Seven
ALLISON
S hortly after her “session”, Allison changed into some cozy pajamas—because she didn’t believe in wearing lounge-wear around the house. With a sigh of relief, she slipped into the soft fabric and grabbed some light snacks before flopping down onto her bed.
She had only been out of the house for a few hours, but she felt utterly exhausted. The combination of sleep deprivation and pregnancy had her feeling like a zombie, shambling through the day with all the grace of a sleepwalker.
Something tells me this child is gonna be a little diva.
She rested her hand on her stomach, feeling a wave of affection mixed with exasperation. “You better let me eat something soon, you little fetus,” she said, half-seriously. “I can’t survive on snacks alone.”
Oh spectacular, I’m talking to my pea-sized baby. Which reminds me…
Allison picked up her phone, her fingers trembling slightly as she searched for her OB-GYN’s number. After a few anxious moments, she spotted Dr. Malory’s contact and took a deep breath. Saying a quiet prayer for courage, she pressed the call button, hoping for the best.
“Hi, this is Allison Lockwood. I would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Malory,” she said, trying to sound confident despite the flutter of nerves in her stomach.
“What would this be in reference to?” The doctor’s assistant replied with a very warm voice, which somehow made Allison feel anything but fuzzy—more like a cold splash of reality.
“I’m pregnant, and I’m kind of lost. I don’t know what to do,” she admitted, the words tumbling out and making her stomach churn. Just saying it aloud felt like a confession, and she could almost hear her own heart pounding in her ears.
She knew she should have called her doctor as soon as she found out about the pregnancy, but she had buried her head in the sand like an ostrich, trying to ignore the reality of those positive tests.
The assistant paused for a moment, and Allison could practically feel the sympathetic vibe radiating through the phone. “Don’t worry, Allison. We can definitely help you with that. How about we schedule you for a consultation? Dr. Malory will walk you through everything.”
“Okay,” she replied, relief washing over her. “That sounds good.”
A few minutes later, she had her appointment scheduled for two weeks ahead. Feeling a mix of anticipation and anxiety, she searched for “Daddy” in her contacts.
I need to change that ASAP.
With a deep breath, she dialed his number, and he picked up on the second ring.
“Allison?” His voice was rough, like he had just woken up, which she knew for a fact wasn’t true because no CEO ever slept during the day. They barely even sleep at night.
“Hi, Angelo. Um, I’m just calling to let you know I scheduled the ultrasound,” Allison said, biting her lip as she spoke.
Angelo sighed, but it sounded like a happy sigh—one that made her heart flutter.
“That’s great, Allison,” he whispered, his voice dropping to a gravely, intimate tone that made her stomach flip. “When’s the appointment?”
His genuine excitement was a relief, washing over her like a wave. “It’s in two weeks,” she replied, feeling a bit of tension return to her shoulders. “I know you’re really busy so it’s okay if you can’t—”
“Allison. That’s perfect. I’ll make sure to clear my schedule,” he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
She didn’t know why she paused whenever he said her name in that tone. It was just her name, after all. But the way he said it sent a little shiver down her spine, reminding her of that night together—the way he’d ordered her around, with an authority that had excited her. She felt a warmth blossom in her chest, and she thought she could practically melt at the sound.
It was a mixture of affection and something deeper, a connection that she hadn’t fully grasped yet. The memory of their intimate moments danced in her mind, and she felt her cheeks flush as she recalled the way he had looked at her, his gaze filled with intensity and desire.
Allison shook her head clear of the fantasies, thankful that he couldn’t see her. “Thanks, Angelo. I appreciate it.” For the first time, she felt a flicker of hope that maybe they could navigate this together after all.
Doubts seeped in immediately, settling like a lead weight in Allison’s stomach. “But what if something happens to the baby before then?” she blurted, fidgeting nervously with her fingers as if they might somehow distract her from the spiraling thoughts in her head.
“Everything will be just fine, baby—baby mama,” Angelo replied, stumbling over his words. The slip-up made Allison raise an eyebrow, considering that he’d almost called her “baby”.
No, he’s just busy and probably tired . Still, now I have to tease him.
“Is that what you’ll be calling me, Mr. Taylor?” she asked, a playful lilt in her voice. “That’s a tad inappropriate, don’t you think?” Her words were serious, but the softness in her tone betrayed her amusement.
Angelo didn’t answer immediately. In the short moment it took him to come up with a response, Allison began second-guessing herself, her mind racing.
Was that too forward?
Was this a mistake?
I shouldn’t have teased him; that’s what’s inappropriate!
Oh, God, now he won’t want anything to do with me or this baby.
He’ll probably leave us both to fend for ourselves and I’ll raise my kid alone.
My child will grow up without a father, need therapy sessions that I won’t be able to afford because I’ll have to quit work.
And because they won’t go to therapy, they’ll probably get depressed, start drinking, and doing drugs!
Oh my God, my child will be an addict, and it’s all my fault!
Just when she thought she might actually hyperventilate from the weight of her worries, Angelo finally spoke. “I can call you anything you want, Ms. Lockwood.”
Oh. Oh, he’s teasing me back.
A smile broke through her panic, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh really? Anything?”
“Absolutely,” he replied, a smile in his voice. “I could even start calling you ‘Queen of the Pregnant Kingdom’ if you’d like.”
Allison snorted, the tension releasing from her shoulders. “Now that’s just ridiculous, and you know it!” she said, feeling lighter.
“Fine, how about ‘Lady of the Lavish Lattes’ instead?” he quipped, clearly enjoying their playful banter.
“Okay, that one I can get behind,” she replied, feeling a sense of calm return.
Angelo was still slightly chuckling when he said, “Make sure to send me the details about the appointment, Allison.”
“Okay,” she replied, trying to sound casual, but her heart was still racing from their playful exchange.
“Perfect. I’ll see you then.”
With that, she hung up, still caught up in the warmth of their conversation. But as soon as the call ended, a wave of embarrassment washed over her.
I got so flustered that I couldn’t even say goodbye like a decent human being!
She just hung up on Angelo Taylor—the man who could charm the pants off anyone in a boardroom and had just turned her into a blushing mess. She facepalmed at her own awkwardness.
Seriously, Allison? You just ghosted the father of your child after a bit of playful banter?
She got up and paced around her room, mumbling to herself, “Next time, I’ll just stick to ‘Bye’ or ‘See you later’. Like a normal person!”
She sat back onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow. “What happens now? I’m going to start practicing my goodbyes in the mirror?” she groaned, feeling the weight of her mortification.
Yet despite her embarrassment, a smile crept onto her face. She had teased him back, and the playful back-and-forth felt easy, promising. It was a welcome distraction from the monotony of her daily routine, igniting a spark of excitement that she hadn’t felt in a long time. The man occupied her thoughts day and night at this point, his smile lingering in her mind like a catchy tune.
Curiosity got the best of her, and she grabbed her phone, opening the browser and searching “Angelo Taylor CEO.” The screen filled with images and articles, each one deepening her intrigue about the man who had so effortlessly captured her attention.
Her mouth fell open from the sheer amount of news on the man. She was always so busy working that she never bothered with tabloids or gossip magazines. Her idea of current events was usually limited to whatever scandal had made it onto her office’s group chat. She never checked the news.
Really, the apocalypse could be upon her, and she wouldn’t know until a zombie knocked on her front door, demanding to come in for tea.
As she scrolled through her phone, she found articles detailing Angelo’s impressive rise in the corporate world, along with the usual flurry of headlines about his charming smile and rumored romances. She had to admit, seeing him splashed across glossy pages with headlines like “Angelo Taylor: The Man Who Can’t Be Stopped” was a bit surreal.
She couldn’t help but chuckle at how they had gone from a casual meeting to a playful conversation about ultrasound appointments.
“Just my luck,” she muttered to herself. “Not only am I pregnant, but I’m also entangled with a corporate heartthrob who probably has more cameras in his life than I have socks.”
She tossed her phone aside, shaking her head in disbelief. What would the tabloids say if they caught wind of her current situation? “Businesswoman Gets Pregnant by CEO: The Shocking Turn of Events!”
“Next thing you know, I’ll be the subject of a reality show: Keeping Up with the Corporate Baby Daddies, ” she joked to herself.
The man had been on Forbes 400. He was only thirty-two years old, had just gotten appointed CEO and he was already on Forbes magazine.
That’s so fucking hot.
Amira would be fangirling so hard right now.
Allison’s happy streak was ruined just like that at the memory of her ex best friend.
Once upon a time, Allison had been a social butterfly, flitting from one gathering to another, her laughter ringing through the halls like a cheerful chime. She had a large group of girlfriends in high school, but none of those relationships were particularly deep or truthful—more like a collection of acquaintances who shared the occasional gossip and not much else.
Then came her college days, during which she was double majoring and living with her best friend, Amira freaking Davis.
Those were magnificent times filled with late-night pizza runs, spontaneous adventures, and endless laughter. Amira had been the sister Allison never had, especially after growing up with only brothers who had little interest in her latest fashion obsessions or her emotional rants about crushes. For Amira, an only child, Allison had filled the same role.
Their bond was tight, seemingly unbreakable, like a well-worn pair of jeans that just fit perfectly. They even enjoyed the freedom of walking around in their underwear, relishing the bliss of finally being free from family constraints.
Ami would hate the granny panties I’ve been wearing lately.
The thought of Amira’s disapproving glare made her snicker.
But those carefree days felt like a distant memory now. After graduation, as soon as Allison finished her business degree, her father hired her as his personal assistant. His previous assistants had been labeled ‘insufferable’—and Allison, being his daughter, was at least tolerable. Business-wise.
The hours were grueling, and the workload was enormous, leaving her with no free time to enjoy the little things in life. She’d moved out of her shared apartment with Amira because her father demanded it, insisting she needed to focus on her career. Gone were the days of spontaneous shopping trips, coffee breaks, or even just lounging around in her underwear while gossiping about boys.
A sad life, indeed.
After rejecting her friends too many times to count, everyone had eventually stopped bothering. Amira had tried and tried to reconnect, but eventually, even she gave up. Allison had stopped being a good friend, if she was being honest with herself. She’d stopped replying, calling, and texting. She’d virtually disappeared, slipping away like a ghost, and she regretted it every day.
Now more than ever, with everything changing and her world upside down, that regret felt like a heavy weight pressing down on her heart.
Should I text her?
Allison scoffed at her own thought. She wouldn’t even know what to say.
She supposed a simple request for coffee might be good, although that was assuming Amira actually replied. If she refused, at least Allison had tried. And if she accepted… Well, Allison doubted she’d get a positive response, but in the slim chance that she did, she’d figure out what she would do along the way.
Pulling up Amira’s contact—which she simply refused to delete—she took a deep breath, and moved her fingers.
Allison
Hi, Ami. I know it’s been a long time, but I was wondering if you would like to grab some coffee with me soon? xx
Allison scoffed at her own text. Amira had always claimed that using proper punctuation when texting was a waste of time and negated the purpose of texting. Still, she hit send and put her phone back in her pocket, pushing it out of her mind.
Just as she was about to head into the kitchen to get some snacks, Allison heard the sound of a droplet falling. A notification on her phone.
Oh fuck. Did she reply already?
She opened the text thread, frozen on her spot, just outside the kitchen.
Amira
Hi Ali! Im really busy these days sry
Allison sighed as she read the text. Dejected, she typed a reply, but didn’t send it as she saw bubbles. Amira was typing.
Amira
Maybe in a few weeks tho?
Suddenly, Allison squealed, unable to contain the sound. She hadn’t really thought that Amira would even consider meeting up with her, be it for coffee or even a walk in the park.
She quickly typed her reply and hit send, at the edge of her proverbial seat.
She waited. And waited. And waited some more. Ten minutes later, Amira had not replied. Allison deflated.
Maybe she’s busy right now?
When she still didn’t have a reply fifteen minutes later, she actually went into the kitchen, determined to get some snacks. It didn’t matter that she would barf it up later.
She picked up a bag of oregano chips—wavy, of course—and sat down on her cloudy couch.
Allison cast her gaze outside, seeing the moody, dark skyline of Seattle and sighed.
Seems like a Harry Potter kind of day.
Three hours later, Allison had watched the first Harry Potter and an episode of Friends, because her brain couldn’t shut up enough for her to focus on her favorite magical characters.
Right as she was about to press play on the next episode, her phone blipped from its place on the couch next to her.
Oh, crap. It’s her.
Taking a deep breath, she opened up the text thread.
Amira
Sure lets go to our old place! Friday in 2 weeks sound good?Around 6?
Allison
Sure, no problem. See you then!
Okay, cool. Very nonchalant. Well done Ali.
Allison threw her phone on her bed and rubbed her eyes. Too much had happened in a day and she was starting to get a headache.