UNBREAKABLE

Chapter 25

"MY BABY MOVED!"

Avery's hand and mine stayed on my belly. Another first I got to experience, and Art missed. The guilt keeps piling up. The successive welcomed movements in my stomach stirred me up as if the little human inside me was giving their sentiment. Yes, baby. We will tell Daddy today. Let's tell him when he calls to check in.

"No! I'll call him now."

"Slow down, Mommy!" Avery's eyes widened as she watched me stand up and sweep my phone from the table. My hands were shaking. I could hear my heartbeat from my chest. Hormones or not, I knew I couldn't wait another second not to inform Art. My fingers pressed the number one in my contacts.

In just three rings, I heard Art's voice. His forehead wrinkled as his eyes checked my face.

"Are you okay, baby?"

"Im good. We're all good." I sniffed, trying to control my tears. "I miss you. We both miss you."

Art chuckled. "I miss you too, Shells. You and Avery both."

"Arty! I missed you too!" Avery shoved her face into my phone screen.

"But it's not just Shells and me who miss you." I felt my best friend's hand clasped into mine that, gently pressed on my protruding bump.

"Uhm... yes." My voice croaked. "There's someone special missing you so much."

Art's eyes brightened. His lips curved into a teasing smile. "Is my mother visiting you guys? I asked her to visit you often. To make sure Ave is a good girl!"

"No!" My tone pitched. "We meant someone else. I want you to meet someone."

Art's brows creased. His eyes looked around the background behind me, which he could see over his phone screen. I knew he was trying to check for others besides Avery And me, not seeing anyone else, his eyes glued on mine. "Who do you want me to meet, baby?" he asked.

Slowly I moved down my phone to focus its camera on my pregnant belly. Art's eyes widened. I gently stroked my bump, my eyes not leaving his.

"Art, babe." I sniffed as I tried to hold back my tears. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner." my sniffles turned into soft sobs.

Immediately Avery was beside me, her hand patting my back in slow motion. It didn't escape my vision when Art's head stiffened as he bit his lip hard.

"Please listen to my explanation, baby," I told Art as I wiped the tears on my cheek. "Baby..." I couldn't finish what I was about to say when he looked me in the eye and asked coldly, "How far along are you?"

His question struck me. Did he think I was pregnant with another man's child?

"Baby, this is your child. This baby is ours."

Art took a deep breath. "Since when did you know? Before or after I left for Munich?"

"I'm sorry for not telling you." Art sighed aloud. "Shells, before or after?" "Before," I answered with my eyes closed.

Total silence from Art's end followed. Unable to think of what to say next, I kept my eyes closed for a few more seconds. Before I could open my eyes, I felt Avery's hand removing the phone from my grasp.

I opened my eyes quickly. When I looked at my phone in Avery's hand, she shrugged her shoulders and told me that Art ended the call.

Avery spent hours calling Art back. But after multiple unanswered calls, she got tired when her calls were sent to voicemail. All the while, I was in my bed crying the most tears I've ever cried in my life.