Page 39 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

SUMMER

The rhythmic hum of the washing machine filled the apartment as I folded Ava’s clothes at the dining table. Outside, the late afternoon sunlight spilled through the windows, casting long shadows across the room. It was peaceful, but my thoughts were anything but calm.

Enzo’s words from earlier at the museum replayed in my mind, cutting through the quiet.“You’re going to have to tell me the truth eventually.”

He hadn’t pressed further, not with Ava around, but his tone left no room for misinterpretation. He was suspicious—more than suspicious.

I paused mid-fold, gripping one of Ava’s tiny shirts as guilt twisted in my chest. Keeping this secret had always felt like the right choice, but now… now I wasn’t so sure.

Ava was in her room,humming softly as she played with the new stuffed dinosaur Enzo had bought her. I peeked in, watching her for a moment. She was so happy, so carefree, and it made my heart ache.

I leaned against the doorframe. “Ava, sweetheart, are you okay if Mommy has some quiet time for a little bit?”

“Okay!” she said, not even looking up from the little scene she was setting up with her toys.

I smiled faintly and stepped back, retreating to the couch. I sat down, curling my legs beneath me as I stared at the wall.

Mia’s wordsfrom our conversation at the café echoed in my mind.“Don’t let this blow up in your face.”

I’d been brushing off her concerns, but now, they felt painfully relevant.

When I found out I was pregnant, I’d convinced myself that I was doing the right thing by keeping it to myself. Enzo had been on the verge of starting his residency, his entire career ahead of him. How could I burden him with a child?

I thought I was protecting him.

I thought I was protecting Ava.

But maybe all I’d done was protect myself—from the possibility that he wouldn’t want either of us.

I pickedup my phone from the coffee table, scrolling aimlessly through my contacts until I landed on Mia’s name. I hesitated for a moment before hitting the call button.

She picked up on the second ring. “Summer?”

“Hey,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended.

“What’s going on?” she asked, her tone immediately concerned.

I hesitated, my throat tightening. “It’s Enzo. I think… I think he’s starting to figure it out.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “You mean about Ava?”

“Yeah,” I said, leaning back against the cushions. “She keeps saying things, little comments that make him suspicious. And I don’t know how much longer I can keep dodging his questions.”

Mia sighed. “You knew this was going to happen eventually, Summer.”

“I know,” I said, my voice cracking slightly. “But I don’t know what to do. What if he hates me for keeping this from him? What if he decides he doesn’t want to be part of her life?”

“Summer,” Mia said gently, “you know Enzo. He’s not that kind of person.”

I rubbed my temples, the tension building behind my eyes. “I just… I don’t know how to tell him. What do I even say?”

“The truth,” Mia said simply. “Start with the truth. The longer you wait, the worse it’s going to be—for both of you.”

After we hung up,I sat there for a long time, staring at the ceiling as guilt weighed heavily on me.

I thought about Enzo’s reaction to Ava at the museum—the way he encouraged her curiosity, the way he smiled when she said she wanted to be a doctor like him. He was already so connected to her, and she adored him.

Was it really fair to keep him in the dark any longer?

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