After the given time, Holly walked back into the bathroom and sat on the cold toilet before she picked up her future. She took a deep breath and stared at the two lines that would forever change her life, staring at them as tears slid down her cheeks. She knew that anything with Aaron was over to save his position in the world that he loved, leaving Holly to decide where to go from there. She could end it herself and pretend that nothing had happened, continuing to work but knowing deep inside that she could never face Aaron with that kind of knowledge inside of her head. Holly didn’t even think she could consider that by herself. She might have to get another position and move away to do this on her own, or find a way to make him think it was somebody else’s baby.
Any one of those choices broke her heart as she cried for the loss of the man that had made her trust again, curling her knees against her body as she sat against the wall. Aaron had become everything to her, so much so that she couldn’t hurt him and his job with this news. He’d gotten too far.
****to be continued as PART 3****
PART 3
CHAPTER ONE
Aaron left the restaurant with a grin on his face, pleased to have scored another sponsor for the team. Since their games had been all wins and things were looking great, they were starting to step forward.
At least that was working in his life. It wouldn’t leave his mind that he hadn’t seen Holly in a week though it had been a busy one for all of them. Three away games, practices and some meetings on his end as well. She had a few small injuries with the team that she was working out but he hadn’t really even talked to her. Aaron hated to admit it, but he missed her. He missed everything about her, pushing away the feelings that he knew were cemented within him even as he did it. It made him wonder too much about their future. He stopped at the curb on the way back to his apartment, slipping his phone from his pocket and glancing down at it.
Nothing from Holly. He decided to take a chance and wrote a text about the lunch as well as asking to see her. The light changed and he strode forward, making it to his house in twenty minutes without any response. He took the elevator up, feeling restless with his free afternoon as he changed into workout clothes and debated which gym to head to. He didn’t feel like being home and the silence from his phone was eating away at him. Aaron decided on the team one and left his place again to walk over, using his key to get inside and into the huge room, happy to see a few players doing their thing. No redhead though, making him feel bitter inside.
Aaron had always enjoyed an intense workout when he had things on his mind, particularly after his depression. He had found himself doing it more and more these days, missing the daily exercise of the game. Aaron knew that he had replaced it with Holly, making love with her every chance he got. He hardened at the memories of it, glancing around as he set his bag down against the wall. There was some hard rock playing over the speakers as everybody greeted him in cheerful moods, feeling the positive spirit of the team fill the room. He loved it.
Holly was on her computer when her phone chimed, researching everything that she could about a healthy pregnancy. She looked sadly at the screen, seeing a text from Aaron that would go ignored. She didn’t know what to say, though the team had been so busy that it hadn’t been an issue yet anyway.
She missed him. She missed talking with him, cuddling with him and her newly awakened hormones missed sex with him when she wasn’t feeling sick. Holly had no idea how she was going to handle that knowing fully well that she couldn’t imagine being with anybody but Aaron. She loved him but she needed to protect him. She returned to the page about nutrition that she had pulled up, making a grocery list as she looked over it. All of her energy was going into this baby and work, something she was trying to tell herself was a healthy thing. She heard the front door open and glanced over to see her roommate walk in with a bag from a nearby store. “Hi Lisa. Shopping again?”
“Just on the way home from meeting with a client.” Lisa replied walking over to Holly with worry etched on her pretty face. Holly had been honest with her about everything going on and Lisa had even met Aaron once at the apartment when they were closer to it than his, seeing how happy her friend was in the smile on her face. “I saw Aaron walking back. He looks unhappy, Hol.”
“I got a text from him. I need to make up an excuse as to why it’s over.” Her tone was sad and Lisa read the page closely, realizing that there was going to be a lot of good food in their kitchen soon.
“You could tell him about the baby as well,” Lisa suggested, looking at Holly as she glanced up. “I love that you’re into the health aspect of this, but all of the physical work isn’t going to help your head. I mean, you are keeping it and he should know too.”