PREGNANT AFTER ONE NIGHT STAND

I tie my hair up for a moment before getting out of the car, but Cedric stops my hand. I furrow my brows and look at him, full of questions.

“Just leave it untied.”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“It’s messy if I do that.”

“No, it’s not,” he says. I pout but don’t argue further. I quickly put on the sweater that was on the back seat. I’m hungry. I really want to eat the famous fried duck in the Radio Dalam area. I don’t know why the restaurant sign bothered Cedric when he asked what I wanted to eat for dinner.

Actually, I feel a bit guilty. Cedric’s face looked so tired just now. But I can’t lie, right? They say when a pregnant woman wants something, it feels sad if it’s not granted. So, when I said what I wanted, Cedric became so enthusiastic. As if the tiredness that was on his face disappeared in an instant.

And here we are, right in the available parking area. My wish was granted by Cedric, but it also came with certain terms and conditions. It’s like winning the lottery, right? But I don’t want to argue. The image of fried duck with spicy sambal and warm rice is too tempting to resist. So, I let Cedric be busy with this and that, including picking out clothes for me.

Before Cedric opens the car door for me, I already step out. When Cedric arrives right in front of me, he grins. “I was going to be romantic and open the car door for my beloved.”

I laugh. “Too slow. I’m hungry.”

“Alright, Madame. You can eat more later,” Cedric says while playfully touching the tip of my nose. This might be his third hobby. I already told you the first one, right? The second one is still a secret, okay? I’ll tell you later if he does it again.

He holds my hand tenderly. Not too tight, but I can sense his possessiveness. We walk side by side like a loving couple. Even though my logic loses to my emotions, can I still hope that what I believe is true?

I mean, I can’t deny that he’s an office boy at work. Most people say it’s a lowly job. Maybe it’s true. Or maybe it’s not. Naomi once said, “A man is responsible. With what, Anya? Work. There’s a lot he can do to prove how responsible he is to a woman he loves. Anything. As long as there’s intention and determination to keep moving forward. I value people like that. In your case, Cedric.”

Originally, I ignored it as mere background noise. But over time, its resonance became stronger and made me rethink. Since Cedric entered my life uncontrollably, I could sense that he’s not someone who gives up easily. He’s hardworking, diligent, and willing to work even harder.

Another important thing is that he prioritizes me. In his presence, I feel like a queen. Not that I always want to be served, it’s just that his attention and affection make me put aside my selfishness about life. It’s as if what Cedric shows and gives me helps me learn a lot about our relationship.

I don’t hesitate or feel embarrassed to prepare breakfast and coffee for him. His praises feel so sweet. Even though I genuinely made them without any ‘Baby’ embellishments, it still feels different. I think such little things with sweet appreciation can maintain our relationship well.

“Are you daydreaming and smiling like that? What’s up?” Cedric asked, and I felt flustered!

“Well, why? Are you sick? But if you were, you wouldn’t be smiling, right?”

I found it better to erase the smile that I didn’t realize was on my lips than to be noticed by Cedric like this! “I’ll just order this.” I pointed at the menu randomly.

“But, it’s chicken. You said you wanted duck!”

“Hey, it’s duck. I don’t want chicken!”

Cedric laughed at my behavior. Goodness! Why am I acting so silly?! I covered my face because of both embarrassment and being pointless; Cedric was already laughing at me like this! So, I pouted!

It didn’t take long-maybe because Cedric closed his order with a silly remark, “A pregnant woman’s request. She wants it a bit quicker as she’s hungry.” The male server who approached our table smiled and nodded, responding to Cedric’s words.

“All right, sir. I’ll tell the chef to cook it faster.”

I pouted even more while Cedric was quite satisfied with his laughter. My goodness! Why am I behaving like this?! I pinched his stomach slightly. Never mind if there are red marks or even make them blue! I don’t care!

As expected, our order was ready quite quickly. Sometimes Cedric would remind me to be careful as the fried duck was still steaming hot. I was already unable to resist, especially seeing the sambal! My appetite was fully awakened. I felt like eating quickly, but what’s in front of me had to be finished first, right?

“How’s your mom?” I didn’t know how many spoons it had been; I don’t remember. Seriously, it was so delicious that I forgot to engage Cedric in conversation. Although we rarely exchange stories while eating, I suddenly remembered his mother. It seemed like my brain really had some nerve or synapse connection detachment. Maybe.

Do I need to see a doctor?

There it is! As expected, Cedric was surprised by my question just now. I could see him blinking slowly at me while sipping mineral water.

“Mom?”

“Yes. Your mother. Did I ask the wrong question?”

Cedric smiled again! This time, it even showed his dimples. He rarely does that, right?! “No mistake. I was just surprised.”

I rolled my eyes in annoyance, mostly to cover up my sudden nervousness. But… I don’t think there was anything wrong with my question, right? Why is Cedric acting like I’m weird?

“It’s okay. Because earlier this afternoon, my mom asked about you too.”

“Is she all better now?” I was getting embarrassed by his response.

“Not yet.”

“Who’s taking care of her then?” I was quite curious, actually. Even if he said that his father was there, they’re still old. Can they take care of each other like that? Especially… Cedric has limited funds if he has to hire someone to help take care of his mother. Oh, but they live in their hometown, right? I guess there are relatives helping, I suppose.

I think.

“They’re in Washington DC, Anya.”

Great, I almost choked!

“They’re staying at my sister’s place, so we can keep an eye on them better.”

Cedric never talked about this part, especially about having a brother. As he recounted his absence for a week, I still remember it clearly. It was only about his mother being sick, and he mentioned the hassle of taking turns at the hospital. That’s all.

As we exchanged information about our families, I only knew that Cedric had moved to Washington DC, lived alone, and had an additional job at a club. That’s it. Any other details, I never remembered him mentioning them in front of me.

I started feeling like I was in a relationship with a mysterious person. And stupidly, he was right in front of me. From now on, I didn’t want to be left in the dark anymore. I needed to know in detail who my future husband is.

“So, if you’re all better, we’ll meet your mother, right? You want that, don’t you?”

“How many siblings do you have, actually?”

“Two. I’m the youngest.”

“You never told me about this, I think.” I voiced what had been bothering me in the end.

He just smiled again. Sweet, indeed. It made him even more handsome, but I needed an answer, right?

“I did mention it before. I think you forgot.”

My eyebrows furrowed even more, making my forehead crease.

“Let’s talk about it later. The food is here now. We’ll continue later. There’s plenty of time for you to ask me many questions.” Then he gently caressed my furrowed forehead. “Don’t burden yourself with thoughts. I’m right here beside you.”