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"Milia, I haven't had my period in two weeks," she choked out, her voice shaking.
"Woah, Sienna, you didn't tell me that," I said, trying to process the information. "Uh, have you taken a test yet?"
Her sobs grew louder, and I could feel the weight of her fear through the phone. "Milia, I'm so scared... I don't know how to be a mother."
I couldn't help but laugh softly, trying to ease her nerves. "Sienna, listen, it'll be okay. Go get a test, and I'll be home as soon as I leave from Mrs. Heidi's shop, okay?"
"Okay," she whispered, her voice small but hopeful. "I love you."
"I love you too," I said before we hung up.
I stood there for a moment, letting it sink in. Then, a grin spread across my face as I whispered, "I'm going to be an aunt!" I couldn't hold back the squeal that followed, my excitement bubbling over as I grabbed my purse and headed out the door toward Mrs. Heidi's florist shop.
When I walked in, the familiar scent of fresh flowers greeted me, along with the sight of Wyatt spraying the blooms with water. He turned when he heard the door, his face lighting up when he saw me. "Hey, baby... what's got you so happy?" he asked.
"Well..." I began, dragging it out for dramatic effect. "Sienna might be with child sooo..."
Wyatt's eyes widened, and he nearly dropped the spray bottle. "Wait, what?! You're tellin' me Akhilles might've knocked Sienna up?"
I laughed at his reaction, nodding. "I mean, it's not for certain, but maybe."
"Holy shit!" he exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. "That means we're gonna be an uncle and aunt!"
"Yes, it does!" I grinned, and before I knew it, Wyatt had pulled me into a hug, and we were jumping up and down like kids.
We stopped after a few seconds, both of us laughing at how silly we must've looked. Wyatt caught his breath, a wide smile still plastered on his face. "No, but seriously, can you come help me move these boxes?"
I smirked, flexing my arm playfully. "Yeah, you know I'm strong."
Wyatt rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "Yeah, yeah... come on." He took my hand, and we walked to the back of the shop together to start moving the boxes, still buzzing with the excitement of the news.
??Β°
I had been busting my tail for about two hours, moving boxes and trying to give Mrs. Heidi's shop a little makeover with Wyatt. My arms felt like jelly, and I was just about done with the heavy lifting. I bent down to grab another box, feeling the weight of it pull me down a bit more than I wanted.
"Milia, don't carry anything that's too heavy. I'll grab it when I come back," Wyatt called out as he sauntered toward the back.
"Where are you going?" I asked, pausing to catch my breath.
"To the bathroom! Remember, if we have a customer, help 'em out, but don't check 'em out!" He rushed off like he had ants in his pants, and I couldn't help but chuckle. I shook my head, then turned back to the box.
As I bent down to lift it, the familiar sound of the shop's bell jingled, signaling a new customer. "I'll be right there!" I shouted, struggling to maneuver the box through the narrow aisles. It was like trying to navigate a maze with my vision blocked.
I managed to shuffle toward the front, but as I lifted the box to set it down, I looked up and froze. My heart dropped to my ass. Standing right in front of me was Beau, Wyatt's dad. The air thickened with tension, and I couldn't breathe for a second.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" I blurted out, looking around for Wyatt, hoping he wouldn't come back anytime soon.
Beau smirked, a chill running down my spine. "Hmm, I have a date tonight, and I was lookin' forward to buyin' her some roses." He chuckled, and I felt disbelief wash over me.
"You're joking, right?" I asked, my voice shaky.
"No, actually I'm not joking," he said, stepping closer. His smile grew wider, making me uncomfortable. "You know, Milia... I get the impression that you don't like me very much."
A small laugh escaped my lips, and I forced a smile. "Awe, you're right. I don't."
He let out a deep, throaty laugh that echoed in the small shop. "But you don't even know me, Miss Milia."
"I don't know you, but I do know you're the reason Wyatt's mother isn't here, and Wyatt loved her deeply."
Beau's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to size me up. He took another step closer, and my heart raced, pounding in my chest. "You know, I can see why my son likes you."
Suddenly, he brushed his finger against my cheek. I recoiled, slapping his hand away. "What the fuck aβ" But before I could finish, he wrapped a hand around my waist, pulling me closer.
"It's a lot of things I don't like in this world," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous, "but a smug little bitch is what burns me up the most." His grip tightened, digging into my sides. "And you? You've been a little too disrespectful to me lately, and I don't fuckin' appreciate it."
I gasped, trying to push him away. "Y-you're hurting me."
He laughed, a cold sound that sent shivers down my spine. "It hurts, doesn't it? Yeah, that's how my heart feels every time you embarrass me in front of my son."
Desperation clawed at me, and I attempted to push him away once more, but he pulled me even closer and pressed a kiss against my neck.
"What the fuck?" I then heard a voice shout and I pushed Beau away with all of my strength. I turned to see Wyatt standing there, his face pale and horrified. "Wyatt, Iβ" I started to explain, but he stormed out of the room, and my heart shattered.
I shot a death glare back at Beau before I sprinted after Wyatt.
"Wyatt, please! You know I wouldn't do anything like that!" I called after him, my voice frantic.
"Milia, what the fuck was that?" he shouted, his expression a mix of confusion and anger.
"Wyatt... I was taking a box back to the front, and he just showed up outta nowhere! I swear that's it, that's all!"
He shook his head, disbelief written all over his face. "Milia, he was kissing on your fucking neck when I walked in there!"
"Wyatt, he pulled me into him! I-I tried to pull away , but he justβ"
Before I could finish my sentence, Wyatt picked up a nearby bucket and slammed it against the wall. The loud crash made me jump, and my heart raced from both fear and frustration.
"Milia, just go, please... I don't even want to look at you right now."
Those words hit me like a slap across the face. I felt my heart drop into my stomach as I realized he didn't believe me. "Wyatt, you have to believe me! I would never do anything like that to you!"
He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes filled with anger. "Milia, I do believe you, but I can't unsee what I just saw! So I just want you to go." The pain in his voice was clear, and it cut deep.
"Wyatt, please," I begged, stepping closer, desperate to talk to him.
"Milia, if you don't leave in the next three seconds, I swear we are so done."
His words stung like crazy. I felt my throat go dry, tears forming in my eyes. How could he say that when I hadn't done anything wrong?
"You're so unbelievable, Wyatt," I murmured, shaking my head in disbelief. My heart ached as I realized I had to go. I couldn't make things worse. So, I turned and walked away, tears streaming down my face, giving him the space he needed.