Chapter Text
Lila didn’t know how to explain it; she didn’t know how to express it. She had this feeling, a gut feeling... the type of feeling that tingled all the way down to her toes. She knew the truth, deep down, and still a part of her was hoping that her womanly instincts could be wrong, for once - just this time.
It'd all started that morning at work. As a pre-k teacher, Lila used to spend a lot of time with small children, wipe their noses when snot was running down their lip and help them make artwork, socialize with their friends. Hell, sometimes she even had to wipe their bottoms. And yet again, that day, something had happened that wasn’t out of the ordinary: Benjamin and his sensitive bloody nose.
The kid was prone for bloody noses, especially when the air was dry. Lila wasn’t shocked, so she put on gloves and held his nose with a tissue, at least until it stopped bleeding. Usually, it would stop after a minute and she would help Benjamin wash his hands afterwards. But as she went to wash hers, this time, her eyes caught the bloody tissue in the trash can; a thought popped into her mind.
She was late.
To make matters worse, she was two weeks late.
That's why, on her way home, she picked up five pregnancy tests; though, to be fair, she already knew she was pregnant. And then all five tests just proved to be positive. She sat with her back against the wall of her bathroom, questioning herself.
She'd always been careful. How could this be? She'd taken her pill every day, and at the same time! She thought she'd remember if she missed one. The test was right there, in her hands, and she could do nothing but stare at it in shock.
There was a baby inside of her. An actual baby. And yet, she wasn't feeling any different. She still felt... normal.
More importantly, what was she going to do? Was she ready for a baby? Was she financially ready for a baby? Lila stood up and walked to the sink, splashing fresh water on her face and neck. Teaching preschoolers was fun because the children left at the end of the day went back home with their parents. But having one on her own? It'd be a twenty-four-seven, a never-ending, full-time job. Was she even capable of that? Was she ready to be a mom?
At the sound of keys outside, Lila sprung up. Lucas was home! In the midst of all her thinking, she forgot about Lucas. Picking up the department store bag, she quickly threw the boxes and tests inside and threw it underneath the sink. Hopefully, he wouldn't look in there until she figured out how to tell him.
“Lila? You home?” she heard her boyfriend call.
“In the bathroom!” she yelled back. She looked in the mirror and pinched her cheeks to try and bring some life back to them. Even with her tan complexion, she looked pale. Staring back into her brown eyes, Lila knew she could do this. At least fake it for the night. She took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom making hey way into the kitchen.
In the kitchen, she smiled as her boyfriend was unloading take-out from bags. Their first meeting had been at the park downtown Chicago: she was in the middle of a game of hopscotch with her niece when Lucas asked for a turn. At first, Lila thought it was odd; but her niece was ecstatic someone new wanted to play with her.
He stayed the entire play date. Even when her niece's father met them to pick her up, Lucas stayed... and then offered to walk Lila home, though she declined. However that night, he left with her number saved in his phone; and two years later, now, they were living together. Life was simply perfect like it already was.
And yet, things were about to change. Was Lucas even ready for a change? Would he be? He wasn’t the children type; Lila'd figured that out two years before when she saw relief on his face when her niece called her auntie instead of mom. Lila even brought kids up one day, though the awkward look on Lucas’ face told her enough. She knew being with him she might not be able to fulfill the dream of a family one day... however, she'd decided to let that go to the future when the time would come.
Lila did find it funny, however. On assumption that her niece was her child, Lucas had walked over to her and joined in their game anyway. And when Lila had pointed her finger at him about it, he'd told her: “I would’ve sucked it up because there was no way I was leaving without your number.” Needless to say, Lila had not been expecting that answer.
But thanks to it, there was a part of her now that felt like she could be hopeful. Hopeful that maybe Lucas could change his mind and be more open to children. After all, he was great with her niece when she came over for sleepovers. He would play with her all the time, made sure she ate, drank enough water, and even let her sleep in the bedroom with Lila and take the couch instead. It was something Lila adored about him, though she would never tell.
And now she had to tell him that they’d be having one of their own.
No... she couldn’t tell him now. He was way too happy.
Lucas looked up at the sound of her feet walking towards him and smiled. She always melted at the way he seemed so happy to see her, every time he came home in the evenings. It made her feel wanted and appreciated. Lila had to admit, the feelings she was experiencing with Lucas were some she had never experienced before.
“Babe, you know how the other day you were saying you really wanted shrimp tacos?" Lucas asked.
“Yes,” Lila answered, grinning as he leaned down to place a kiss on her lips.
“Well, I found some on the way here. There’s this new restaurant in town.”
“Wow, it smells amazing! I can’t wait to eat.”
“I know! How was your day?”
“It was good! The usual nose bleeds and all.”
“Seems like a good day, then,” Lucas joked, smiling at her. Lila smiled back and grabbed two plates out of the cupboard.
“How was your day?” she returned the question.
“Oh, you know, the usual. Athlete's foot and all.”
Lila giggled and began setting the table.
“Alright, I’m going to go wash my hands, I’ll be right back. Oh - I have some very exciting news to tell you!”
She stiffened as she set the forks down and watched Lucas walk out of the kitchen. Saying fifty silent prayers in under three seconds, she hoped Lucas wouldn’t look underneath the sink and tried to distract herself by wondering about the news he had to share. Then, she heard the sink in the bathroom, while she was opening the container filled with shrimp tacos, and that managed to relax her a bit.
But then... two things happened at once. Lucas couldn’t find the drying towel in the bathroom and the smell of fish waffed Lila’s nose. While he was opening the cabinet underneath the sink, Lila felt her stomach turn.
Lucas had found the bag.
Lila was about to vomit.
And as Lucas opened the bag and found its contents, rushing quickly outside of the bathroom after that, he was only able to yell Lila’s name before she vomited all over the shrimp tacos.