Mary's Pov:
That morning, I woke up earlier than David. The events of the previous night were still fresh in my mind, and I wanted to do something to lighten the mood and show David that I was here for him. I decided to make breakfast for us, hoping it would be a small gesture to start the day on a better note.
Quietly slipping out of bed, I made my way to the kitchen. I wanted to make something special, so I decided on pancakes, bacon, and fresh fruit. As I mixed the batter, I thought about David and his struggles with his parents. It pained me to see him so distressed, and I hoped we could find a way to navigate this together.
The smell of bacon sizzling and pancakes cooking soon filled the kitchen. I set the table with care, placing a small vase with fresh flowers in the center. Just as I was finishing up, I heard David's footsteps behind me.
"Good morning," he murmured, wrapping his arms around me from behind.
"Good morning," I replied, leaning back into his embrace. "How did you sleep?"
"Better, thanks to you," he said, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "I'm glad you did." I smiled.
"You should sit, I'll finish cooking breakfast." He said, "No, I'm cooking today so sit and wait for your food to be served." I told him.
David chuckled softly and raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll sit and wait." He took a seat at the table, watching me as I moved around the kitchen.
As I flipped the pancakes and turned the bacon, I could feel his eyes on me. It was a comforting presence, and it made me feel even more determined to make this morning special for him. I wanted to show him that, no matter what happened with his parents, we had each other.
Finally, everything was ready. I placed the pancakes, bacon, and fresh fruit on the table, along with a pot of freshly brewed coffee. "Breakfast is served," I announced with a smile.
David's eyes lit up as he looked at the spread. "This looks amazing, Mary. Thank you."
"You're welcome," I said, sitting down across from him. "I just wanted to do something nice for you."
We dug into the food, the atmosphere much lighter than it had been the previous night. As we ate, we talked about our plans for the day, the excitement of preparing for the baby, and the little things that made us happy. It felt like a fresh start, a reminder of what really mattered.
"I'm leaving for a business trip in two days, I don't want you to stay in the house alone." He said, "I'm fine with staying here, it's not like you're going to be gone for long." I replied.
"I told you before, I don't know how long it's going to take so it's better if you go and stay with your family for a while." He remarked.
I placed my utensils down and let out a distressed sigh, "you told me about the business trip but you still haven't told what business it is, now all of a sudden you want me to leave and stay with my parents."
"Why are you doing all of this huh?" I asked as I looked at him for questions but he just sat there and ignored my question.
"Fine, if this is how you're going to act don't bother coming back and looking for me. Until you decide to take me out the dark and tell me everything this relationship is on pause." I said my voice firm as I took of the ring and placed it on the table.
As I was about to walk away he finally decided to speak up, "are you serious, is this how you're handling things?!" "Are you even thinking about yours and the baby's health?!"
"I'm trying to protect you and our child Mary," he said.
"If you're really trying to protect us then you would tell me what's going on!" I snapped, "You're always leaving me in the dark David, how long do I have to sit in the house pretend like nothing is going on?!" I added.
"Don't you think I have the right as your fiancé to know things that are going on in your life?"
David grabbed my hands and shook his head, "I promise once I get back I'll tell you everything, right now I just want to keep you and our child safe."
"No David, I'm tired of feeling worthless and not being able to help you. If you're not willing to treat me as your partner then maybe this decision is for the best. I told him as I released myself from his grip and headed upstairs to pack my stuff.
David sat at the table, stunned and silent as I walked away. The sound of my footsteps echoed in the house, each step amplifying the turmoil within me. I couldn't believe it had come to this, but I was resolute. I needed to take control of my life and protect my own peace of mind.
As I entered our bedroom, I grabbed a suitcase from the closet and began packing my clothes. Tears streamed down my face, but I tried to stay focused. I could hear David moving around downstairs, but I didn't stop packing. I had to see this through.
A few minutes later, David appeared in the doorway, his face a mixture of frustration and sadness. "Mary, please. Don't do this. We can figure this out."
I paused, looking at him. "David, I've been patient, I've trusted you, but I can't keep living like this. I need transparency, and I need to feel like we're in this together. You say you want to protect me, but your secrecy is hurting us."
He ran a hand through his hair, visibly struggling with his emotions. "I know, Mary. I know I've been keeping things from you, but it's only because I thought it was for the best. I didn't want to burden you with my problems, especially now."
I closed the suitcase and zipped it up. "It's not about the burden, David. It's about trust. I want to be there for you, to support you, but I can't do that if you keep shutting me out."
He took a deep breath, stepping closer. "You're right. I owe you the truth. Please, just give me a chance to explain everything when I get back. I promise, no more secrets."
I looked into his eyes, searching for sincerity. "Fine. But if you break this promise, David, I'm done. I won't keep putting myself through this."
He nodded, reaching out to gently cup my face. "I understand. And I won't let you down. Just stay with your family while I'm gone, please. For the sake of our baby."
I hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. I'll stay with my parents. But remember, David, this is your last chance."
He pulled me into a tight hug, and for a moment, the tension melted away. "Thank you, Mary. I love you."
"I love you too," I whispered, hoping that this time, things would be different.
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Later that afternoon At Felix's house:
As Jay jumped and hopped around the living room watching tv Stephanie walked in arms crossed and gave him the mother look, She grabbed the remote and turned off the tv.
"Just because we're at your father's house doesn't mean that the rules from home don't apply here also." She said, "now start picking up your mess."
Jay pouted but knew better than to argue. He started gathering his toys scattered around the living room, mumbling under his breath. Stephanie watched him for a moment, her stern expression softening slightly.
"Jay, you know the rules are there for a reason," she said, crouching down to his level. "We can't just leave messes everywhere. It's about respecting other people's spaces, too."
Jay nodded, still not happy but understanding. "Okay, Mommy. I'll clean up."
Stephanie smiled, ruffling his hair.
"Good boy. And after you finish, mommy has lunch waiting for you."
As Jay continued tidying up, Felix walked into the room, a coffee cup in hand. "Hey, buddy. Cleaning up already?" he asked, noticing Jay's determined expression.
"Mommy said I have to," Jay replied, a hint of a pout still on his face.
Felix chuckled and bent down to help Jay with his toys. "That's right. It's important to keep things tidy, especially in someone else's house."
"Even if it's Grandpa's house?" Jay asked, looking up at his father.
"Especially if it's Grandpa's house," Felix replied with a smile. "We have to show respect wherever we are."
Once Jay finished, Stephanie called from the kitchen, "Lunch is ready!"
Jay's face lit up, and he quickly put away the last toy. He ran to the kitchen, Felix following behind. On the table, Stephanie had prepared a delicious spread of dishes, rice,fish, chicken, veggies and a fruit salad. Jay smiled as he grabbed his plate and started eating.
"Thank you, Mommy," Jay said, his earlier pout replaced by a happy grin.
Stephanie smiled warmly. "You're welcome, sweetheart." She looked over at Felix who had a big smile on his face and walked to the kitchen. Felix grinned and followed behind her.
"You should go easy on the little guy, his a kid and kids make messes." He stated, "He still needs discipline, he will never get things handed to him easily. Even with you as his father." She added.
"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked, "what I mean is that you can't spoil Jay just because you have money, he needs to learn how to work for things." She replied.
Felix smiled and went in for a kiss catching Stephenie off gaurd, "you're such a great mother." He smiled as he walked out and headed to the kitchen.
Stephanie stood there for a moment, slightly flustered by the unexpected kiss. She watched Felix walk back to the table, a soft smile playing on her lips. Despite their occasional disagreements, she appreciated Felix's efforts to support her parenting.
Back at the table, Jay was happily munching on his food. Felix joined him, and they both dug into the delicious spread Stephanie had prepared. The atmosphere was light, and the tension from earlier had completely dissipated.