Chapter 9

After leaving Rachel’s apartment, Jalen texts Sydney.

Jalen: “Hey, is it okay if I come over?”

Sydney: “Yes, come over now.”

Jalen didn’t expect her to say “now”, but he headed straight there.

Jalen pulled into the parking lot of Sydney’s condo, his stomach tight with unease. When she told him to come over, her text hadn’t felt like her usual laid-back, playful self. This was different. Jalen stepped out of the car, walked up the stairs, reached her door, and knocked. A few seconds later, Sydney opened it. She stood there in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt, her long blonde hair pulled into a messy bun. No makeup. No smile. Her blue eyes were sharp but guarded.

“Hey,” she said quietly, stepping aside to let him in.

Jalen frowned. This wasn’t Sydney. She wasn’t teasing him. She wasn’t smirking like she usually did. She looked ... nervous. Sydney closed the door behind them, then crossed her arms.

Jalen studied her carefully. “What’s going on?” he asked, keeping his voice steady.

Sydney exhaled deeply, running a hand through her hair. She paced once, then stopped, looking at him like she was still trying to figure out how to say it. Then ... she just came out and said it.

“I’m pregnant.”

Silence. Jalen froze. His heart stopped and his stomach dropped.

Sydney’s gaze didn’t waver. “And it’s yours,” she added, her voice steady but heavy with emotion.

Jalen finally breathed in. This was it. The first of the eight. The prophecy was happening. Sydney had no knowledge of that, of course. Jalen stood there, silent. His mind was racing, but his body wouldn’t move. He could feel Sydney’s eyes on him, watching him closely, waiting for a reaction. Waiting to see if he was going to run. Instead, he exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stay grounded. Then...

“How do you feel about it?” he finally asked.

Sydney blinked, startled by the question. Her arms were still crossed, her weight shifting slightly. She wasn’t expecting that. She let out a sharp exhale, then rubbed her forehead.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice tired but honest.

“I mean ... I’m 25. I have a good job, a nice place, a solid life..., but ... I wasn’t planning for this.”

Jalen nodded slowly, letting her speak.

Sydney let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “I keep thinking about how my mom is going to react,” she muttered. “She already thinks I should be married by now, and now, I’m about to be a single mom with a black father? She’s going to lose her shit.”

Jalen’s jaw tightened slightly at that, but he didn’t react. He knew Sydney wasn’t saying it to be offensive, she was just being real, and she was right. Her mom probably was going to lose her mind. Sydney looked up at him, her blue eyes searching his.

“And you?” she asked. “How do you feel about it?”

Jalen inhaled deeply. He didn’t know how to explain what he was feeling. On one hand, this was exactly what the Beyonder had said would happen, but on the other, this was Sydney. A real woman. A real pregnancy. A real baby. This was his child, and he had to decide what to say next. Jalen stepped forward, closing the space between them.

Sydney’s arms were still crossed, her posture tense, but she didn’t back away. She was waiting for something. For him to speak or react in some way. Instead of answering right away, Jalen reached for her hands. Gently. Slowly. Sydney’s fingers were cold, but she let him take them.

Jalen held them firmly, grounding both of them, and then said, “No matter what happens ... you won’t be alone in this.”

Sydney’s breath hitched. Her blue eyes widened just slightly, like she wasn’t expecting that. Like some part of her had prepared for the worst. Prepared for him to say he wasn’t ready. That this was too much. Instead, though, he was right here. Not running. Not making excuses. Just standing with her. Sydney swallowed hard, blinking quickly like she was trying to keep her emotions in check.

Her fingers tightened around his. “You mean that?” she asked quietly.

Jalen didn’t hesitate. “Yeah. I do.”

She exhaled sharply, her shoulders relaxing just a little. Jalen could feel the weight she had been carrying, the fear, the uncertainty, start to shift because now she wasn’t carrying it alone.

Sydney bit her lip, her voice softer now. “I really needed to hear that.”

Jalen gave her a small squeeze. “I meant it,” he said again. “We’re in this together.”

For the first time since he arrived, Sydney’s lips curved into something close to a smile. Faint, wary, but real, and in that moment, Jalen knew that this was the beginning of everything changing.

Sydney led Jalen to the couch, sitting down first before pulling him beside her. Jalen stayed quiet, watching her, letting her find the words in her own time. She inhaled deeply, running a hand through her messy blonde waves.

“I found out yesterday,” she started, voice soft but weighted. “I’d been feeling weird for a while, but I just kept telling myself it was stress..., or maybe my cycle was just being weird, but then I realized I was late. Like ... really late.”

Jalen nodded, listening closely.

Sydney let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. “I stared at that stupid test for so long, hoping I was imagining it. Hoping maybe there was a mistake, but those two little lines just ... stared right back at me.”

Her voice wavered slightly, and Jalen could feel just how much she had been carrying this alone. She looked over at him then, blue eyes filled with vulnerability.

“I didn’t know how to tell you,” She admitted. “I didn’t even know how to think about it myself.”

Jalen reached for her hand again, this time giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Like I said, you won’t have to go through this alone, Syd,” he reaffirmed, his voice steady.

Sydney swallowed hard, then nodded.

Jalen exhaled, grounding himself. “What do you want to do next?” he asked. “Do you want to make a doctor’s appointment, do you want to tell your parents, or do you just need more time to process?”

Sydney stared at him for a moment, searching his face. Then, finally, she let out a breath. “Right now?” she murmured. “I just ... want you to hold me for a while.”

Jalen didn’t hesitate. He opened his arms, and Sydney immediately curled into him, resting her head against his chest. Her body was warm, her breathing uneven. Jalen felt her exhale deeply, as if she was finally letting herself rest. As he wrapped his arms around her, he realized that this moment was bigger than both of them. Sydney sank deeper into Jalen’s embrace. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. There was just the sound of their breathing and the weight of the moment settling around them.

Then, quietly, she admitted, “I’m scared, Jalen.”

Jalen’s arms tightened around her, his fingers gently tracing soothing circles on her back. “I know,” he murmured. “Talk to me.”

Sydney exhaled, her cheek still pressed against his chest. “It’s not just my mom,” she admitted. “It’s my whole family. My friends. The circles I grew up in.”

She pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at him.

“You don’t understand how these people are, Jalen. I was raised in a world where image is everything. Where women are expected to be perfect wives and mothers with a ring on their finger before they even think about having kids.”

Jalen stayed quiet, letting her get it out. Sydney swallowed.

“I mean, they already thought I was a rebel for breaking up with Greg. But this?” She let out a dry laugh. “An unwed pregnancy with a black father? They’re gonna have a damn aneurysm.”

Jalen felt that. He had already known her world was different from his but hearing her say it out loud made it hit even harder. He reached up, brushing a few strands of blonde hair from her face.

“Sydney...” he said softly, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead.

She closed her eyes, like she was soaking in the comfort of the moment. When he pulled back, he held her gaze.

“No matter what they say, no matter what happens, I’ll be right there with you. Even if they want nothing to do with me. We’re gonna figure it out together.”

Sydney searched his face, her blue eyes wide, vulnerable. “You really mean that?”

Jalen didn’t hesitate. “Yeah. I do. I promise. I will be here for you and this baby every step of the way.”

A single tear slipped down Sydney’s cheek. Not from fear or sadness, but from relief because for the first time since she saw that test turn positive, she truly felt like she wouldn’t have to go through this alone.

The following week, Kristen Stanley finished moving into her new apartment in the Lindbergh area of Atlanta. She had officially ended things with Rob. She was no longer engaged, and she had finally moved out of the house they shared. Unfortunately, the very next morning, she threw up, which made three days in a row now.

Kristen clutched the edge of the sink, her body trembling as another wave of nausea washed over her. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to breathe through it, but it was no use. Her stomach lurched again, and she barely made it to the toilet in time. For the third morning in a row. Kristen sat back against the wall, panting, pale, and shaken. Her heart hammered and her mind raced. This wasn’t just stress or a stomach bug. Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone. She knew what she had to do, but the thought of seeing those two pink lines? It made her stomach twist even more. Still, she had to know, and if she was right, then everything was about to change.

Friday, that same week, Chris departed for his next scheduled “business trip”. Megan saw him off at the mansion pretending everything was normal. She stood on the grand marble steps of the mansion, watching Chris drive away. She forced a soft smile, waving like the perfect wife, and like she wasn’t seconds away from leaving his world behind forever.

The moment his car disappeared down the driveway, she exhaled sharply, her heart hammering in her chest. This was it now. There was no turning back. Megan rushed inside, her red-bottomed heels clicking against the polished floors as she grabbed the three large suitcases she had packed in secret over the past two weeks. She had planned everything. She knew how long she had before the house staff returned. She knew the cameras inside hadn’t been installed in certain hallways yet, and she knew Chris wouldn’t be back for days. She was in the clear. One hour later, Megan dragged the suitcases outside and toward the waiting Uber. The driver, a middle-aged woman with kind brown eyes, gave her a small, knowing smile.

“Got everything?” she asked.

Megan nodded quickly, not trusting her voice. She climbed inside, heart pounding, hands clutching her secret new temporary cell phone. She had wiped her old phone and thrown it in the trash just as planned. The driver pulled away, and just like that, Megan was free.

Twenty minutes later, Megan arrived at the address Jalen had given her. A discreet women’s shelter, tucked away in a quiet part of the city. A place for women like her who needed a new beginning. Megan stepped out of the car, gripping her suitcases tightly. For a moment, she just stood there. Breathing in the reality of what she’d just done. Then, she walked inside. The receptionist, a woman in her late 40s with gentle eyes, greeted her with a warm smile.

“Welcome, sweetheart,” she said softly. “You’re safe here.”

Megan’s throat tightened. Safe for the first time in years. She swallowed hard, then nodded. She had no idea what the future held, but she did know one thing. She was finally in control of her own life. At least to an extent.

Jalen was in his apartment, sitting on the couch playing Call of Duty, when his phone started buzzing repeatedly. An unknown number.

He frowned but picked up anyway. “Hello?”

There was a brief pause on the other end. Then...

“It’s me.”

Jalen instantly recognized the voice. He sat up straighter, heart picking up speed.

“Megan?”

“Yeah,” she exhaled. “I made it. I’m safe.”

Jalen let out a slow, deep breath. Relief washed over him. “Damn, I’m glad to hear that,” he said sincerely. “You good? How was the trip?”

Megan let out a soft laugh, a mix of exhaustion and disbelief. “I can’t believe I actually did it,” she admitted. “I’m here. I left my phone behind so Chris can’t track me. This place is ... nice and quiet. They already told me they’ll help with the next steps.”

“That’s good,” Jalen nodded, even though she couldn’t see him. “That’s really good.”

Megan went quiet for a second. Then, in a smaller voice, “Thank you, Jalen.”

Jalen felt that. He felt the weight of what this moment meant for her. For them. “You don’t have to thank me,” he said, voice firm. “You did this, Megan. You got yourself out.”

She let out a slow breath, “Yeah,” she murmured. “I did.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the reality settling in. Then Jalen asked, “You need anything? Money? Supplies?”

Megan smiled softly, even though he couldn’t see it. “I’ll let you know,” she promised. “Right now, I just ... needed to hear your voice.”

Jalen leaned back against the couch, rubbing his hand over his jaw. “I’m here,” he said simply. “Whenever you need me.”

Megan sighed, relief evident in her tone. “Good,” she whispered, “I’ll be in touch soon.”

With that, she hung up. Jalen stared at his phone for a long moment, letting the reality of it sink in. She was out. She was free.

Kristen stood frozen; her breath caught in her throat. The small white stick in her hand. Two bold pink lines stared back at her, clear as day. Her stomach tightened, and for a moment, the world around her blurred. This was real. Kristen sat down on the edge of her bathtub, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on her chest. Her hands shook as she set the test down beside her, staring at it like it might somehow change if she just kept looking, but it didn’t. It wouldn’t.

Positive.

She ran a hand through her long dark waves, heart pounding. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She and Jalen had been careless. Passionate. Wild. She had been so consumed with feeling claimed and seen by Jalen, and now ... this was the consequence. Kristen’s mind raced. She had just left Rob. She had just moved into her own place, and now she was pregnant. She was carrying Jalen’s child. What the hell was she supposed to do now?

Kristen covered her mouth with both hands, but it did nothing to muffle the sobs that tore from her throat. Her body shook violently, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps as the reality of everything crashed down on her. The relationship she ended, the uncertainty of her future, and now, this life-changing revelation. Tears streamed down her face, hot and relentless, as she curled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself like she could somehow hold herself together, but she couldn’t. Not right now. The emotions poured out of her, no longer containable. Grief, fear, exhaustion, and loneliness. Her life had already been turned upside down. Now, it felt like the floor had completely disappeared beneath her. She had no idea where she was going to land. She had no idea what to do next, but she did know one thing. She couldn’t do this alone.