Chapter 4
950 Words
The room was too small for three people.
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Yet somehow—
It had to be enough.
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Queen sat at the edge of the bed, the baby resting quietly in her arms. Her eyes were fixed on the tiny face, but her mind was far away.
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“They don’t know,” she said softly.
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Darren, who stood by the window, turned to look at her.
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“Your parents?” he asked.
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She nodded slowly.
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“They think I’m at home preparing for university,” she continued. “They’re busy… buying things, planning everything.”
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Her voice trembled.
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“They’re happy again, Darren.”
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Silence filled the room.
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“And you’re here,” he said quietly, “with a child they don’t know exists.”
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Queen swallowed hard.
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“I didn’t plan this,” she whispered.
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Darren sighed, running his hand through his hair.
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“None of this was planned,” he replied. “Look at me, Queen. I don’t even have a stable job.”
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He gestured around the room.
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“This place barely fits me. Now there’s a baby.”
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Queen held the child closer instinctively.
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“She didn’t ask for any of this,” she said.
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“I didn’t say she did,” Darren replied quickly, his voice softening slightly.
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He paused.
Then added—
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“I’m just saying… this is not going to be easy.”
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Queen looked up at him.
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“I know,” she said. “That’s why I need your help.”
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Darren frowned.
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“My help?”
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She nodded.
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“I want to go to university,” she said carefully. “I can’t lose that chance. Not after everything my parents have done.”
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“And the baby?” Darren asked.
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Queen hesitated.
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“I’ll still be her mother,” she said quickly. “I’ll come. I’ll help. I won’t abandon her.”
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Darren’s expression hardened slightly.
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“That sounds like abandonment to me,” he said.
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Her eyes filled with tears.
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“No… it’s not,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s just… temporary.”
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“Temporary?” Darren repeated. “Queen, raising a child is not something you pause and continue later.”
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“I don’t have a choice!” she cried.
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The baby stirred.
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Queen immediately lowered her voice, rocking her gently.
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“I’m trying to fix my life,” she whispered. “If I lose this opportunity… I lose everything.”
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Darren looked at her for a long moment.
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“And what about her?” he asked quietly.
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Queen’s voice broke.
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“She is part of my life,” she said. “That’s why I’m here… not running away.”
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Silence.
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Then she looked straight at him.
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“I need you to keep this a secret,” she said.
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Darren blinked.
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“A secret?”
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“Yes,” she replied. “Until I finish school… or at least until I’m stable enough to tell them.”
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He stared at her.
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“You want me to hide a whole human being?” he asked.
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Queen almost smiled through her tears.
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“I know how it sounds,” she said.
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“It sounds crazy,” Darren corrected.
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“Maybe it is,” she admitted. “But it’s the only way I can survive this.”
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Darren turned away, pacing slowly.
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“You’re asking a lot from me,” he said.
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“I know,” she whispered.
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“I don’t have money, Queen,” he continued. “I don’t have experience. I don’t even have a plan for my own life.”
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Queen stood up slowly, walking toward him with the baby.
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“Then let’s figure it out together,” she said.
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He looked at her.
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“I won’t disappear,” she added quickly. “I’ll come whenever I can. I’ll support you in any way I can.”
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“With what?” he asked. “You don’t even have money either.”
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Her silence answered him.
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Darren exhaled deeply.
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“This is going to be hard,” he said.
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“I know.”
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“Really hard.”
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“I know.”
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He looked at the baby again.
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She was quiet now.
Peaceful.
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“So small…” he murmured.
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His expression softened slightly.
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“She’s ours,” Queen said gently.
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Darren closed his eyes briefly.
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Then nodded.
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“Alright,” he said finally.
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Queen’s breath caught.
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“Alright?” she repeated.
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“I’ll keep your secret,” he said. “For now.”
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Tears streamed down her face.
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“Thank you,” she whispered.
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“But listen,” Darren added firmly. “This won’t stay hidden forever.”
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“I know,” she said.
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“And when the time comes,” he continued, “you have to face it.”
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Queen nodded slowly.
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“I will.”
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He looked at her one last time.
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“You better,” he said.
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Queen looked down at the baby.
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“I’m doing this for all of us,” she whispered.
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But deep down—
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She wasn’t sure if she was saving her future…
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Or creating a bigger problem.
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A secret this big—
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Never stays hidden forever.
- Writer
