The second time was shrimp. He stopped her. "She's allergic to seafood."
My mom glanced at me on instinct, her expression unreadable.
I kept my head down, eating my rice with great care.
Halfway through the meal, a downpour started outside.
Aunt Amelia said, "The rain's coming down hard. Why don't you just stay the night?"
The girl looked over at Phineas. He said nothing.
Aunt Amelia tried again. "Phineas, say something, would you?"
Phineas finally spoke, his voice flat. "There's no spare room."
My hand paused around my bowl. "She can have my room. I was going to clear it out anyway."
For as long as I could remember, I'd had a room of my own at the Sanchez house.
Phineas had set it up just for me. Every break, we'd spend most of our time holed up in that room, building Legos and watching cartoons together.
For years I'd believed that room would always be mine.
"Fine." He looked at me, his voice neither soft nor hard. "Use whatever's in there."
"Anything you don't like, just toss it."
Lacey glanced at me, then at Phineas, pressing her lips together and saying nothing.
Outside, lightning flashed again, thunder cracking right behind it.
I picked up a bite of greens and chewed slowly.
"Greta," Phineas said suddenly.
I lifted my eyes.
"You sure?" he asked.
"I'm sure."
He stared at me for two seconds, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, and smiled.
I understood that smile. He was angry.
He turned to Lacey. "The room's at the end of the hall. I'll take you up later."
Lacey nodded sweetly. "Okay. Thanks, Phineas."
That night, the thunder rolled in wave after wave.
Every time lightning split the sky, I could feel my body trembling faintly.
The last time there was a storm like this, we'd fought over the cat again.
In the heat of it I'd said let's break up, and he only hesitated a moment before agreeing.
The next day I found out I was pregnant.
I'd squeezed myself into his arms and told him, "Let's get married."
He froze for a long time, then pulled me out of his embrace.
"You're despicable, pulling a stunt like this."
I thought he was just saying it in anger. I tugged at his sleeve. "Phineas, don't talk like that, okay?"
"I'm not joking with you."
He shook my hand off. "Neither am I. Trapping me into marriage with a trick like this. Doesn't it make you sick?"
"We just slept together for five years, that's all. Anything you can give, someone else can give too."
I stood frozen where I was, for a long time.
Then Lacey called, saying she'd landed at the airport.
He glanced at me, took the call. "I'm on my way."
The moment the door closed, thunder cracked outside.
I cried alone in the dark for a long, long time.
When I came off the operating table, Lacey's feed had just refreshed.
Phineas was crouched in the airport terminal, retying her loose shoelace, the caption just one line: 【Back home.】
The anesthesia hadn't fully worn off, the wound aching dully.
The enormous loss and the hurt came pouring out, and in that instant, I decided to give up on Phineas.
In the dark, a warm breath drew close, and I was pulled into an embrace.
His hand settled over my belly, his fingertips brushing softly, his voice low and rough.
"Almost three months along now, right."
I shoved him away hard and sat up.
Caught off guard, Phineas's tone was nothing but irritation.
"Greta, what's wrong with you?"
Outside, the thunder rolled again, and I flinched without meaning to.
He tilted his head, clicked his tongue, then got up and pulled the blanket back over where it had slipped off me.
"Go to sleep."
