Chapter 3: The Afterparty
810 Words
Maria Blake POV
“How far along?”
Bex Ashford had apparently also been invited to the bathroom.
She let the door close behind her and set her clutch on the counter.
Her thumb found her index nail — working at it once, twice — before she turned around and looked at the test in Maria’s hand.
“That’s none of your—”
“Six weeks? Eight?” She looked at Maria directly. “Does he know? I’m guessing he doesn’t— not like it matters.”
“I don’t see how any of this is your—”
“He’s on the verge of everything.” Her voice didn’t change. “Do you understand what that means right now?”
She paced.
“Tell me you understand what this means right now—Three deals on the table. The next eighteen months are a rocket launch.” She paused. “A baby doesn’t slow a launch like that down, Maria. It aborts it.”
“You don’t know what—”
“You’ve been with him since before any of this.” Bex looked at her steadily. “You know what it cost him to get here. He’d stay. You know he would. He’d stay and resent it and in three years you’d both be somewhere neither of you chose.”
She bit her nail again briefly and stopped.
“Is that love?”
She picked up her clutch and walked out like the conversation had been another one of her board meetings.
Maria stood at the sink and looked at herself in the mirror.
She put the test back in her bag and went back out.
Everyone was gathering for what looked like a group picture.
Darcy was nearby, arms locked with Raff.
Maria slipped into the nearest empty chair and disappeared into the crowd.
“Little closer — yeah — “ The photographer gestured. “You two—” He pointed at Raff and Darcy. “Give us something from the film. This is a celebration, people.”
Laughter from around the room.
Darcy turned to Raff, already smiling. Already willing.
Raff laughed it off. Said something. More laughter.
Then his eyes moved to Bex at the edge of the room.
Something crossed his face. Maria saw it from where she stood.
He turned back to Darcy.
The kiss lasted three seconds—that was all it took to shatter whatever hope was left in Maria.
Darcy leaned into it. The cameras had their flashes of glory and cheers came from somewhere behind Maria.
Raff pulled back almost immediately. She could see the discomfort from where she stood — the hesitation. His eyes came up scanning.
Looking for her.
She was already moving.
She sniffled and forced back the tear threatening to drop.
Her phone went off before she reached the door.
She figured it was Raff. It wasn’t. It was another notification.
The group photo was already posted. Forty seconds ago. Love or Loss cast celebrates in style.
As if it couldn’t get worse there she was in the background. Slightly left, slightly out of focus, mouth open, eyes wet from the wine incident that the camera had caught in perfect unfortunate detail. Standing alone while everyone else leaned in.
Of all the moments to capture. Her mouth had to be open. Perfect.
The top comment had eighty-nine likes.
[The girl in the back is literally crying. Who is she and why is she lmaooo]
Seventy-three replies beneath it.
[Doesn't Raff Cole have a girlfriend?? Is that her??]
[she looks so out of place poor thing]
[whoever she is she needs to leave lol]
Maria locked her phone.
The cab smelled like a bad mixture of cigarettes and air freshener, the radio was playing something she didn’t recognize but it was slow enough to steady her nerves.
Is that love? Bex’ voice played in her head, then the image of Darcy pulling Raff away followed.
She put her hand over her stomach.
“No. You deserve better.”
————————————————————
Raff let himself in at two in the morning.
“Babe—I’m so sorry—.” He kicked off his shoes.
“Maria?”
The apartment was quiet.
He stood in the hallway. His stomach hollowed.
Walked to the kitchen.
“Babe?”
He walked to the bedroom.
Her side of the wardrobe was open.
The hangers were there.
Her clothes weren’t.
“Maria?”
Nobody answered. He walked into the bathroom, half hoping to find her asleep in the bathtub like she’d done before.
Instead he found the test on the bathroom counter.
Two lines.
His throat went dry. The weight of his own heartbeat practically forced him to his knees.
“No.”
- Writer
