I spent the rest of the day fighting myself.
It wasn't fair to judge others based on one unique person. It didn't help that other women seemed to confirm what I thought about them as a whole.
Except Stacy.
She was going to be back in a few hours.
And I was going to find out what she was doing with that money, and who she was meeting.
Maybe this was a plan for her all along. To make me fall for her, take my money, my child if we had created one, maybe ruin me for good.
I sat on the couch and moped about my living room. The office called, concerned that I didn’t come in.
I told them I was fine and remained where I was until...
The elevator doors opened and I snapped my head up in attention.
"Good afternoon," Stacy chimed.
"You're home early."
Stacy sat her back pack down by the sofa and folded her arms. "You sound surprised."
"Of course. You've been gone for so long these past weeks."
My voice grew firm. She knew where this was going.
"Well, now that midterms are over, I won't have to do that anymore."
That wasn't going to get her out of this.
"Tell me, I want to know."
"Know what?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Tell me who you've been seeing these past few nights."
"Seeing?" Stacy frowned. "Please don't tell me you're thinking what I think you are."
"Stacy, you're out way too late at night. You're spending a lot of money—"
"You said I could do it," she bit back, pointing her finger at my face.
"Yes I did, and that's fine,” I reassured her. “It’s only money. I don’t care. I have an endless supply. But I want to know to who and why. You're not in any trouble are you?"
She whipped around and threw her hands in the air.
"Oh, my God. Now you're trying to act like you care!"
I put my foot down. "I do care! That's why I have to know."
"Well, you need to know that I'm not your little sister too. I'm not gonna be carted away by anyone—"
"This has nothing to do with that and you know it," I said, raising my voice. Not yelling, I didn't want to hurt her, but I wanted my point made.
"Then what?" Stacy asked, holding her hands out.
"I'm skeptical as to why you won't tell me. Don't you trust me?"
Stacy stayed silent. No yes or nos. She was undecided.
"I'm still trying to answer that question myself. You're a nice guy, Grant--"
"Don't give me any of that," I dismissed, waving my hand in the air. I threw myself back on the sofa I had planted myself in all day today.
Stacy was holding something back, and all the negative thoughts in me pointed in the direction of another lover.
She had me, but did I have her?
Stacy doubled over and vomited all over the floor.
"Stacy!" I shouted, running to her aid.
"Are you okay?"
"Yea—" she threw up again before she could get more than that out.
"We need to get you to the doctor's office," I said, scooping her up into my arms.
"No, I hate—"
"Hush, you. These are the signs of being pregnant," I reminded her.
I ran over to the elevator with her firm in my arms. Stacy rested her had on my shoulder, her breath shaky from nausea. "You're going to be okay."
"Ew, I hope so. I heard pregnancy isn't such a wonderful ride."
"That's because of the guys who got those girls you heard that from pregnant. I'll make sure you have the best."
She laughed, despite her discomfort.
“One of them is Willow,” she said. “What are you saying about Darien?”
“I’ll pamper you way better than Darien pampered Willow,” I told her.
The elevator opened and I made sure to press the emergency button so I could get down to my car garage quicker.
"Oh God, are we going faster? Put me down, I'm gonna—" I positioned Stacy so she could throw up into the small bin I had inside the elevator.
"Gross, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize for anything, this is only natural," I said, wiping her mouth with my sleeve.
"I do trust you, you know," Stacy revealed, her eyes glittering up at mine.
"That is wise of you."
Stacy sighed. "But you don't trust me. Do you?"
“I won’t lie. It’s hard when you don’t tell me the truth,” I admitted.
“I know…”
Her face looked pale, and it was clear she was too nauseated to finish her sentence.
“It’s okay,” I told her, holding her hand. “Let’s talk about it at a better time. Just don’t worry about anything except feeling better for now.”