Chapter 15

The following Saturday at 6 pm at Jalen’s apartment, it was time. Jalen knew it was going to be awkward. How could it not be? But standing there, watching as the six women arrived one by one, he could feel the tension in the air. Kristen arrived first, looking a little hesitant, clutching a Sprite in her hand like it was her lifeline. Sydney was next to show up, her usual confidence slightly subdued, but still offering Jalen a warm smile. Megan followed, dressed as impeccably as ever, giving Jalen a knowing look before scanning the room, assessing the situation like she was strategizing her next move. Then came Karla. Cool, calm, collected. She had a way of reading people that made Jalen nervous. He could already tell she was taking mental notes on everyone’s body language. Megan and Karla, who obviously were very familiar with each other, exchanged a warm greeting. Megan gave her a teasing smile since, a while back, Karla had insisted to her that she wasn’t into Jalen ... and now she was carrying his child as well. Heidi arrived next, her usual vibrant energy somewhat muted, like she wasn’t sure exactly how to be in this setting. And finally ... Rachel. She walked in last, arms crossed, making it clear from the start that she was not here to make friends. She didn’t look at Jalen right away. Instead, her sharp brown eyes scanned the room, sizing up each woman like they were opponents in a game she hadn’t agreed to play. For a long, painful moment, no one spoke. The women appeared to be sizing each other up. One thing that was clear, even though the silence, every one of them could see that each woman there was physically beautiful in their own way.

Jalen shifted awkwardly. “So, uh ... welcome?”

Sydney let out a small laugh, which seemed to break the tension just enough.

Megan exhaled, shaking her head. “This is crazy. We’re crazy.”

Kristen took a sip of her Sprite, looking at everyone nervously. “So, um ... I guess we should start by ... introducing ourselves?”

Heidi smiled a little. “I mean, I think we all know who we are at this point.”

Rachel scoffed. “Oh, do we?”

Jalen pinched the bridge of his nose. “Here we go...”

Sydney, being the most composed of the group, took a deep breath and decided to take charge. “Look, we’re all here. We all know why we’re here. So, let’s just ... get through it, yeah?” She glanced at Jalen before looking at the other women. “I don’t think any of us expected our lives to look like this, but here we are.”

Kristen shifted uncomfortably but nodded. “Yeah ... and I know we all have our own feelings about this whole thing. But if we’re going to be in each other’s lives because of him,” she shot Jalen a look, “then maybe we should at least try to be civil.”

Megan smirked. “I’m plenty civil. I think it’s the rest of you that need to catch up.”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Oh, please.”

Karla, who had been mostly observing, finally spoke up. “You know ... as wild as this situation is, I do think there’s something to be said for the fact that we all care about the same man, and for some reason, we’re all here instead of running for the hills.”

That actually made everyone pause.

Jalen, for his part, was doing his best to stay quiet and let them work through this. But Rachel’s voice pulled him back into the moment.

“I just wanna know one thing,” Rachel said, arms still crossed, staring directly at Jalen. “Are you really prepared for this? All of this? Us?”

Jalen held her gaze, then looked around at all of them. “I wouldn’t have brought you all here if I wasn’t.”

A moment of silence stretched between them all before Sydney exhaled. “Well ... in that case, maybe we should actually talk instead of staring at each other like we’re about to start a war.”

Megan smirked again. “Fine. But after I get something to eat.”

Jalen laughed despite himself. “I ordered food. It should be here any minute.”

Rachel shook her head. “You really do think of everything, don’t you?”

He shrugged. “I try.”

Kristen sighed and grabbed another sip of her Sprite. “Well ... here’s to the most awkward dinner of all time.”

And with that, the women who carried Jalen’s children finally sat down together, for better or for worse. The food arrives a short while later (pizza, wings, pasta, and a house salad), and Jalen sets everything up for them, including paper plates, napkins, cups and a bowl of ice.

Karla speaks, “Jalen?”

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t you go to the store or something?” She says.

“Wait what?” Jalen asks, confused.

“Let the ladies chat for a bit.” Karla clarifies.

Jalen looked around at the women, his women, and immediately felt like he was being exiled from his own apartment.

“You want me to just leave?” he asked, glancing at Karla, who only gave him a knowing smirk.

Sydney nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Jalen. Go take a walk, go grab some snacks, something. Let us talk.”

Kristen looked far too amused at his discomfort. “I mean, you did want us all to meet. And you said you wanted us to get along, right? So let us have our moment.”

Megan waved him off. “You’ll be fine. Go.”

Rachel just stared at him before finally sighing. “I won’t say it’s a bad idea.”

Jalen sighed and rubbed his face. “Alright, alright, fine. But if I come back and the apartment is in flames, I am blaming all of you.”

Heidi grinned, clearly enjoying this far too much. “Just trust us, Jalen.”

He gave them one last look before grabbing his keys. “Alright, I’ll be back. Please, no bloodshed.” As soon as he walked out and the door shut behind him, there was a brief silence.

Then Megan leaned forward, smirking. “So. Now we can talk.”

The tension in the room was thick, but Megan’s smirk carried an air of confidence as she glanced around at the other women.

Kristen crossed her arms and leaned back on the couch. “So, what exactly do we talk about first? The fact that we’re all carrying the same man’s child? Or that he somehow convinced us to sit in the same damn room like this is a family meeting?”

Sydney sighed, but she was smiling. “He didn’t convince us. We agreed.”

Rachel let out a dry laugh. “Most of us.”

Karla, ever the attorney, leaned forward and clasped her hands together. “I think the real question is, how the hell did this happen? Not the pregnancies, obviously. But this. Us, here, willingly sitting together and not trying to kill each other.”

Heidi was the first to answer. “Because we all love him.”

There was a pause. No one spoke, but no one argued either.

Megan smirked again. “She’s not wrong.”

Kristen exhaled and sat up. “Okay. Let’s just put it out there. What are we to each other? Because whether we like it or not, we’re all connected now. And if we’re going to make this work, we need to figure out what this looks like moving forward.”

Sydney nodded in agreement. “I don’t think any of us expected this, but ... here we are. And as much as we all want Jalen to be superhuman, he can’t be everywhere at once. So how do we handle this?”

Rachel let out a breath. “I still think this is insane. But ... I guess it’d be even more insane if we didn’t try to figure it out.”

Megan raised an eyebrow. “So, are you saying you’re in?”

Rachel scowled. “I’m saying I haven’t walked out yet.”

Kristen laughed. “That’s progress.”

Karla smirked and looked around. “So, should we start by establishing some ground rules?”

Sydney rolled her eyes playfully. “You would want to make it all formal.”

Karla shrugged. “It’s a lawyer thing.”

Heidi grinned. “Fine. Rule number one: No fighting over Jalen.”

Megan nodded. “Agreed. We’re not about to act like we’re on some reality show fighting for his attention.”

Kristen smirked. “That’s easy for you to say, Miss ‘Let me run away from my rich asshole husband and fall into Jalen’s arms.’”

Megan laughed. “Listen, I earned my spot here, just like the rest of you.”

Rachel shook her head, but there was amusement in her expression. “God, this is so ridiculous.”

Karla leaned back. “Maybe. But if we’re going to do this, then let’s do it right.”

Sydney folded her arms. “Agreed.”

There was a moment of silence. Then Heidi grinned. “So ... how do we feel about group chats?”

“Absolutely not.” Rachel responds.

Kristen snorted. “Yeah, that was a little too ambitious, Heidi.”

Heidi laughed and held up her hands. “Fine, fine. No group chats ... for now.”

Sydney smirked. “I wouldn’t completely rule it out. It could actually be useful, like for updates, doctor’s appointments, or scheduling time with Jalen.”

Rachel groaned. “Jesus, scheduling time with him?”

Karla raised an eyebrow. “You’re already here. You might as well accept that this is our reality.”

Rachel sighed dramatically but didn’t argue.

Heidi spoke up again. “I know this situation is unconventional, but at the end of the day, we all want what’s best for our babies, right?”

The room fell silent for a moment as the weight of that truth settled in.

Kristen exhaled. “Yeah. We do.”

Megan nodded. “So as long as Jalen is stepping up, and we all know he will, then the least we can do is not make this harder than it has to be.”

Heidi smirked. “Does that mean you are considering the group chat?”

Rachel groaned again. “Oh my God.”

Kristen laughed. “One thing at a time.”

Heidi grinned, clearly enjoying herself. “Fine. But I am calling dibs on the best baby name ideas.”

Megan rolled her eyes. “Oh, here we go...”

The conversation slowly started to feel less awkward, less tense. They weren’t friends. Not yet. But something was starting to shift. Rachel sat back, crossing her arms as she listened to the other women talk about how they could balance their time with Jalen without exhausting him. She had been the most resistant to all of this, but now, as she listened to their perspectives, something in her started to shift.

Kristen, ever the practical one, took the lead. “Look, I know we’re all used to calling or texting him whenever we need him, and Jalen being Jalen, he’s always going to show up. But Sysney’s right about what she said before. Jalen is one man. He can’t be in six places at once. If we’re gonna make this work without running him into the ground, we need a plan.”

Megan nodded. “I agree. Maybe a schedule really is the best way. Like, not something super rigid, but a general idea of when we each see him, so he’s not stretched too thin.”

Karla smirked. “So, what, are we gonna start drafting a Google Calendar for our shared baby daddy?”

The group chuckled, but Sydney shrugged. “Honestly? Not the worst idea. Or at least having a mutual understanding. We don’t want him running himself ragged. If he’s exhausted, he can’t be at his best for any of us, or for our kids.”

Rachel exhaled, rubbing her temple. This was the last thing she thought she’d be discussing with five other women, but ... damn it, they had a point. Jalen was the kind of guy who would run himself into the ground trying to be there for everyone. And as much as she hated to admit it, she didn’t want that for him either.

“Okay...” Rachel finally spoke up, making everyone turn to her. “Maybe you guys are onto something. I don’t know about setting up a formal schedule, but yeah, Jalen’s got enough on his plate without us making it harder. If we can be mindful about how we’re splitting his time, I guess that makes sense.”

Heidi then proposes something that none of them were prepared for. “So, um ... not to change the subject but, I was wondering if you all could each share how and when you fell in love with Jalen...”

The room fell into silence. The women exchanged glances, clearly caught off guard by how personal it was. Even Rachel seemed momentarily stunned.

Kristen was the first to break the silence. She exhaled and looked down at her lap, gathering her thoughts before speaking. “I think ... I first realized I loved Jalen when I was still with Rob and he told me what his idea of what a healthy relationship was,” she admitted softly. “I was trying to ignore my feelings, to tell myself that it was just attraction, but I saw how much he actually listened to me. He made me feel seen in a way that Rob never did. And then when I found out I was pregnant, I was scared out of my mind, and Jalen just ... showed up. No hesitation, no running, no ‘that’s not my problem.’ That cemented it. He’s ... he’s different.”

Megan nodded, smiling fondly as she thought back. “For me, it was when he told me, ‘We need to get you out of this marriage.’ No man had ever stood up for me like that. I was trapped in a marriage where I felt invisible, where I was just an accessory to my husband’s life. Jalen made me feel like I mattered. He didn’t try to save me like some hero, but he let me know I wasn’t alone. And every step of the way, he followed through. That’s when I knew I loved him.”

Sydney twirled her fingers in her lap before speaking. “Mine was before I even found out I was pregnant,” she admitted. “At that party when I first met him, I was bored, stuck with a boyfriend who wasn’t giving me what I needed, and living my life based on other people’s expectations. Then Jalen walked in like he belonged in every space he entered. He was confident but never arrogant. I didn’t even know him, but I knew I wanted him. And after that night? He never treated me like I was just some hookup. He cared. He respected me. Then he was right there with me when I told my parents about the pregnancy, and they flipped. I haven’t spoken to my parents since that day, but I haven’t felt alone because of Jalen. That’s when I knew.”

Karla chuckled lightly before shaking her head. “I was probably the last one to admit it, even to myself. I kept trying to keep my walls up, but Jalen just ... broke through them, little by little. It wasn’t even about the sex, though, let’s be honest, that was something else.” That made a few of them smirk. “But what really got me was the night I saw him breaking down, feeling the weight of everything. He wasn’t some invincible player who just wanted to collect women. He was a man doing his best for all of us, even when it was too much for him. I saw his heart that night. And that’s when I knew.”

Rachel had been quiet, arms crossed, looking like she was debating whether or not to share. Finally, she sighed and rolled her eyes. “God, I hate this,” she muttered, earning a few chuckles. Then she looked down, her voice softer than usual. “It was when he showed up at my door with medicine, my favorite cookies, and breakfast after I told him I didn’t want to see him. I had told him to go away, and he still showed up for me. No man had ever done that. And I realized that no matter how mad I was at him, no matter how insane this situation is ... I loved him. Because he loved me enough to stick around.”

The room fell silent again, but this time, there was an unspoken understanding between them all. Despite how unconventional this was, despite how complicated it had become, they had one undeniable thing in common. They had all fallen for the same man.

Heidi, who had listened to every word, nodded slowly. “I think I needed to hear all of that,” she admitted. I knew Jalen was different when I met him too. And what made me fall for him was that he didn’t judge me or ridicule me for my outdated beliefs that my family instilled in me. He never tried to force me to embrace his life and values. He gave me the opportunity to see for myself another perspective and come to my own conclusions on what I truly wanted and believed. All the while, he treated me like someone he truly cared about and respected. After the night that I witnessed two cops pull him over and treat him like shit just for being black, I realized how much I was already in love with him.”

The energy in the room shifted. What started as an awkward and hesitant gathering had transformed into something deeper. Something real. The six women, each with their own complicated relationship with Jalen, had just borne pieces of their souls to one another. And for the first time, they weren’t just six women connected by the same man. They were six women who understood each other in a way no one else ever could.

Kristen was the first to take a deep breath and decide to go even deeper.

“I haven’t told many people about this, but ... Rob was never supposed to be my forever,” she admitted. “I got engaged to him because it felt like the right thing to do. He had a good job, he was responsible, and everyone around me kept saying I’d be crazy to not settle down with a guy like him. But the truth? I never felt wanted by him. I felt like a checklist item. Then I met Jalen, and suddenly I knew what it felt like to be wanted. To be seen. And when I finally broke things off with Rob, I was terrified. Because I didn’t know if I was making the biggest mistake of my life ... or the best decision I’d ever make.” She exhaled and gave a small smile. “Looking at where I am now, I know it was the latter.”

Megan, emboldened by Kristen’s honesty, spoke next. “I married Chris because I saw him as a way out of my poor and hard lifestyle. He was rich, powerful, and in my mom’s eyes, he was the ‘perfect’ husband. But they didn’t see the way he talked down to me after we got married. The way he ignored me. The way he controlled me. And I convinced myself that I had to live with it because it could be worse, right? Then Jalen came along. And he wasn’t just a man I was attracted to; he was my lifeline out of a situation that was suffocating me. And now ... I’m finally free. And I have him to thank for that.”

Sydney ran her fingers through her blonde hair and smirked. “Alright, so my story is a little different from y’all’s because I wasn’t engaged or married to a loser,” she said. “But I was in a relationship that was going absolutely nowhere. My ex wasn’t a bad guy, but he was boring, and he had no idea how to handle a woman like me. And then Jalen ... well, he handled me just fine.” That got a few chuckles. “But in all seriousness, Jalen reminded me that I deserved to be excited about my relationship and my life. That I deserved to feel passion, fun, adventure and to make choices for me and not what my friends and family expect of me. And now I have that with him.”

Karla, who had been listening intently, finally spoke up. “I built my life around not needing a man. I worked my ass off to get through law school, and now I dedicate my life to helping women who are trapped in situations like Megan’s. I had no interest in getting tied down in some messy, complicated love life. And yet here I am.” She laughed lightly, shaking her head. “Because Jalen earned my trust. He showed me that I could let someone in without losing myself. And now I realize ... maybe I wanted that all along.”

Rachel crossed her arms and exhaled. “I was happy with ex-boyfriend, Trevor,” she admitted. “I really was. But happy and fulfilled are two different things. And deep down, I knew I was settling. Then Jalen came along and wrecked my whole damn life.” That made the others chuckle. “I fought my feelings for him every step of the way. I told myself I hated him, that he was an asshole, that I wanted nothing to do with him. And yet, here I am. Because even when I pushed him away, he never left. And that’s when I knew ... I was never going to shake him.”

Finally, all eyes turned to Heidi. She took a deep breath. “I grew up in a family that taught me exactly what kind of man I was supposed to be with. And Jalen? He was not on that list to put it mildly.” She smiled softly. “But then I actually got to know him. And I realized that he was everything I wanted. He challenges me, makes me think in ways I never had before, and makes me feel in ways I never have before. And I know this might sound crazy, but even though I haven’t known him as long as the rest of you ... I know I love him.”

For a moment, there was silence. Not an uncomfortable silence, but the kind where everyone was simply processing. Then, Megan chuckled softly.

“Well, we’re in this now, huh?” Megan says

Sydney smirked. “Yeah. We really are.”

Kristen exhaled and looked around. “I don’t think any of us expected to be here, sitting together like this, sharing our stories. But ... I think I needed this. I think we needed this.”

Rachel nodded. “Yeah. I think we did.”

Heidi smiled. “So, what now?”

Karla shrugged. “I guess now ... we figure out how the hell we make this work.”

And for the first time that night, all six women truly smiled. Because now, they weren’t just six women in Jalen’s life. They were in this together.

A little while later, Jalen steps back into his apartment, mentally preparing for the awkwardness he assumes is still lingering in the air. Instead, he walks into something completely unexpected.

The tension that had been present earlier was gone. Instead, the six women looked ... united. As if they had reached an unspoken agreement that none of them had anticipated coming into this night. Jalen was almost afraid to ask.

Megan turned to him with a smirk. “Well, well. Look who’s back.”

“So ... how did it go?” he asked cautiously.

Kristen reached for a slice of veggie pizza and shot Jalen a look. “You were expecting chaos when you walked in, weren’t you?”

Jalen hesitated. “ ... Maybe.”

Karla chuckled, leaning back on the couch. “Well, we were considering a Hunger Games-style battle to see who gets first dibs on you, but Megan insisted we eat first.”

Jalen blinked. “Uh—”

Megan grinned. “I mean, it only seems fair.”

Jalen opened his mouth, but Sydney patted his shoulder. “Relax. We’re kidding. Mostly.”

Heidi grabbed a plate and smirked. “We did decide you’ll need to keep a shared calendar, though.”

Jalen groaned. “Oh my God, please don’t turn this into a corporate scheduling meeting.”

Karla, chewing on a hot wing, smirked. “Too late. We’re already thinking of color-coding.”

Jalen ran a hand down his face. “I walked into a trap.”

Kristen laughed. “Welcome to your life, Jalen.”

Jalen sat back, exhaling as he looked around the room. Seeing all six of them together, talking, eating, and even joking around, was surreal. He had dreaded this moment, feared the tension, the arguments, the outright hostility that could have erupted, but instead, they were here, sharing a meal like ... a family.

Kristen, always the one to cut to the chase, wiped her mouth with a napkin and looked directly at him. “You know, Jalen ... I don’t think we’ve said it outright, but we see what you’ve been doing.”

Megan nodded, setting her drink down. “Yeah. You’ve really been showing up for us. And we appreciate that.”

Sydney smiled. “You could’ve easily just sent a check every month and called it a day, but you’re here. For all of us.”

Karla folded her arms and leaned forward slightly. “I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I’ve known men who run at the mere idea of fatherhood, let alone six pregnancies at the same time. You didn’t run. That says a lot.”

Jalen swallowed, his throat suddenly tight. “I— I mean, I told y’all from the start. I’m not running.” He glanced around the room. “I know this situation is insane, and I know I’ve made mistakes along the way. But y’all deserve someone who’s going to be there. Not just financially, not just when it’s convenient. Always.”

Rachel let out a sigh. “I’m still pissed at you sometimes, I won’t lie.”

Jalen chuckled dryly. “I’d be surprised if you weren’t.”

Rachel smirked a little before continuing, “But ... you are trying. And you’re proving that this isn’t just some temporary ‘I’ll be here until it gets hard’ thing. So yeah, I agree with them. I see it too.”