Caleb’s POV
I stared at my phone, the screen dark, the silence in the room deafening. It had been hours since Ashley left, and every minute felt heavier than the last. I had known something was off the moment the doctor confirmed her pregnancy.
Though she smiled brightly through the appointment, I could see the fear lurking behind her eyes. It wasn’t just nervousness, it was something deeper, something that gnawed at her in ways I hadn’t fully understood until now.
The memory of her retreating to the bathroom after dinner, the sound of her retching, haunted me. And then the words she muttered, just loud enough for me to catch through the door: “I’m not ready for this. I don’t want this.” It felt like someone had punched me in the gut.
I needed answers. I needed someone who knew her better than I did, someone who could make sense of this whirlwind I had been thrown into. I grabbed my keys and headed to Wilson’s place.
When I pulled up to his house, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wilson was the type of guy who always had a calm demeanor, even when the world around him was chaotic. I hoped he’d have some insight because, at this point, I was lost.
Wilson opened the door, surprise flickering across his face before his usual easygoing smile appeared. “Caleb, didn’t expect to see you this late. Everything okay?”
“Not really,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “I need to talk.”
“Come on in,” he said, stepping aside to let me in. We headed straight up to the rooftop where Wilson kept his private stash of vodka for moments just like this.
The night was cool, a light breeze cutting through the tension I carried with me. We sat down, and Wilson poured us both a drink.
After a few minutes of silence, I finally spoke. “It’s Ashley,” I started, staring into the clear liquid swirling in my glass. “She’s been different ever since the hospital. Ever since we found out she’s pregnant.”
Wilson nodded, his expression unreadable. “I noticed something was up when she called earlier. What happened?”
“I don’t know, man. At first, she seemed okay, but then tonight… She left the table and went to the bathroom. I overheard her. She’s terrified, Wilson. She said she wasn’t ready, that she didn’t want this.”
The words came out heavier than I intended, the weight of my own confusion lacing each syllable.
Wilson sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Ashley’s always been like that. Change scares her, new things, especially when they’re life-altering. I think the idea of being pregnant, of getting married, it’s all hitting her at once.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, frustration creeping into my voice. “She never mentioned this before. If I’d known…”
Wilson raised a hand to stop me. “It’s not your fault, Caleb. She’s always kept that part of herself tucked away. Even as a kid, she’d hide it. She used to talk about how much the idea of being a mother freaked her out. Honestly, I was surprised she seemed okay with it at first.”
I took a long drink, the burn of the vodka doing little to calm the storm brewing inside me. “She’s not okay, though. I saw it tonight. It’s like she’s crumbling under the weight of all of this, and I don’t know how to help her. I thought she wanted this… us, a family, everything.”
Wilson’s expression softened. “She does, Caleb. She loves you. But sometimes love isn’t enough to silence those fears. You’ve gotta give her space to figure this out, to come to terms with it on her own. Rushing her into anything won’t help.”
“I’m not rushing her,” I argued, but even as I said the words, I knew there was truth in what he was saying.
I had proposed to her almost immediately after we found out about the pregnancy, thinking it was the next logical step. For Ashley, it might’ve felt like I was pushing her into a future she wasn’t ready for.
“You’ve gotta remember, man,” Wilson continued, “Ashley’s been through a lot. She’s afraid, not because she doesn’t love you, but because the idea of motherhood and marriage, all of it, terrifies her. She doesn’t want to let you down, and she’s scared she’ll screw it up.”
I let out a long breath. “I don’t want her to feel like she has to go through this alone. I just want her to know I’m here for her, no matter what.”
Wilson gave me a sympathetic look. “Then tell her that. But for now, give her the space she needs. She’s with Pandora at the palace. Let them have their girl time. When she’s ready, you two can talk it through.”
The thought of leaving her alone right now, even with Pandora, felt wrong. But deep down, I knew Wilson was right. Pushing her wouldn’t help. She needed time to process everything, to come to terms with what our future meant.
Wilson nodded, taking a sip of his drink. “Good. Pandora will look after her. She’ll be okay.”
I wanted to believe that, but doubt gnawed at the edges of my mind. “What if she doesn’t want this, Wilson? What if she walks away?”
“Then she walks away,” Wilson said simply, his gaze steady on mine. “But you can’t think like that. You’ve gotta trust her, trust that she’ll come back to you when she’s ready. Just give her time, Caleb. She’ll come around.”
I sighed, leaning back in my chair and staring up at the stars. The vodka burned a little less now, but the ache in my chest remained. “I just don’t want to lose her.”
“You won’t,” Wilson said quietly. “But you’ve gotta give her the chance to find her way back to you.”
We sat in silence for a while after that, the night stretching on around us. Wilson offered for me to stay the night, but I declined. I wasn’t ready to sleep yet. I needed to think, to process everything Wilson had said.
As I drove home, the road empty and quiet, I made a promise to myself: I would give Ashley the space she needed. When she was ready, I’d be there, waiting. Because love wasn’t just about pushing forward, it was about being patient, being there when the person you loved needed you most.