The day finally came to an end, and for Skye, it couldn't have ended soon enough. With the start of her classes at medical school next week, a hefty 15 credit hours looming over her, she should have felt daunted. Instead, she felt a sense of accomplishment, like she was finally taking control of her life again.
Walking out to her car, she felt the weight of exhaustion but also a sense of exhilaration. Her mother had insisted she set up an appointment with an obstetrician, and although she was 14 weeks pregnant, the reality of it all still hadn't fully sunk in. The appointment was scheduled for the next afternoon, coinciding with Chris's return from Florida.
Feeling a mixture of nervousness and duty, Skye decided to call Chris to remind him of the appointment. She dialed his number, her heart pounding slightly as she waited for him to answer.
"Hey," he responded, his voice low and strained, as if he just ran a very strenuous marathon.
"Hey! We find out the baby's gender tomorrow morning. Just wanted to remind you," Skye said, trying to keep her tone light.
"Wait, that's tomorrow?" Chris's voice rose in surprise. It seemed to only go up an octave.
Skye reached the exit doors of the hospital, but something stopped her in her tracks. She heard a faint, suspicious sound from his end. What was that a sigh? "You're in bed with another woman right now," she stated flatly, her voice laced with a realization that felt like a punch to the gut.
The line went silent. After a moment, Chris stammered, "Yeah, I—I just..."
But Skye didn't let him finish. "You know what? It's fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow. See you later. Bye." She hung up quickly, not waiting for a response.
As she walked to her car, Skye repeated to herself, 'They weren't in a relationship. They weren't in a relationship. They weren't in a fucking relationship' But no matter how many times she said it, it didn't ease the sting of annoyance and foolishness she felt.
Why did it bother her so much? They had made it clear that their connection was solely about co-parenting. But as she drove home, Skye couldn't shake off the feeling of betrayal. The realization that their relationship, whatever it was, might be more complicated than she had admitted to herself, was a bitter pill to swallow. She knew she had to confront these feelings, but for now, she focused on the road ahead, both literally and figuratively, as she navigated her way through the darkening streets.