Ally’s nerves were so strong, they caused goosebumps to rise on my arms under my button down, and I squeezed her hand with a small smile. I’d somehow managed to get her into my house, but now the problem was getting her to move from her spot in the living room. I’d lived in much grander places, and I knew the décor wasn’t what had her rooted to the hardwood.

“They’re not going to dislike you, Ally. Try to relax a little, yeah?” My words had little effect, and Ally shot me a tense smile as she sucked in a deep breath through her nose. The sight was endearing, and I scanned her stiff body with increasingly narrow eyes.

Ally wasn’t the kind of woman to wear worn out or unflattering clothes, and her off the shoulder, floral hemmed shirt clung to her body beautifully. The cream color was offset by deep purple, tiny flowers along the neck and ends of her quarter sleeves. She’d chosen her outfit so carefully it gave me a headache, but I knew it was worth it to her. I wasn’t sure she’d ever forgiven herself for making a bad impression on my father with something that was easily rectified.

“I’m okay. Let’s do this. I got this. I’m good. Let’s go.” Rattling off short sentences, Ally’s reaction pulled a chuckle from me, and I tugged her hard enough to dislodge her from the hardwood. Walking stiffly by my side, she grabbed my wrist and pulled my arm around her waist. The sight was comical, and I hid my laugh behind a cough as we came closer to the dining room.

I saw my father first, sitting at the head of an empty table with a cup of coffee and a paper in his hands. If possible, Ally stiffened even more, and I rubbed the small of her back soothingly. Clearing my throat loudly, I knew my father already knew we were here, but I didn’t want Ally to be spooked by his powers of perception. He was an imposing man even when he wasn’t trying, and he turned towards us with a carefully neutral expression and narrowed eyes.

“I’m glad you actually asked her and didn’t chicken out, Roark.” Surprise rocketed through me, and I forced a smile as my father folded his paper to set it on the table. Against my side Ally jolted slightly, and I held my breath as my dad stood up. The smile he gave her was pleasant, but I could tell he was assessing her discreetly on his way across the dining room.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir…” Ally’s greeting was high and squeaky, and I had to hide my wince even as her body relaxed in defeat. There was no way for her to recover from that. Ouch.

“Please, call me Grant. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you as well, Ally. Roark has told me a bit about you.” There was nothing more awkward than this, and Ally went bright red at what my father revealed before he continued. “I was worried he wouldn’t. He’s been debating it for a few days now-“

“Dad- seriously…” Waving me off even as I tried to shut him down, my dad downright grinned at me. Ally didn’t even see the wicked glint in his eye; she was too busy looking at her feet and anywhere but him. Her body threatened to scorch my side, and I pursed my lips together to hold back a sigh of irritation.

“Dinner should be ready in about 15 minutes. Why don’t you sit, and we can talk?” Walking back to his seat, my father sat down before Ally managed to follow, and I pulled out a chair for her. “So, you’re a teacher, right? Why did you start working at Wells Academy?”

“Oh- um, they needed an instructor and it’s my first year teaching. The pay is amazing, and I didn’t mind the move from the city.” Seating myself between Ally and my dad, I leaned back and made no move to inject myself into the conversation. She’d have to get over her nervousness by herself, and it was an almost painful thing to go through. To my left, my father nodded in understanding, and a look of distaste flowed across his aged features.

“I’m told it’s not that great an atmosphere. Julianne was having a lot of trouble before this project you gave her. She seems to have a knack for business strategy.” My father was a smart man, and Ally visibly perked up at the shift in conversation. Tucking a few stray strands behind her ear that’d fallen out of her low bun, she clasped her hands together under the table with a slight smile.

“Yes. I gave her the project to try to build a profile to go to the school board about overhauling the system to teach these girls how to be more than just snobby and rich. I’m also planning on accepting it as her final. Julianne is very special. I’m lucky to have her in my class.”

Staying silent as they went back and forth, I watched Ally slowly but surely warm up to my father as the conversation progressed. The awkwardness surrounding her thinned out gradually, and pride bubbled up in my chest.

“You have some lofty ambitions, Ally. I’d be more than interested to talk about your plans for your future in the education system some time.” My dad managed a nervous giggle from Ally, and I reached to hold her hand under the table. She squeezed my fingers hard, but it was her only sign of discomfort before he spoke up again. “It’s hard to find people with a grand plan, especially in a system as fluid as education. You can never really anticipate how people will react. For some, it’s exciting.”

The conversation stalled when Sam and Julianne strolled into the room, and Ally developed a deer-in-the-headlights expression that pulled a laugh from me. Part of her anxiety was meeting Julianne outside the school, and she held her breath as the pair sat across from us. My sister only smiled brightly, practically swooning, and it was Sam that broke the silence after a long, heavy moment.

“You know, I was starting to think you weren’t real, Ally. Roark was so against bringing you over that I thought he made you up.” Scoffing at Sam’s broad grin, I rolled my eyes as the tension immediately left the room. “He did hit his head, you know.”

“Well… here I am… so…” Trailing off, Ally went bright red as she ran out of things to say, and Sam’s grin grew- if that was even possible.

“So, does that mean you’re dating?” Quipping up, Julianne’s excitement shone brightly in her voice, and Ally gasped next to me.

For the first time I decided to speak up as she faltered, and Julianne’s eyes flickered to mine to grow wide with hope. It was as endearing as it was pitiful, and I cleared my throat roughly before answering her.

“Yeah, I guess it does-“

“You guess? What kind of answer is that, Roark? Take charge- be a man! We all know how whipped you are.” Sending a mock glare at Sam, I shook my head even as Ally’s wide gaze burned holes into the side of my face. Glancing over at her, I smiled at the relief in her eyes now that the attention wasn’t on her.

“Don’t tell me to take charge when you’ve been mooching off me for the past year and a half.” The banter was nice, familiar, and I opened my mouth only to be cut off by the sounds of multiple pairs of heavy steps. Turning to the archway that led to the kitchen, I licked my lips as our chef sauntered in carrying a massive pan of lasagna. Her two assistants followed behind her, and silence descended as they set out the dinner spread.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen them; usually the old woman and her helpers came by twice a week and made enough food to last before disappearing. There was no reason to keep them full time like my father had done when I was little. Beside me, Ally’s breath hitched, and I grinned as the smell of sauce filled the room.

“This looks amazing…” Awe tinged her voice, and when I looked over, her cheeks were flushed and lips clamped tightly together. As per the course, I waited for my father to be served first before grabbing a pristine, white, porcelain plate. Standing up to cut into the lasagna with a spatula, I let the pure contentedness of this moment take over my entire body.

This night was already going so much better than I had expected, and we’d only been here 20 minutes.

Epilogue: Ally

Struggling to pull the packing tape over the top of the box, I grunted as the screech it let out gyrated against my ears.

“Roark! This tape sucks!” My voice cracked, and I leaned back as Roark left whatever he was doing to crouch in front of me. His smirk was wide, amused, and I glared hotly at him as he took the tape from my stiff hands.

“That’s because you’re using it wrong, Ally. Like this.” Demonstrating for me- again- Roark pulled the tape smoothly over the box to seal it closed, and I let out a huff. “I’m still packing your clothes, so you can have a little break. I know you didn’t sleep last night.”

Yeah, but not because we’re moving in together. The thought scrunched up my face, and I fell back to sprawl across the carpet. My studio apartment was in boxes, and a truck was waiting outside to bring it to our new place. Staring at the ceiling, I thought back to when Roark and I had decided to get an apartment instead of a house. I’d essentially let him make the choice because he didn’t know I was pregnant.

After the past month and a half, I had to hide my poorly made baby booties six times. He’d gotten too close to finding them when he dropped his phone between the bed and the wall.

But I was ready now, and I lifted my head to watch him sift through my underwear drawer. The booties were mint green and yellow, and they looked ready to fall apart. There was no mistaking them, though, and I smiled as he dug into the corner where they were hidden.

Holding my breath when he stiffened, I watched through wide eyes as Roark pulled out the booties. I’d spent weeks making them, and pride ripped through my chest in the same way a child was proud of making a sculpture so ugly it was cute. Twisting to face me, he didn’t miss a beat as he held the pathetic bundle between his thumb and forefinger.

“Are these what I think they are?” Disbelief weaved through his tone, and I nodded quietly, too focused on his reaction to speak. Roark’s face went blank as he stared at the booties, and his brows furrowed before he reached to scratch his face with his free hand. “They’re terrible, you know, Ally.”

“That’s what you have to say? I spent weeks on those! Tell me I did a good job!” Shrieking loudly, I pushed myself up while Roark dropped the booties to stomp over to me. Dropping to his knees between my legs, his collapse made the room rattle, and I frowned as he pushed me back down.

“You did a good job.” Capturing my lips roughly, Roark’s quick, hard kiss only last a second before he broke away to press his forehead against my belly. I wouldn’t be showing for a while, but I didn’t take away this moment as he spoke up from underneath my shirt. “Is it weird I’m more relieved than happy? I’ve been wanting to talk to you about having a baby, but I didn’t know how to bring it up.”

“I don’t think so? I love you- I would’ve said ‘yes’.” Mindlessly answering, I reached down to thread my fingers through Roark’s hair. I wasn’t stupid; Roark had dropped at least three hints over the past month and a half that he wanted to have that conversation. The open browser on his laptop showing an assortment of baby clothes gave me a clue.

But we weren’t ecstatic. We were resigned to being together, entwined in a love designed for fairy tale books.

“… I have a gyno appointment next week.” Speaking up into the peaceful silence, I lifted my head as Roark did the same, and his eyes sparkled and watered when they met mine.

“Let me know when you go to find out the sex. I’ll go for that.” Grinning at the obvious tease, I rested my head back down before Roark sighed heavily and pressed his lips to my abdomen. “Next time, make sure to tell me and not let me get around to figuring it out on my own, okay? If we weren’t moving, I probably wouldn’t have known until your water broke.”

“Next time I will, yeah.”

Disbelief wove through my voice, and I heaved a sigh before Roark crawled up my body. His mouth curved into a smile when it met mine, and he nestled between my legs with a deep, growling noise.

“It’s been almost four months. I want a four-month-iversary once we move into our new place.” Snorting a laugh at the seriousness in his voice, I groaned as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“We’re not having a stupid four-month-iversary, Roark.” Even as I protested, I knew I couldn’t stop him from doing whatever he wanted. “We can celebrate the pregnancy.”

My mind cycled through all of times I’d heard a crazy, worthless reason for an anniversary over the past month; the craze had been sweeping through the school like a wildfire. Julianne had first introduced it to me for whatever reason, asking if Roark and I were going to have a three-month-iversary.

But I would never let him have an any-month-iversary.

“Okay. Time to go back to work. My dad should be here soon.” Climbing off me, Roark went back to whatever he was packing and left me to watch. My thoughts turned to his father, and I still had a hard time believing how easily he’d accepted me. After grilling me at our first meeting, he never failed to treat me like the daughter he never had. Truly, it was kind of sad; he couldn’t bring himself to love Julianne, but I pushed the notions away.

I couldn’t fix something like that, and I wasn’t going to try. Resting my hand on my belly, I smiled when Roark glanced over at me, and he offered a little, content smirk of his own. We’d never have the distrust and boredom of two people that had fallen out of love, and there was nothing better than that.

-The End