3. Destiny
3
DESTINY
T he baby's wail cuts through the early morning silence like a siren. I groggily shuffle to the crib, picking up Avery and cradling her against my chest. Her tiny fingers grasp at my shirt, seeking comfort.
"Shh, it's okay, baby girl," I murmur, gently rocking her back and forth. Her cries soften, and her eyelids droop as she nestles into me.
I hum softly, pacing the room until she finally drifts back to sleep.
Smiling, I lay her down in the crib and tiptoe out of the nursery, heading straight for the kitchen. The scent of freshly brewed coffee greets me as I pour myself a cup.
Just as I'm about to take my first sip, my phone buzzes on the counter.
"Barrett," I mutter, glancing at the caller ID. "Good morning."
"Morning, Destiny. Sorry to be blunt so early in the morning, but have you told him yet?"
I take a deep breath, leaning against the counter. "Not yet. I've been busy with work and Avery."
"You can't keep putting this off," he says firmly. "Adam's lawyer is getting impatient. He wants to know why we haven't set a date for the court hearing."
"What's his problem?" I snap. "It's not like we're dragging our feet for fun. Things are complicated."
His silence is heavy with meaning. "I know the property and business entanglements aren't making this easy. And getting court dates has undeniably been a nightmare, but we’re walking on thin ice now."
I know he's right. My and Adam’s lives have become so intertwined; untangling them has been like trying to separate threads of silk from a spider's web. "I know, it’s just all so complicated…" I repeat, softer this time.
"I get that," Barrett replies, his tone softening. "But we both know that's not the real reason we're dragging this out."
I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling the weight of his words settle over me. "I know. I just... How do I even start that conversation? 'Hey Adam, nice weather we’re having. By the way, you have a daughter'? He'll be furious."
"He probably will be," Barrett agrees. "But hiding it any longer isn't fair to him or Avery."
"I just... it’s about a lot more than simply telling him that he’s a father. I...I do have valid reasons for not telling him as soon as I knew."
I start pacing my apartment, my coffee cup forgotten on the kitchen table. "It’s not like I’m trying to be an evil and selfish ex here…I’m not too proud to admit that I’m scared. You know how powerful he is."
"That's why we've been delaying things for so long," Barrett reminds me. "To give you time to figure this out. But we're running out of excuses to stall. It’s going to become obvious that there’s more to the hold up."
I glance at Avery's crib through the open doorway and feel a pang of guilt. "You're right. I'll tell him soon."
"Soon needs to be very soon," he warns. "This divorce has already taken a year because of all the complications with your businesses and court dates. And if Adam finds out about Avery after everything's finalized..."
"He'll come after me with everything he's got," I finish for him. My stomach churns at the thought. Adam is nothing if not determined when he wants something.
"Exactly," Barrett says softly. "And as your friend, not just your lawyer, I don't want that for you."
I nod, even though he can't see me. "Thanks, Barrett. I'll figure it out."
"Just let me know when you're ready," he says before hanging up.
I stare at my phone for a moment before setting it down and returning to the kitchen to take a long sip of coffee. The warmth does little to ease the cold knot in my stomach.
"How did it come to this?" I whisper to myself.
I know the answer, but that doesn’t make me feel any better.
The worry about what will happen once Adam knows about his daughter makes the back of my throat go numb.
He’ll tell me how wrong I was to keep her away from him, and he’ll be right.
Still, it’s not a decision I made lightly. Hopefully, he remembers who I am and will understand my motivations.
Hopefully.
In the silence of my apartment, I can hear her stir in her crib, reminding me of what truly matters.
Barret’s early call also makes me feel the importance of not running away from reality for much longer. I know just as well as him that I can't keep avoiding this.
I put my coffee cup down, the creamy liquid no longer offering solace, and walk back into Avery's room, the soft light filtering through the curtains casting a gentle glow over her crib.
She sleeps peacefully, her tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. Her small fingers twitch occasionally, perhaps dreaming of some baby adventure—it melts my heart.
"Hey, little one," I whisper, brushing a stray dark curl from her forehead. "You have no idea how much you mean to me."
I can’t help but smile. Being a mother is everything I ever wanted and more, but it’s also a constant reminder of what I’ve been avoiding.
“Your daddy would love you so much,” I murmur. “And I know he deserves to know about you…eventually.”
Leaning against the crib, I watch her, marveling at how something so small can fill my heart with so much love and guilt simultaneously. She’s my world now, my reason for everything.
Yet every moment of joy is shadowed by the secret I carry, but the thought of telling Adam sends me into a tailspin.
It's not that I plan on never telling him. I'm just... delaying.
A big part of me wants to get through the divorce first, to have some semblance of control over this chaos. But Barrett won't let that happen, and I know he's right to argue against it.
I close my eyes, fighting back tears. The real reason I've kept Avery a secret gnaws at me every day. I know Adam—he's the kind of man who would drop everything to be there for his child and give her a family.
But trying to fix our broken marriage just for Avery isn’t fair to any of us.
Staying together for a kid's sake is a recipe for disaster. I've seen too many relationships implode because of that misguided sense of duty.
I still love Adam deeply; that’s undeniable. But our relationship ended for reasons that won’t magically disappear just because we have a child together.
The thought of being with him again only for everything to fall apart later terrifies me. It would hurt Avery more than anything
“I’m sorry,” I whisper to Avery. “I’m doing what I think is best for you.”
Plus, it's too painful to think about being with Adam again, knowing how things ended between us.
The love is still there, burning bright and hot, buried under layers of hurt that can’t just be ignored.
"I wish things were different," I murmur, leaning down to kiss Avery's forehead. "I wish you could have both your parents together without all the baggage."
I pull back and straighten up, feeling a new resolve harden within me. I'll tell him soon, but on my terms.
I just need a little more time to figure out how to do it without completely unraveling everything.
Avery stirs slightly but settles back into sleep with a contented sigh. I watch her for a few more moments before stepping back and taking a deep breath.
"Sleep tight, baby girl," I whisper before stepping out of the nursery and closing the door softly behind me.
“Alright,” I say quietly to myself. “Time to get back to work.”
Back in the living room, I sit down at my work desk where sketches and fabric samples await my attention.
For long moments I just stare at the sketches spread out before me. My clothing line has been my lifeline through all this turmoil. Drowning myself in work has been my coping mechanism ever since Adam and I split up. It has been easier than facing the messy emotions head-on.
Also, it's something I built on my own terms—a reminder that I'm capable of standing on my own two feet.
But even as I dive into my work, the thought of Adam looms large in my mind. It's not just about telling him; it's about facing the reality of our broken relationship and figuring out how to co-parent without letting old wounds fester.
I can see his face in my mind, his dark blue eyes piercing through every wall I’ve started to put up between us.
A shiver runs down my spine and I’m not too sure if it’s from the thought of facing him again or because I miss how he could look right into my soul.
My phone buzzes again—another reminder that life doesn't pause for personal crises. This time it's a message from one of my suppliers about a fabric shipment delay.
"Of course," I mutter, typing out a quick response before tossing the phone aside.
As much as I'd love to bury myself in work and avoid dealing with this mess, I know it's not an option anymore.
Barrett's call was just what I needed to make it sink in that there’s more than my fears at stake here. For Avery's sake, it's time to face the music.
One step at a time, Destiny. One step at a time.