Stubborn Love

One Week later
Lizz wiped the gel from her stomach and pulled her shirt down as the ultrasound technician left the room. "This is horrible," Lizz groaned as she looked to her best friend Claudia. "How is it even possible that I'm ten weeks? I haven't even had sex in..."

"Well at least the baby is healthy!" Claudia chimed in with a grin. She wore a floral print dress and had her long hair in a braid over her right shoulder. "And we're going for lunch and then we can go to that store in the mall that you obsess over the cute baby things but never had an excuse to buy!"

Lizz rubbed her forehead and jumped down from the table, then fixed her red shirt over her jeans. "Buying baby things won't make me feel better. Claudia, I had to come clean to Roman about everything. And Dean is mad at me because I slept with Seth after he dumped me." They walked down the hallway and left the building, toward Lizz's blue BMW M5.

"Fuck 'em! If he thinks he can be mad over something that happened when you weren't together anymore, then he has another thing coming!" Claudia said as she got into the car. She flipped down the mirror and checked her dark red lipstick. "Oh! Have you decided if you're going to use a doctor or midwife? Because I could totally be your midwife!"

"And Seth won't stop calling," Lizz said, rolling her eyes as she started the car. "Then Roman is being a control freak." She drove to a nearby Denny's while she continued to complain.

"Well, have you considered testing the baby to see who the dad is?" Claudia asked through a mouthful of fries. "Or giving them both a chance until you find out who knocked you up?"

Lizz pushed a piece of sausage around on her plate. "Roman already thinks I'm a slut for sleeping with his friends, and I don't think Dean wants to be with me anyway. Why can't I ever just have an easy relationship like you and Ryland?"

"Our relationship isn't that easy!" Claudia objected, taking a sip of Sprite. "Sometimes he leaves the toilet seat up or eats my ice cream!" She looked thoughtful. "And one time when he was high, he only wore a sock around the house... on his junk. I took pictures!"

Lizz laughed but Claudia could tell it was only half-hearted. "Claudia, I just want to stay in bed for a week." Lizz's phone started ringing and she groaned when she saw it was Seth calling again. "What is it now? I'm tired and I just want a hot fudge brownie!"

Claudia raised a brow and ordered two hot fudge brownies when their waiter walked by. "The baby?" Lizz asked, rubbing her temples. "Ten weeks. The lady said everything was fine! Leave me alone." She rolled her eyes and drank some of her water. "Look, I just want to finish lunch and take a nap. If you're coming over, bring pizza."

Claudia and Lizz stared with their mouths watering as the waiter brought them desserts. "Just don't bring Dean or Roman. I'm not in the mood for their drama." She picked up the spoon and ate a mouthful as Claudia was already digging in. "Okay, bye." She hung up and put her phone down, then happily dug into her dessert.

Once they finished, Lizz paid and they drove back to Lizz's house with nothing but the sounds of a Fall Out Boy cd playing to fill the silence. Claudia's car sat in the driveway and Seth's was parked on the road. "Thanks for coming with me," Lizz sighed.

"Anytime!" Claudia said cheerfully. "Give me a call if you decide to use a midwife." She bounced to her car and Lizz locked her own car before letting herself into her house. Seth was sitting on the couch watching some reality show.

"I brought pizza!" Seth grinned as he got up.

"I brought..." Lizz blinked, her eyes focusing on the TV. "Um... Oh! Right. Those pictures from the ultrasound." Seth's eyes got wide and Lizz sat on the couch, pulling the pictures from her bag. Seth sat beside her.

"Holy fuck! That's almost baby-looking!" He tilted his head and his hair fell into his face. "You made a small human... looking.. thing." He pulled his hair from his face and his brown eyes went from the picture to Lizz's face. His lips twitched and he smiled slightly.

"Don't kiss me. Your beard is itchy. I don't want cooties. My back hurts. I'm tired. Let's watch a movie." She poked his cheek just above his beard. "You pick. I'm not moving." She smiled and grabbed a blanket from the arm of the couch, covering herself with it as she kicked off her shoes.

Seth kissed her cheek and she scrunched her nose. "Should I bring the pizza in here, too?" Seth raised an eyebrow and Lizz nodded. He chuckled and went to get the pizza, then put in a movie and sat beside Lizz again. "You look exhausted."

"Well, I am growing a human." She rested her head on his shoulder. "And juggling work and sleep. Plus throwing up all the time." The movie started and Lizz smacked Seth when she realized he decided they should watch Knocked Up. "You're a jackass and this isn't funny!"

"It's informative!" Seth insisted.

Lizz snorted. "Just so you know, if it's yours, I'm damning you to eternal hell for getting me pregnant." She sighed and pulled her hair into a ponytail, then added, "And Dean is already going to hell."

"Because he dumped you?"

"Yes." Seth snaked his arm around Lizz's shoulders. "And he took that whore to prom when I spent weeks dropping hints that he should take me!"

Seth looked at her and raised a brow again. "But I took you! And you looked great." He smirked. "If I remember correctly, we had a pretty good time."

Lizz grunted. "I need to stop having sex with you when things don't work with Dean." She sighed and shook her head. "It doesn't turn out well for me." She reached up and brushed her fingers against his beard.

"Are you even watching this movie?"

"Your beard is itchy." Lizz narrowed her eyes very slightly. "It's weird kissing beards."

"If I kiss you, will you stop?" Seth asked quietly, his eyes on her soft lips. Lizz thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "I'm going to anyway." She was about to voice her objections when he leaned in closer and pressed his lips to hers, his beard tickling her cheeks and making her smile involuntarily. She slowly kissed back after a moment, but then pulled away suddenly.

"No. No, Seth. I... I just can't," she said, somewhat breathless. She scooted away from him and pulled the blanket up higher over herself, then grabbed a slice of pizza.

They both tried to focus on the movie while Lizz quietly ate her slice of pizza. After a few minutes, Lizz relaxed again and closed her eyes as she rested her head against Seth's shoulder again. When the movie ended, Lizz was asleep.

Seth turned off the TV and put away the leftover pizza. He carefully picked her up and carried her to her large bedroom. He put her down under the golden blankets and kissed her forehead, then let himself out of the house.