes, I have. Can I see your list?" He glanced at me, slightly interested. I am keeping the gender a surprise for as long as possible, mostly so that Matthew could take me shopping again to get items for the gender.
The thought of having both a baby shower and a gender reveal crossed my mind. That way, I could enjoy two celebrations and receive a ton of gifts at both events.
My impending due date scared me. My life would never be the same. I couldn't just think about myself anymore, I would have to prioritize the baby.
Sleeping in and hanging out with friends would soon be replaced with sleepless nights, cries, and diaper changes. That's why I needed to secure a nanny as soon as possible, so I can still have that.
"Yep." I handed him my phone so he could look through it. For the first time today, he seemed genuinely engaged in our conversation.
"Cayleigh, Haleigh, Baileigh, Everleigh, Mckenzie, Brittany, Stacy, Lauren, Tiffany, Jennifer." He looked at me skeptically as he read the names out loud.
"They're so good, I know. If you like those, look at the boy names." I urged him, smiling happily.
"Kayden, Brayden, Aiden, Zaiden, Spencer, Garret, Tobi, Chad, Brad, Henry, Brian, Kyle and Matthew Jr." He stopped at Kyle and looked at me incredulously.
"I have middle names too." I said excitedly.
"How about you leave naming the baby to me? If you like it, it'll be the finalized name. Yeah?" I was stunned. This was the most involved he's been.
"Yeah!!" As long as he talked to me I didn't care what the baby was named.
We visited a few more stores, and I filled bags with clothes for me and the baby. Although I wanted to explore big stuff like strollers, cribs, and car seats, Matthew assured me he had it all taken care of.
Our shopping spree ended when we ran out of stores to shop at. Matthew didn't waste any time gathering up all the bags and heading towards the exit. He moved too fast for me to start a conversation.
I led him to my car where he started to load the bags in. He mentioned that he had gone shopping for some things which were now at his house.
I gasped loudly on purpose, causing Matthew to look at me.
"What is it?" He asked, concerned.
"The baby is kicking." I feigned surprise. "Here feel it." I grabbed his hand and placed it on my belly. I started to move his hands all over my belly.
"I don't feel anything." He said, doubtful.
"It went away as soon as you touched me." I lied.
"My baby shower is in two weeks, my due date is another two weeks after that." I changed the subject quickly. I watched him pause for a bit. "Do you think you can make it?
"I'll be there for the delivery. But as for the baby shower, we'll see." He said, his packing more hurried.
"Wait!" He paused, not even turning to look at me.
"Since the baby is coming soon, I was thinking about getting a nanny, to help with the baby and make sure I'm getting enough sleep. Could you please get one for me?"
"I think you will be fine. We should have a schedule to take care of the baby. That way neither of us is overwhelmed." He responded. It took everything in me not to frown and pout. Major disappointment.
"Sounds good. We haven't made love in a while. Did you want to come to my place?" We hadn't had any intimate time since he "ended" the affair.
"No." He said seriously, his body quickly moving to put all the bags in my car.
"My due date is coming up. How soon can I move in?" He stopped to look at me, shocked that I even said it.
"Jenna, you aren't moving in with me. I'll come by to help with the baby but you are not moving in with me." His tone left no room to argue.
"Why not? We're together, it makes sense for us to live together." I was confused. Our child was due soon. I needed his support to raise the baby we made together.
"We're not together. Just co-parenting. And you have your own place to live." He looked over at me like I was crazy.
"Why can't we be together?" I asked, not dropping the subject. That wasn't a valid answer.
"I love someone else. I don't love you and don't want to be with you. I never meant to be entangled with you, especially like this." The look of disbelief, annoyance, and disregard on his face hurt me.
"You're entangled with me now that I'm pregnant. I'm stuck in your life forever. You love me!" I stared directly at him, unblinking.
"I was stupid to not use a condom but I am not stuck with you. I guarantee you that. I love Vanessa Alexandria Woods-Jackson. She's my guiding light. My twin flame. My true love. You will never compare. Period!" He states matter-of-factly.
"You want to bet? I saw Vanessa getting cozy with some guy." I smoothly lied.
"You're lying!" His face started to get red. His hazel eyes looked like they were on fire.
"He's tall and handsome. They were really close. Constantly touching and smiling at each other." I continued my lies.
"She wouldn't. You are nothing but a lie!" He raged, his jaw kept clenching. He really couldn't bear to hear that she's with someone else while single. Yet he continued a four month affair with me while he was married to her.
Married.
Men. They can dish it but they sure as fuck can't take it.
I can't have a nanny or move-in. Let me play with him a little more.
Miles:
"French toast." She answered, thinking it was a part of the question and answer we were doing.
"With what toppings?" I asked, my attention solely on her.
"Strawberries and chocolate chips with syrup." A voice answered playfully.
We both turned to see Pablo who arrived with a tray with three ice coffees.
Vanessa didn't feel comfortable coming by herself and asked Pablo to come with her. It was completely understandable. I'm just glad she agreed to meet with me.
"Right on time Pablo." Vanessa teased, and I couldn't help but smile at their camaraderie.
"I'm only a few minutes late plus I brought coffee." He defended, displaying the carrier with a grin.
He shook my hand and he gave Vanessa a kiss on the forehead.
"He was right about the toppings." She confirmed, looking at me.
"Nice to have you here." I said sincerely, appreciating their friendly energy.
"Thanks for inviting me." He replied as he set the tray on the table, joining us.
Vanessa took the one with her name on it and sipped on it, a contented smile gracing her lips.
"This place is nice." Pablo commented, taking in the cozy surroundings.
"It's so cozy and warm." Vanessa agreed with a happy look. "How did you find it?"
"My sister's fiancé found it. They were looking for small bookshops to support, and we've been regulars ever since." I answered. "Do either of you have any siblings?"
"I have two brothers and two sisters. They're great." Vanessa said, with a big smile looking over at Pablo.
"I have two sisters and a brother." He gave her a huge smile.
"Do you have siblings other than your sister?" Vanessa asked.
"Just her. We're close." I smiled, thinking about my sister.
The three of us kept talking to each other. I got to know Vanessa and Pablo better and they learned about me.
Vanessa shared how much loved her family, how she was thinking about going for her MBA, and how she liked to relax and journal.
Pablo shared his hobby of boxing, that he wanted to start his own firm, liked to bake and paint.
I shared my love for my dog Bentley and family, new candles and soaps I was making, and my upcoming scuba diving lesson with my family.
I purposely left out the details about med school.
It was a completely relaxed conversation.
"What's your favorite color?" I asked Vanessa, curious to know her answer.
"I don't have one. But I can paint with all the colors of the wind." She replied playfully, and we all laughed at her joke.
"So you don't have a favorite color?" I asked, amused by her response.
"No, I don't." She replied with a small smile.
"Do you have any colors that you like?" I inquired.
"I like blue and pink." She answered, and I made a mental note of her preference.
"What about you?" She asked, and I made a mental note of her preferences.
"Blue and purple are my favorites." I shared, and Pablo added that he liked green and red.
Pablo's phone rang. "I have to take this. It's for an important case" He said quickly, giving Vanessa a pleading look and me a serious one. I understood which case it was.
Vanessa gave him a firm nod, like she was giving him permission. He looked at me and I gave him a nod.
"We have a family rule: no working outside of work hours unless it's an emergency. We're big on work-life balance and prioritizing the things that truly matter, like family." She answered my unspoken question in a strong tone.
Her words resonated with me deeply. "I wholeheartedly agree with your rule." I said sincerely, feeling a connection with her values. "My family follows a similar principle."
We looked at each other, it was clear that we had a mutual understanding of the importance of putting family first, making the small bond between us grow more.
"That's good." Her tone is positive and light. I could tell she was pleased that I agreed with her.
"What scents do you like?" I asked, trying to be subtle.
"I like jasmine, caramel, honey, and gardenia." She kept answering my questions. I had been making mental notes of everything she was telling me.
"Do you have scents that you like?" She looked at me, waiting for my answer.
"Sandalwood, citrus, and patchouli." I said, listing off the scents in my favorite cologne.
"Do you prefer physical copies or e-book?"
"I prefer eBooks but I carry physical copies around." She answered, gesturing towards the Percy Jackson book.
"Any books that you would like to have physical copies of?"
"Salt" by Nayyirah Waheed and "All About Love" by Bell Hooks are at the top of my head." She glanced at me. "I think you should read those."
"I will, thanks for the suggestions." I said honestly, committing them to memory.
"No problem, I have plenty." I trust her opinion on any book.
"I'm going to look for a book. Can you give me a second?" I excused myself.
"Sure." Vanessa replied.
I waited for her to answer before getting up and eagerly heading to the book section.
I hated lying but I didn't know if she would try to stop me if I asked to get her everything I planned on.
Hello readers,
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! More on Jenna and Matthew's perspectives. I wish you all nothing but the best.
You are capable. You are deserving of all good.
There is a lot to unpack this chapter. Tell you what you think!
What's your opinion on the characters of this chapter?
Vanessa?
Miles?
Matthew?
Jenna?
Pablo?
Endless love,
Booklover082