PREGNANT AFTER ONE NIGHT STAND

“Are you serious?” I don’t know how many times Cedric has asked this question. I’m perfectly fine! Seriously! I can’t stand sitting on the couch all the time, limited in what I can do. I’ve already finished reading so many novels from my stack. What else can I do? I just want to do the laundry!

Of course, it’s not like I enjoy doing laundry, but I hate having a pile of dirty clothes in the laundry basket! Sure, I could hire a laundry service, but I had a bad experience once where my favorite blouse got stained with something else. It made me swear off laundry services for good. It’s not about the money, it’s the memories attached to the clothing.

“It’s not like that. You’ll be running around, Joice.”

I sigh deeply. Cedric is so weird, you know? “Cedric, I have an automatic washing machine. I don’t need to run around like I’m ironing, if you must know.”

“Still…”

“You’re exaggerating.” I pat his cheek gently. I think I can feel some soft facial hair around his jawline, but it’s not very noticeable yet. But it’s definitely felt in the palm of my hand. It makes me want to stroke it longer.

“Go to work.” I forgot, he has to go to work. He’s been staying in the apartment for the past two days. I didn’t ask him to, he wanted to. Don’t get the wrong idea.

“I don’t want you to have to do laundry like that.”

I roll my eyes in annoyance. “Exaggerating. Now, go to work!”

“You’re getting tough again.”

“Go already!”

He chuckles. “A morning kiss first.”

“We already did that!”

“Not twice.”

“Cedric!!!”

“Okay, I’m going. You can do the laundry, but then rest. Don’t complain if you feel sick. I’ll be mad.”

“Can you really do that?” I challenge him with a little wink. Teasing.

“I can.”

I thought he would walk closer to me, wanting to give a morning kiss as he said earlier. Not that I’m hoping for it, no! Morning kisses that we do – mind you, after we brush our teeth and wash our faces – I protested fiercely because Cedric always does it right after we wake up in the morning.

I vividly remember Cedric’s words after the long kiss we shared near the sink.

“It’s even more addictive after brushing, huh.” Cedric holds the back of my neck to keep me close. “Wait. I want more.”

Don’t forget that Cedric’s tongue is incredibly skilled at playing around my neck. I don’t want to see any love marks there. Not that I’m ashamed. It’s a little painful, maybe because Cedric’s suction is too strong or something.

But, well… no one can resist this, right? So I better go back to wrestling with lips on this peaceful morning. I’m still on vacation; tomorrow I’ll start working normally again. On Saturday, I finally agreed to visit Cedric’s brother’s house and meet his mother directly.

Oh, not just his mother, but his parents and his brother too.

I can’t avoid it anymore, can I? After everything I’ve been through, this is what I have to face. I’m willing, really. There’s no hesitation or second thoughts anymore. Last night, after we had the duck dinner, we talked a lot about our future together.

Well, I did most of the talking, especially about what comes after we get married. I don’t know when we’ll get married, but Cedric wants it to happen soon. In my opinion, doesn’t getting married require some preparation? When I asked him, he just laughed.

“As long as you’re willing, that’s all that matters.”

“Do you think I’ll reject you again?”

His laughter is still on his lips, combined with a soft nod. “Well, that’s true. When will you say yes to my marriage proposal?”

“Give it a try. It’s not like you can propose in a woman’s bed. You’re ridiculous. And now you’re proposing in a woman’s car!”

I giggled, remembering Cedric’s various attempts at proposing. It’s not that there’s no seriousness there, it’s just… are these really his serious attempts? When I looked at him, the laughter on his lips disappeared. Vanished into thin air. Did I say something wrong? I don’t think so, right?

When our eyes finally met, Cedric gave a small smile. His gaze was filled with sadness. Suddenly, I felt guilty. “I mean, I didn’t mean to-”

“I understand.” I felt his gentle hand caress my head. “Just be patient. Wait for the right time.”

I remained silent.

“But when that time comes, don’t expect to back out.”

I wanted to laugh again, but I couldn’t. I had too many questions because Cedric’s words held so much meaning. And I couldn’t comprehend any of it. Seriously.

“See, now you’re daydreaming again.”

Really, I’m not daydreaming. Memories just automatically played in my head. I didn’t even realize that Cedric was standing in front of me. He was looking at me with a puzzled expression.

“Not daydreaming,” I said as I pushed his body slightly. Being this close to Cedric makes me feel unwell, I realize. My heart is racing, and I can even feel his heartbeat from the palm of my hand. I can still remember the part of his body that has been hugging me for the past few days, under his shirt.

“What do you mean?”

Cedric chuckles. How silly is this? Without warning, he hugs me tightly. Whispering so softly, but it makes me widen my eyes in disbelief. How could Cedric…

“I always remember your slender fingers tracing my body. Always remember. That’s what made me lose control.”

I paid attention to my appearance this morning. Nothing is wrong. I turn my body around once again; dark gray culottes, a sleeveless shirt with a collar that covers a bit of my neck, and a blazer that I deliberately don’t button to complete my outfit.

The natural makeup is perfectly applied on my face. Nothing is lacking. That’s how I feel. This morning, we didn’t wake up together. Last night, Cedric only accompanied me for dinner and then went home. That was around eleven o’clock. Crazy, right?

I had already kicked him out at nine. I meant well, staying late can be dangerous, right? He even laughed, saying he still wanted to stay longer with me. After a few days of being with me, what’s going on in Cedric’s head, I wonder? Just some silly ploy? Really? Oh, God!

Oh well, it seems Cedric really enjoys making my heart race. From my perspective, when it’s just the two of us, Cedric gives me his full attention. I mean, besides his sweet words, he does many things that touch my heart. But when my two busybody friends are around, Cedric limits himself. But don’t get me wrong, his eyes! They can be intimidating if I were to do anything mischievous.

I’ve come to understand a thing or two about his habits, especially his behavior. When it comes to careless matters, I’m the expert, and Cedric is the one who takes care of everything. Cedric’s attitude when he’s ready to debate with me doesn’t involve long explanations. He gives examples from real situations that we’ve experienced or at least have happened nearby. Not preachy, just so I can see and compare if I choose this path, will I end up freefalling or safe? Or if I choose another option, will it turn out well or will I stumble?NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

As long as I’ve known men who approached me, none of them behaved like Cedric. I’m being honest. Cedric’s level of maturity far surpasses my expectations, regardless of his age, which I had no idea about. Oh my, I never expected he was thirty-four years old! If only I had known, at least I wouldn’t have underestimated him based on his age. Maybe it’s because of his age, or maybe it’s because of his work experience. I don’t know.

As far as I know, maturity can be influenced by the environment we spend time in. Take me, for example. I admit that I’m terrible at maturing myself. I’m selfish and unwilling to give in. And being around my two troublesome friends has spoiled me. They indulge me even if they have to bully me first. And that has greatly influenced my behavior. Plus, I rarely socialize with many people.