RUBY.
I haven't been feeling my best lately, it might be some stomach bug because I was getting nauseous at the weirdest times and feeling weak. I felt proud of myself because I woke up earlier than I have in a while and made it out today for an early morning run with Aiden. I had formed a new habit of going running or jogging in the park or on the roads, but I had avoided the roads since Toby almost ran me over.
"I need to pee," I said breathlessly, calling out to Aiden who was some distance ahead of me.
"I think we passed a portable potty," he said, coming to a halt and facing me.
"I saw it too, I hate those things but I have to go," I said before jogging in the direction we just came from, I could hear Aiden's behind me as I entered the small dark space and closed the door behind me.
Even though it didn't smell that great it sure served its purpose, I yanked my pants off and eased myself, instantly feeling relief. As I was about to wear my underwear back I noticed a blotch of red. My period was here, I just hope I hadn't stained my pants. I tried to look behind me but with no mirror in sight, it was an impossible task so I just left the makeshift toilet.
"I just got my period, help me check if my pants are stained," I asked Aiden turning my back toward him.
"I should look at your ass?" He asked, sounding flustered.
"Duh, that's the only way you can check," I answered.
"I was just clarifying, some ladies take this kind of thing personally," he said, moving back and twisting his head at a weird angle. I laughed.
He stared for a few seconds too long so I wiggled my ass and said, "you like what you see." I laughed knowing fully well that he wasn't checking he was only trying to see if I was clean.
"All clear," he said with a laugh.
"Thank you, I think we should head back now. I wouldn't want to push it and end up with a huge embarrassment on my hand or should I say butt." I laughed hard at my lame joke, throwing my head back and clutching my belly. Aiden joined me halfway after he must have realised the butt of the joke.
"Last one back makes breakfast," I said, starting a race I couldn't win.
We run hard, Aiden is a few paces ahead of me all through but that doesn't stop me from putting in my best. We weave our way through the early morning pedestrian traffic, men dressed in suits and parents with kids of different ages walking and some being pushed in trolleys and cute little prams that looked like they were straight out of a British movie. We were at the last lap of our race, our building just in sight so I was adding steam and giggling like a schoolgirl when I tripped on an uneven patch of the pavement but luckily I caught myself just in time landing on my hands and knees. Not before I let out a yelp catching Aiden's attention and he was at my side in minutes.
"Are you hurt?" He asked, crouching down beside me.
"My pride is hurt but apart from that I'm perfectly fine."
"Your pride will survive," he said, helping me off the ground.
"It definitely will. That was great though, thank you," I said as we strolled into the lobby.
"No need for any thanks."
"I owe you breakfast," I said as we rode up in the elevator.
"Nah, we both came in together so we are tied. How about we make breakfast together?"
"I can't argue with sound logic," I replied," my place or your place?"
"I'm running low on groceries so we better make it your place. I'll just head up to shower first." He said, getting off at his floor. I wave till the doors close fully and he does the same. I sigh in contentment leaning my back against the wall of the now empty elevator. Aiden was such a catch, too bad he didn't swing my way, neither rid I feel anything for him or I would have wished to snatch him up.
"So what are your plans for the day?" I asked Aiden as I whipped pancake batter.
"Nothing till this evening, Toby's birthday dinner and then the party here."
"Oh, his mum sent me an invite to dinner just yesterday," I said with an eye roll. "But I didn't know anything about a path here," I added, pouring pancake batter into a sizzling hot pan and watching it form a perfect circle.
"Toby throws the best house parties and kickbacks," Aiden said, whisking a bowl of eggs at a steady rhythm.
"Parties are not my jam." All I could think of was the massive clean-up.
"I'm starving," I said, flipping a pancake and I was. Two spoons into my breakfast and I rushed to the nearest toilet. I wretched what was in my empty belly till there was nothing more but I kept dry heaving into the toilet till my eyes were red. Aiden held my hair back and patted my back in circles all the while.
"You should see a doctor," he said, while I rinsed my mouth at the sink.
"I should, "I replied.
I spent the whole of Toby's birthday dinner feeling nauseous. I avoided the food and seeped water cautiously. When I couldn't take the smell of different foods hitting my nostrils from various angles anymore I rushed to the toilet and hunched down in one of the stalls to try and rid myself of this nauseous feeling to no avail so I reclined on the wall, seating on the floor and feeling light-headed. I was out of it for a moment.
"...to be having a baby," are the first words that drift toward me when I come to. I was alone when I entered the stall but I was sure that was Toby's voice.
I stagger out of the stall to find Toby and Yasmin. "Who is having a baby?" I asked.
"We are," Yasmin answered, putting a hand on Toby's shoulders.
Betrayal sliced through me like a knife and I had to remind myself that he wasn't mine to hold.
"Congratulations," I forced out after an inappropriate, painfully awkward amount of time had passed.
I stumble out of the toilet in search of a drink, I should probably not be drinking because I was obviously sick and I had barely eaten anything all day but, "fuck it", I muttered under my breath. I snatched a glass of something alcoholic from a waiter passing by, he grumbled something about how the drink was meant for someone else but what did I care? I was getting wasted tonight.