It was nearly two in the morning. I stepped out of my Uber and looked at the address I had written on a sticky note. This was it. This was where he lived.

When I looked back, the Uber driver was already gone. Goosebumps prickled my skin. Luckily, this seemed like a nice enough neighborhood. Still, I hurried to the door and was just about to knock when I hesitated.

I took a deep breath. This was my last resort. No matter what happened, I would see this through. I’d get back on my feet and that’s that. There’d be no emotions involved - that always gets way too messy. No. Just quick and clean. Go in, get the help I need, and get out. That’s it. I wasn't here to freeload - I was here to start over. So, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Even if he hates me for it.

Wait.

What was I doing? What did I expect to get out of this – especially at two in the morning? My hand fell to my stomach, running along the bump. I was seven months pregnant, and I needed help. I needed his help.

Keep calm, Lauren. I told myself. Don’t get attached, you’ll only get hurt.

And, with these thoughts in mind, I finally knocked on the door.

At first, nothing happened. I was met with a deep and suffocating silence that wrapped around me like a thick blanket. It was making me anxious and a tad bit paranoid. I looked around, but everything seemed normal. On the lawn was a small tricycle and a few toys – mostly pink. The mailbox was lopsided. The paint on the side of the house needed a few touch-ups. I distracted myself with these observations, praying that someone would answer the door.

Finally, I heard footsteps.

I gulped down my anxieties and straightened my posture as my fingers tightened around the handle of my suitcase.

The door swung open. Behind the threshold stood a tired-looking man who barely resembled his profile picture. His eyes were sunken and framed, with dark bags underneath. He wore a tuxedo that was wrinkled and unkempt. I grimaced. This was not what I had expected. When I had done my research, Franklin Farmer had seemed to be a well-to-do man with a steady job and a pretty clean background. Now, standing before him, he just looked like a slob. Maybe I had been wrong to come here.

“Um… can I help you with something?” He broke the silence that had settled between us, a look of confusion on his face. He glanced at his watch, which only added to his confusion. “Is there something wrong?”

“May I come in?” I asked.

“Um… sure.” Franklin stepped back, letting me through the door. “I’m sorry… do I know who you are? I just came back from a wedding, and I might have had a bit too much to drink…” Even as he said this, I didn’t think it was true. He didn’t reek of booze. Yes, there was a lingering scent of it, but it wasn’t at all overwhelming.

Without a word, I sat down, motioning with a tilt of my head that he should join me. His brows furrowed together, but he did not protest. “Now, I know this is unexpected, especially at such a late hour, but I had nowhere else to go.”

Franklin looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue.

“Let me start from the beginning. About seven months ago, I decided that it was time for me to become a mother. I’ve always dreamed of starting a family, but I had no one to start it with and I was tired of waiting. So, I thought that I could do it on my own. After all, I had a successful and well-paying job. But as soon I got pregnant, everything went downhill. The culmination of this bad luck was a scandal between me and one of my clients. They claimed, without evidence, that I had sexually harassed them. My boss, wanting a reason to fire me so he wouldn’t have to pay for pregnancy or maternity leave, dismissed me. Outraged, I stormed out of the firm and tried to find another job. Of course, with a sexual harassment allegation on my record, no one wanted to hire me. It’s since been cleared up, but now I’m showing, and no one hires a pregnant woman. So here I am.”

Franklin was quiet for a moment. I could tell that he was trying to decipher everything I had just said. A few times, he pressed his lips together or rubbed his hands along his legs, but still, he did not say a word.

I waited, knowing that sooner or later, he was bound to say something. If not, we would just stare at each other until daybreak. To be honest, that was fine with me. I had been in worse stalemates before.

He cleared his throat and adjusted his position before finally raising his eyes toward mine. “I’m sorry… I don’t think I fully understand. Why are you telling me this? Why are you here? What do I have to do with any of this?”

“Of course, where are my manners?” I forced a smile as I held out my hand. “My name is Lauren Mills, and I’m the mother of your child.”

At my words, his eyes nearly bugged out of his head. His gaze dropped to my stomach as a wave of realization washed over his features. It was finally sinking in.

“I… I don’t understand… How…? Do I know you from somewhere?”

“Nope. But do you mind if I get some tea before we continue this conversation?”

“Um… sure…” he answered before he quickly scrambled to his feet, disappearing into the kitchen.

As soon as he did, I leaned back and closed my eyes for a moment. I was exhausted. I had been up since the six in the morning, trying to catch my flight to London. I had been delayed for hours, wasting my life away in an airport. I just hoped all of this would be worth it. He was my last chance – the only thing that would keep me alive. I had pooled the last of my resources into coming here, and I’d be damned if he tried to kick me out. Now that I was here, there was no way I was leaving.

With this thought, I ran my hands along the soft leather of the couch. On one hand, I felt a little guilty for imposing myself on this man, but on the other, I felt like he was obliged to help me. After all, I was carrying his child.

In the end, however, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was providing for my child, and I would do anything and everything to make sure that happened.