Page 28 of Love You Madly

I groan, rolling my eyes as I lean my head back against the seat. “Honestly, I forgot it even existed,” I admit, but the moment the words leave my mouth, I know I’ve opened the door for whatever Taylor has in mind. Her grin widens, and I know I’m in for it.

“Well, well, well,” she teases, her voice playful but with that familiar undercurrent of mischief. “You know, just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t let loose and have a little fun.”

I laugh, feeling a blush creep up my neck because I know exactly what she’s hinting at. These pregnancy hormones have been no joke, and I’ve almost considered buying stock in AA batteries. “Oh yeah? What do you suggest, wild one?” I ask, pretending to be serious, though we both know Taylor’s always been the more reserved one between us.

I shake my head but that doesn’t seem to deter her interestin the subject. “I can’t imagine anyone would want me right now,” I say looking down at my growing belly. “Look at me!”

“So you never deleted the profile?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” I admit hesitantly. “But I haven’t logged in since the day I made it. Never even turned on notifications.”

Taylor’s grin widens. “Well, why not log back in and update it? Use it to meet some people. You deserve to have fun too, Calico Cat,” she says with a wink, reviving my old nickname from when I was more chaotic and carefree.

I’m a little taken aback, not used to my sister being the one to push for this kind of thing. She’s not prudish, but we’ve never really talked about stuff like this so openly. “I don’t know, Tay… it feels kinda weird,” I say, half laughing, half genuinely nervous.

She nudges me, undeterred. “Come on, what’s the harm? You don’t have to take it seriously. Think of it as a confidence boost. Besides,” she pauses, her grin now full-on mischievous, “it’s not like you’re gonna get pregnant.”

“TAYLOR!”

She’s cackling now, tears practically forming in her eyes. “What?! It’s true!” she says, her face turning red from laughter. “Seriously, Callie. I’m not saying go full ‘post-divorce-hoe-phase,’ but you can have fun. At the very least, log in and read the messages. I guarantee your inbox has been blowing up since you made that profile. I bet it’s full of cringy gold.”

She glances over at me, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Well? What are you waiting for? Chaos Callie wouldn’t have given this a second thought back in the day.”

I cringe a little at the mention of my old nickname. Chaos Callie was what I dubbed myself back in high school when everyone was calling me a mess. Instead of letting it get to me, I embraced it—probably more than I should have. “Well,Chaos Callie wasn’t a mom,” I point out, trying to sound more responsible than I feel.

“Callie, men do this crap all the time and get high-fives for it,” she says, her voice carrying a hint of frustration, like she’s giving herself the same pep talk she’s giving me.

She has a point. Why can’t I have some fun as long as it’s safe, sane, and consensual? After a moment of hesitation, I shrug. “Fuck it, I’m in,” I say, pulling out my phone.

Taylor cheers beside me as I log into the account, already laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Sure enough, my inbox is full of messages—some of them beyond cringeworthy. One particularly charming message from Slay_N_Pussy69 reads: “Well, if your husband’s on here, you might as well have some fun too, baby.” Gross. Thank God this app doesn’t allow picture messages, or I can only imagine what horrors would be waiting for me.

“I cannot believe I let you talk me into this,” I say, mass deleting everything in the inbox so I can start fresh.

Taylor laughs, throwing me a knowing look. “Oh please, Callie, it didn’t take that much convincing. Don’t act like you’re not dying for a little... excitement. You’ve forgotten I know what pregnancy hormones are like!”

It’s so strange hearing my sister talk like this—about sex, no less. She’s always been the one with a spotless reputation, while I’ve been the one causing trouble and making questionable life decisions. But here she is, encouraging me to let loose, to reclaim a part of myself I thought I’d buried.

With her encouragement, I update my profile, adding some new photos and tweaking my description. And as a final act of rebellion, I change my username from Callie_co to ChaosCallie, fully embracing my old persona. It feels oddly liberating, like I’m reclaiming a piece of myself I’d lost somewhere along the way.

The profile reads:

Not looking for another Baby Daddy. I already have one that I can’t stand.

Age:22

Location:Hawkridge, IA

About Me:Hey there! I’m Callie, a mom of an adorable little girl and a soon-to-be mom of another bundle of joy. I’m rediscovering myself and not really looking for anything other than someone to talk to and share laughs with. I’m trying to learn not to take life too seriously. I love reading, coffee, and indulging in spontaneous dance parties in the living room.

Occupation:Barista

Favorite TV Shows:One Tree Hill, Friends, That 70s Show and Sons of Anarchy

Fun Fact:I’m pregnant. Yes, I’m serious. And no, you are not the father! *insert best Maury impression ever*

Looking For:Someone to have intelligent conversations with. I won’t respond to any messages if you just start with a “Hey girl,” or try to get in my pants.

If you’re interested in actually getting to know me, send me a message!

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