Wake up, Gina. You need to get out of bed today," Tess says gently, but firmly.
I groan, pulling the covers over my face just as she yanks the curtains open, flooding the room with sunlight.
"Yeah… that's not really on my agenda," I mumble.
But she's not having it. Tess rips the covers off me, determined.
"I got a job in a new city. I'm leaving today."
I sit up immediately, staring at her. "You're leaving me too?"
"Absolutely not," she says. "I'm taking you with me. You don't have any family left, Gina. Marcus was all you had, and now he's gone. I'm not letting my best friend raise a baby alone. It's settled. I already packed your bags and loaded them in the car. We're heading to the airport."
Before I can protest, she's dragging me out of bed and toward the bathroom, where a warm bath is waiting.
Tears well up in my eyes. Since losing Marcus, Tess has been everything… my rock, my punching bag, my safe place to cry. The weight of her love hits me in the chest.
"Don't get all emotional on me now," she teases. "It's a good thing you don't have a job. Would've been awkward trying to explain why you suddenly can't show up anymore."
I manage a weak smile.
She's right.
As I slowly undress, I feel the heaviness in my limbs, leftover exhaustion from yet another sleepless night. Crying until dawn has become my new routine.
Tess closes the door behind her, giving me space. I lower myself into the water, hoping the warmth will help me relax. But my mind has other plans.
I close my eyes and there it is again. The memory… Burned into me.
Jessica kissing Marcus.
Jessica, our friend, had always been so secretive about her boyfriend. She said he wanted to remain private, that we'd meet him when the time was right. That time finally came. She called one Saturday, excited beyond belief, inviting us to high tea at the famous Old House.
We call it The Old House because, well, that's exactly what it is, an old house from the 1600s, preserved in our town and now transformed into a stylish plaza with boutiques, restaurants, and a hotel. But its crown jewel is the dining hall. A breathtaking room reserved for weddings only. A room Marcus and I used to dream about.
Tess and I arrived, greeted by familiar faces. Faces of friends, neighbors.
And then we saw him.
Marcus.
At the altar.
Kissing Jessica.
Yes. Jessica had invited us to her wedding. To her husband.
My boyfriend.
I stood frozen. It was Tess who grabbed my hand and pulled me out. I could hear Marcus calling after me, trying to explain, but Tess didn't stop, and neither did I. I followed her on autopilot, only realizing we were in her car once it was speeding away. I glanced out the window and saw Jessica, grinning. Standing beside the man I thought was mine.
Tess knocks gently on the bathroom door, snapping me out of the memory. It happens a lot now… zoning out like that. I rinse off, get dressed in the outfit Tess picked out, and meet her by the door.
"Let's go," she says. "We need to stop by the doctor's office, finalize a few things, and then we're off. I think this change will be good for both of us."
I nod, forcing a smile. She's right.
It's probably for the best. Just to leave, change my number, and never hear from Marcus again. I haven't replaced my phone since the day I threw it against the wall. He kept calling, begging. I welcomed the silence after that.
I'm angry. I'm broken. I'm tired in a way sleep can't fix.
The days blur together. Morning becomes night, and I barely notice. The only thing that marks time is the sunrise, because I'm always still awake when it comes.
At the doctor's office, I collect my prenatal vitamins and the file for my pregnancy. We leave without a word.
It's time to start over.
To try again.
For the sake of the baby growing inside me