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Scarier

“What are you doing here?”

Layla sets her glass on the counter and wraps her arms around my waist “I finished work early and took toht I’d surprise you”

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I take Layla’s wrists and peel her off of me I don’t want to be touched I want to be alone to process that Amanda is… God She’s dead How the fuck is she dead? “You shouldn’t have coht now”

Shit That ca, but it’s not a lie I look atby the road, wondering where I am

Layla takes a step back and crosses her arms “I’m sorry What?”

I groan and run h my hair “I need to leave, but you can’t come with me, and I don’t knohen I’ll be back”

Layla stares at ether in confusion It frustrates me because every second I waste is one more added to the d-date, where I find out y I’m not ready to be a dad

“Are you kidding me?” Her arms drop to her sides and she takes a step back

I’ It’s not Layla’s fault I’ve got to go but I really, really need to leave “Seriously, Layla, I’ht now, but I’o, but you see on your mind I can spare five more minutes What?”

“If I had known you were going to turn into such a jerk, I wouldn’t have given up my lease”

I run“What the fuck did you do that for?”

My phone dings in my pocket I don’t need to look to know it’s Mo where I am and if I’m okay

“We talked about this” Layla takes my hand in hers It’s small and warm, and I can’t help but think about the baby, and how tiny his handsnext semester’s classes online so I can be here With you”