For Our Son: A BWWM Parenting Romance For Adults (13 page)

"Really? I would have thought it would have been the other way
around."

Morgan shook her head. "No, because if he’s cheating he feels like
he has something to hide. He thinks that if he’s nice and friendly to her that
you’ll figure it out, so he’s cold and distant. On the other hand, if he
doesn’t have anything to hide, he sees no harm in being nice and
friendly."

The lady next to Morgan nodded as she began to understand the
comparison. "I’ll have to keep that in mind…for my friend."

"I’m Morgan, by the way."

"I’m Sophia. Nice to meet you."

Morgan was grateful for the conversation that ate up some of the wait
time. When she looked up at the monitor again she saw that Grace’s flight was
unloading. She stood up as she saw her friend coming down the escalator. Morgan
stood up and waved so that Grace would see her.

Ryan and Grace caught sight of Morgan at the same time. She ran up to
greet them both.

"Same old Ryan,” Morgan said as she gave him a hug. "How was
the flight?"

"Too long," Ryan answered.

"I’m exhausted." Grace hinted to Morgan. She wanted nothing
more than to grab her bags and get out of there.

Ryan looked over and noticed Sophia watching him. "I’d better get
going,” he said to Grace and Morgan.

"Yeah, okay…" Grace looked at him for a quick moment.

"Okay…" Ryan returned.

Morgan looked between the two of them. She was confused and she felt
like a third wheel. "Grace, want me to grab your bags?" she asked.

"No. I’ll come with you." Grace walked towards the baggage
claim. She turned and offered a half-hearted wave to Ryan. "Bye."

"Later." He turned and walked towards Sophia.

Sophia couldn’t
help but notice the lack of eye contact and the non-existent farewell between Grace
and Ryan. She had already made up her mind. Regardless of what Ryan said, Sophia
was convinced that she knew the truth.

Chapter sixteen

Grace had been worried that her parents wouldn’t take too kindly to her
moving off-campus next semester. She had put off telling them for fear that
they would refuse to support her, forcing Morgan to put off her plans of
moving. However, ever since she’d returned from California, Grace had a new
perspective on the issues in her life and moving into an apartment wasn’t one
of them.

Much to her surprise, Grace’s parents didn’t mind the idea of her moving
off campus. Her dad said it could actually prove to be  cheaper if she
split the rent and found the right type of roommates this time.

Grace was sure it would be a reduction in price. Morgan had strict
financial constraints. Though her father had offered to help her, Morgan wanted
to make sure that she didn’t get in over her head.

Morgan was excited to hear that Grace had moved forward in their plans
to co-habitate. Time was running short and Morgan was getting concerned that Grace
was going to back out on her. As soon as Grace called that all systems were go,
Morgan insisted that they go apartment hunting that instant. Grace didn’t
really feel like it but she felt she owed it to Morgan for being so patient.

Once they started looking in the area they both agreed upon, Grace began
to get more into the idea of apartment-shopping. Both girls immediately fell in
love with the first apartment building they came to, but it was extremely out
of their price range. They realized they’d have to considerably lower their
sights. That made apartment hunting much more tedious.

By lunchtime, Morgan and Grace were spent and they hadn’t found anything
they could agree on. Either the price was right and the apartment was wrong or
the apartment was perfect and the price was wrong. They decided to take a break
for lunch before hitting the pavement again.

"We should be taking pictures of this moment." Morgan slapped
her knee. "Our very first apartment."

"Yeah, well, we have to actually
get
an apartment to have a
very-first-apartment,” Grace said dryly.

"I know, but we should capture the search. I’m going to start
taking pictures on my phone."

Grace shrugged. She just wanted this entire day to be done, but she
couldn’t tell Morgan that. It would only hurt her feelings.

"Is something wrong, Grace?" Morgan slumped against her chair.
Grace’s somber mood was deflating Morgan’s joy.

"I’m just tired. I think I’m still jet-lagged,” Grace said.

"I’m so sorry! I didn’t even think about that. You just got
back…okay, we’ll look at one more apartment and then we’ll call it
quits…okay?" Morgan pleaded.

"Yeah, sure. No problem." Grace was glad to see an end in
sight.

After lunch, Grace and Morgan walked over to the drugstore to grab a 
prescription Morgan had ready. While Morgan was waiting for it, Grace slipped
down the family planning aisle. She considered buying a pregnancy test, but the
prices were outrageous.

"What are you doing?" Morgan came up behind Grace.

"Oh, uh…" Grace scooted slightly to the right. "Just
checking their prices on tampons…but I forgot my coupon."

Morgan laughed. "You are the perfect roommate for me…a penny-pincher!"

Grace laughed and followed Morgan up to the register to pay for her
camera. And once again, they were in search for the perfect apartment.

The last apartment they found was a little further out than they’d
hoped, but it was gated and it was clean. It was a small complex that seemed to
be mainly composed to middle-aged people.

"So far, so good, huh?" Morgan smiled as she and Grace made
their way towards the rental office. Grace preferred not to get her hopes up.

The manager, a stout woman in her forties, was very friendly and anxious
to show them an apartment. They expressed interest in a two bedroom, one
bathroom and were happy to see that this model possessed two bedrooms that were
basically equal in size. The slightly smaller bedroom had a large walk-in
closet, so the trade-off seemed fair.

It seemed perfect, but things rarely were, so both Grace and Morgan
cringed as they asked for the price. It was within their range. They couldn’t
believe it.

"Are you serious?" Morgan asked excitedly.

"I am. We don’t offer the amenities of the larger complexes. We
don’t have a swimming pool, covered parking or a gym…just a small laundry room.
Therefore we’re priced lower."

"That’s fine with us." Grace smiled.

"You girls came in at a great time. We have a great move-in special
on a six-month lease." The manager pointed to a piece of paper offering a
reduced deposit and a free first month.

"That’s great. What do we have to do to get that?" Morgan
plowed forward.

"Well, I’ll just need to collect a fee to do a credit check on both
of you and you’ll need to fill out an application." The manager went to a
file cabinet and pulled out two applications.

Morgan was chomping at the bit to get the process started. Grace was
hesitant.

"Um, Morgan, can I talk to you outside for a moment?” Grace asked
her friend quietly.

Morgan looked perplexed. She explained to the manager that they’d only
be a moment and then Morgan followed Grace outside to her vehicle.

"Are we leaving?" Morgan asked as she watched Grace get into
the passenger side of the car.

"No. I just need to talk to you,” Grace said as she closed the
door. Morgan got into the driver seat and also closed the door.

"Okay, Grace, you’re freaking me out. What’s going on? We’re looking
at the best apartment deal in history here, yet you have cold feet?"

"No, that’s not it." Grace looked down at the floor of the
car. "I’ve done something horrible."

Morgan sat back against her seat, awaiting the bad news. "Uh-oh.
What?"

"I could be…pregnant,” Grace whispered the last word.

"Oh my gosh!" Morgan put her hands up to her mouth. "How
late are you?"

"I’m not exactly late. It’s too early to tell, but I didn’t want to
enter into a six-month lease without telling you. I mean, my parents could
refuse to support me if I was pregnant and I’d have no way to make the
rent."

"Wait a minute... Morgan’s mind was racing to catch up. "If
you’re not late, why do you think you’re pregnant?"

"I don’t think I am. I’m just saying that there’s a possibility. I
had unprotected sex."

"You didn’t use
anything
?"

Grace shook her head. She felt so idiotic that she couldn’t even look Morgan
in the eye.

"Well did you at least
know
the guy? Because pregnancy could
be the least of your concerns,” Morgan lectured.

"I’m not that worried about that,” Grace admitted. But of course
that led to Morgan’s next question…

"Who were you with?" she asked. By her facial expression, Grace
could tell Morgan already knew the answer.

"Ryan." Grace confirmed.

"I knew it!" Morgan yelled. "You two were acting so weird
at the airport. And you kept telling me nothing happened…"

"I’m not proud of it, okay?" Grace looked annoyed. "Aside
from the fact that Ryan’s girlfriend is a total hag, she
is
still his
girlfriend. I knew he had a girlfriend and I still did it…I hate when women do
that to each other."

"Yeah, well he was yours long before he was hers,” Morgan offered.

Grace wouldn’t accept that as comfort. "That’s a total
cop-out."

Morgan was silent. She could see that her friend was upset and worried,
but she couldn’t help but ask, "Grace, how could you get into this same
situation twice with the same guy?"

"I know. When it comes to Ryan I have a complete mental block for
all things sane and rational,” Grace said.

"The fact that both of you would agree to have sex with no
protection…wait, does he know?"

"About the no protection part or the possibly pregnant part?"

"Both."

"He knows about the no protection part. He pulled out, but that’s
not fail safe."

"And the possibly pregnant part…"

"I haven’t talked to him since I got back."

"Grace, you have to tell him!”

"I’ll tell him when and
if
there’s something to tell. The
only reason I’m telling you is because of this lease."

"Well, it’s only a six-month lease, Grace. The lease would be up
before the baby would be born…if you were…
you know
. And our parents are
going to have to co-sign because we don’t have much credit. So, if your parents
co-sign, then they’ll have to pay the rent anyway, right?"

Grace shrugged. Everything seemed like it all had to be settled at the
same time and she couldn’t sort her thoughts clearly.

"Let’s just get the applications," Morgan suggested.
"We’ll fill them out at home and bring them back. Then we’ll go from
there. How long until you know if you’re late?"

"Two weeks,” Grace answered.

"Okay. So we’ll wait two weeks before we agree to anything. If the
apartment is still here then it was meant to be. If it’s not…then it wasn't."