No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Haley's face turned visibly sour, her usually pale complexion then ghostly white.

Her hands trembled as she clutched her smoothie. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

She looked so frail and pitiful, almost as if I had been the one to say something out of line, hurting her feelings.

But I didn't stop since I had started, "Maybe you didn't mean to, but it did affect us. It's okay if it was unintentional. Just be more mindful in the future. No need to apologize."

"If Aiden were here, I wouldn't have to bother Rad," Haley said as tears began to fall again.

They say women are as gentle as water, and Haley was the perfect example.

She had carefully chosen her words, leaving me with little to say.

"Felicia," Haley looked at me, her eyes shimmering. "I went to Rad because it was Aiden's dying wish. Rad agreed."

She kept fidgeting with her glass. "If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have sought Rad out."

She was justifying her actions and jabbing at me in the process.

I sneered inwardly, 'We're all adults here. Who doesn't have a trick or two up their sleeve?'

"Look, Conrad agreed to look after you for your husband's sake, but there are boundaries. You're single now, and people will talk if they see you two together all the time," I paused. "It doesn't matter what people say about Conrad, but as a woman, if you're the juicy gossip of the town, and if it gets back to your child, that wouldn't be good, right?"

Haley might play the damsel, but I could play the saint.

Haley's expression darkened. "Felicia, all this talk, are you just upset Rad is taking care of me? Are you questioning his loyalty, or is it your confidence?"

Her sharp retort was a far cry from her usual persona.

I chuckled, seeing her true colors. "Dropping the act, are you?"

Before I could say more, Haley burst into tears. "Felicia, I'm sorry if I've wronged you. You can yell at me if

you'

still upset, but please leave

my child out of it."

"Huh?" When did I mention her child?

Haley stood up, her hand on her belly, the picture of motherhood, and made to leave.

Conrad quickly stepped forward to stop her, anger evident as he looked at me, "Felicia, what are you doing?"

At that moment, I realized why Haley suddenly mentioned her child. Using a trope so outdated soap operas wouldn't touch it. Seeing the coldness in Conrad's eyes, my heart sank.

He dared to question me without asking f

for

my side of the story,

choosing Haley's word over mel

after ten years together.

"Rad, stop arguing," Haley interjected, "It's my fault. I'm always bothering you, taking up your time. It's on me."

She wasn't apologizing. She was pouring gasoline on the fire.

"Rad, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come between you two," Haley pulled away from Conrad and hurried outside.

"Haley!" Conrad called after her, about to chase her.

"Conrad," I stopped him. "I stained my dress."

He looked at me as if he just remembered I was on my period.

The next second, he placed the tampons on the table and undressed his jacket. "Felicia, Haley's pregnant and emotional. She can't handle stress. I can't leave her alone."

With that, he threw his jacket at me and made to leave.

"Conrad, if you go after her, we're done." My words made him halt.