I was finally ready to tell Zach the truth.

I sat on my couch, legs up on the seat as I sat back against a bunch of pillows. I held my phone in front of me, looking at his number, my finger hovering above ‘call’. Every minute or so the screen would go blank, and I’d unlock it, only to hesitate again.

I was still too nervous to do it. I worried how he’d react, knowing it would be bad, and equally knowing I deserved it. I’d have rather run from the decision than make it.

But my stomach was only growing bigger, and I kept thinking of what would happen if he suddenly came back and found me pregnant. Or worse, with a baby in my arms, when he had no idea.

I was pretty sure he wouldn’t want anything to do with me or the baby, but it was his decision to make and not one I had the right to take away from him.

But now it was his turn not to return my calls. I couldn’t blame him, I’d gone for months ignoring every attempt he made to connect with me, and I’d done it deliberately. Giving me the same treatment was the least of what I deserved, but I needed to tell him the news.

When I tried to call again at a time I was pretty sure I should be able to catch him, only for the call to be cut off, not even left to ring, I grew a little pissed.

“Dammit, Zach!”

Why couldn’t he make things easy for me? I knew it was unfair to expect something like that from him after all I’d done, but still. I couldn’t exactly jump on a plane and fly to Japan.

I tried to call again, with the same result. And that was when I grew suspicious.

I thought back to all the times he’d called, or sent me a message somehow. He’d done it regularly, even after I stopped replying to him, only he’d stopped altogether a little over a week ago.

“Fuck it,” I cursed, voice low and frustrated.

If I hadn't been so hell-bent on avoiding him, I might have realized something wasn’t right sooner than this. It was still annoying, even though I was technically responsible for it.

I wracked my mind for a few minutes before coming to a couple of conclusions. There might be another reason why he was suddenly ignoring me. He might finally have tired of me ignoring him and was giving me a taste of my own medicine.

Only Zach wasn’t a petty bastard, so I knew he wouldn't do that. If I tried to contact him and he didn't contact me back, then there was something holding him back from doing so. He might be mad, still, but what if I got the reason for his anger wrong? I mean, there were certainly plenty of reasons...

My eyes fell to my swollen stomach, and I groaned. It could have been anything else, but I had a feeling I wasn't wrong about this. He’d probably found out about the pregnancy like I’d feared, and it had come from someone other than me.

It could be anything else, I thought, trying to reassure myself.

But the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach persisted. Not sure what to do on my own, I picked up my phone and dialed Olivia. She answered almost immediately.

“Scarlett, what’s wrong?”

I paused what I was going to say, a small smile spread across my lips. Olivia was one of my besties, and it hit me again just how lucky I was to have her.

“Scarlett?” she said when I didn't reply.

I drew in a sharp breath. “Olivia... I think he knows.”

There was a short silence, then, “Oh, shit. How did he find out? Do you know who told him?”

“I don’t know,” I said quietly, glad that she seemed to know what I was thinking. “I think I’m ready to tell him now, but he isn't replying to any of my messages, and he’s not taking my calls...”

“It might just be payback for you doing the same to him?” she offered tentatively. “Or he could be busy, or something.”

“Come on, Olivia. Whatever else he is, Zach isn’t a petty man. And there’s no way he could be so busy that he couldn't even manage to send a single text or email.”

Olivia hummed on the other side of the line, agreeing with me. That left us with the other explanation, and I felt a curl of betrayal in my chest at the thought of someone giving up what I’d told them in confidence when I had specifically wanted Zach to be kept in the dark.

“Why don't you text the others and ask them if they said anything? I’ll make my inquiries and get back to you,” she said.

“All right. And thanks,” I said quickly, then hung up the call.

I opened a group chat on my phone and posted the message, asking if any of them was the culprit. It was faster than calling everyone individually. But then I rethought that when it took so long for one person to send a reply. But then answers from the others trickled in, always in the negative.

I mentally marked down the names of the people that had replied already. There were only three that hadn’t, and luckily, I had their numbers. The conversation with the first two guys went by quickly. Neither had been in touch with Zach recently, and I had no reason not to believe them.

The last number... I couldn't even remember how I got it on my phone. We were a pretty big group, and I imagined the same happened in all groups, but we didn't all know each other that well. Chad was one of those people. He must have had my number as well because when he answered the call, he was more surprised than wondering why I was calling him.

“Scarlett? Is something wrong?”

I chuckled, sounding a little nervous. “Why would you immediately assume something was wrong?”

“Well,” he said slowly. “For one thing, you rarely call me. I'm pretty sure this is the first time you’ve called me. I’m not even sure how you got my number.”

I chewed on my lower lip. “It could have been how things always work in our group,” I offered. “You know when we throw parties, and everyone pretty much ends up drunk at the end and calling someone to come pick them up? That could have been it.”

Though to be honest, I didn't really remember, I was pretty sure it was something like that.

Chad chuckled. “Yeah, it could have been that,” he said, sounding amused. Then he cleared his throat, and his voice turned serious. “Now, was there something you needed? Or someone?”

“Uh, no. I called to ask you something,” I said, feeling nervous.

He was the only person I hadn't gotten a straight answer from, so he either did or said something, or I needed a different theory and a plan on how to get Zach to talk to me. I didn’t think it would be easy; Zach wasn't the kind of person you could talk into doing something he didn’t want to, or at least I thought so.

“Go ahead,” he coaxed gently.

I took in a deep breath. “It’s about Zach.”

I held my breath after I said his name, and there was silence on the other end, not even breathing, no matter how much I strained. The uncomfortable feeling in my stomach that I’d all but forgotten at this point came back with full force, if not worse than before. His silence didn’t fill me with confidence.

“Chad?”

He sighed heavily, sounding frustrated.

“Chad, please,” I begged. “I just need to know if you said something to Zach. He’s ignoring me, and I need to tell him something really important. Just tell me. Did you say anything to Zach about my pregnancy?”

“Why are you asking only me?”

“I texted everybody else already, they said no. Though I did have to call a couple of them as well. You’re the only person I haven’t asked, so I called you.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t say anything to him. Why is it such a big deal anyway?”

I sighed and ignored the question. “Look, if you say you didn’t, then I’ll believe you. Sorry for taking up your time.”

I cut off the call, then I texted Olivia, ‘He says he didn’t do it.’

I waited for a few minutes, but when she didn’t reply, I sighed and dropped my phone beside me. I tipped my head back and closed my eyes against the sting of tears.

What was I supposed to do now?

I needed to tell Zach about the baby. If I were honest with myself, I was scared, very scared. But more than being afraid of how he’d take the news, I feared what having a baby would mean.

My stomach was huge, I could barely see my feet without having to lean forward a little, and I might grow more. I was still going to work, but I’d have to put in for leave when I was due. Over the course of the last few months, I’d been making plans, trying to find ways so the pregnancy wouldn’t impact my life too much.

Only it was impossible. Even after I gave birth, I had to find a way to look after a baby and still go to work. I lived alone in my little apartment. Olivia was the closest of my friends, and even to get to her place I’d need a twenty-minute cab ride to get there. She’d made plans with me, like me giving her a call and her taking me to the hospital when it was time, but just thinking of that time coming sometimes made me want to panic.

I needed Zach with me. It was the realization that finally made me want to talk to him. He might not want to involve himself too much, and if that were his decision, I’d respect it. But deep down I wanted him to be there to help a little bit.

My phone ringing made me jump and yelp. I answered Olivia’s call.

“Hey, what is it?”

“Chad lied.”

“What?”

“Scarlett, Zach knows.”

There was a moment of stillness; then my thoughts were moving a mile a minute. Zach knew and I hadn’t been the one to tell him. He was pissed at me. His avoidance of me made more sense. This was the worst scenario I’d pictured, that he would somehow find out if I took too long to tell him.

He was probably angry with me. Then my thoughts stilled. But if he knows… And he stopped trying to contact me and won’t reply to me now…

“I’m so sorry, honey,” Olivia murmured, sounding sympathetic, obviously having already reached the conclusion I had. “I know we considered the possibility, but I still want to kick his ass for doing this to you. He’s not interested, but he has a responsibility, dammit!”

I laughed a little. Not because there was anything even relatively funny with the situation, oh no. But it was nice hearing my friend so ready to defend me. Even if I thought it was just a little overboard.

“It’s fine, Olivia,” I said, even though nothing was fine. Even as tears slid out of my eyes and down my cheeks. “You’re right, we expected it. I’ll just… talk to you later. I can't deal with any of this right now if that’s okay with you.”

She hesitated, then said, “You know I will always be here for you, right? If you need me, just call me. Or better yet, come over whenever. Please.”

My breath hitched, and I barely held back a sob.

“Thank you, Olivia,” I whispered. “You’re the best friend a girl could ever ask for.”