Page 70 of Aftersome
“What do you mean?”
She sighed.
“In moments where I should be happy.”
“You looked pretty happy to me back there.”
And she did. Until the blue smoke came and the tears began to fall.
“I was,” she said. “I mean, I am happy.”
She cursed under her breath.
“Then why are we out here?” I asked as I searched into her eyes for answers. “Something happened back there for you to run like that.”
The corners of her eyes were beginning to fill with tears. I fucking hated it, but I had no other choice other than to keep pushing.
“Don’t you get overwhelmed, Mal? Hearing and seeing way too many things at once and it just becomes too much to handle?”
“Doesn’t everyone?”
“Well, does everyone have a breakdown at their best friend’s gender reveal party?”
The tears began to cascade down her cheeks.
“I’m going to go with no, but if they did, I’m sure there was a good enough reason.”
She laughed. A short, almost broken one.
For a moment, we didn’t speak. Instead, we just watched each other. Where it may have come off as weird, it definitely didn’t feel like it. It felt normal. Getting lost in her eyes felt natural.
Like I had been looking at her my whole life without knowing it.
“Do you think you’d ever want kids?”
Fuck.
I wasn’t expecting that at all. I don’t think the idea of having kids had ever crossed my mind.
Until now.
“I guess if I did, I’d better get on with it before I get any older.”
Her eyes widened.
“Does that mean you want them?”
My chest tightened as I had no idea how to respond.
“I… I don’t know if that would ever be a possibility for me.”
“Why not?”
I gave her a half smile.
“I’m kind of missing a key part in creating these so-called kids.”
Her brows went inward in confusion.
