best for everyone involved, including herself and her unborn child. *** When Meeka got off of work that afternoon, she brought her son over to her mother’s house for their weekly visit. Her parents were taking him overnight once a week to give her time to unwind and get things ready for the new baby. Meeka had recently found a bigger rent controlled apartment that had more room and there was so much that needed to be done. For all of her business though, she still thought of Rick and what she should do. Her heart told her that she was in love with the man and she was afraid that her stubbornness would cost her the man she was supposed to actually be with. She knew in her heart that it was some kind of weird twist of fate that they had found each other. Meeka did not believe in coincidence and the two of them together was definitely not one. When they were together, she knew that she was made for him. Her hands played with the phone after she got back to her house. She brought his number up on the screen and looked at it for quite some time. She first started out texting him but decided that that was the chicken way out, so she called him. His phone rang several times and when his deep, baritone voice picked up, her heart melted. “Meeka?” “Hi Rick.” Rick had never been so happy to hear those two little words and Meeka was never as happy to say them. He could hear her voice quivering and he didn’t know what to say. Rick was afraid of upsetting her and her disappearing again. She was like a baby deer that was skittish at even the slightest movement, or at least that is what Rick had imagined. What he failed to see was that Meeka was strong, but she valued her happiness and her son’s. “I have missed you Rick.” The statement was so honest and clear. He had always liked how she was so blunt and just said what was on her mind. He had never had a woman ignore him so perfectly, but it seemed that she was ready to talk. The way the conversation began, he really hoped that the rest of it would be of the same ilk. “God, I have missed you too Meeka. It has been so long since I have heard your voice. I was starting to wonder to myself if I would ever hear it again. Can I see you?” “When.” “Now?” “I need to take a shower. I just got off of work. How about you come over in an hour, so we can talk about a few things?” “Okay. I will see you then.” “Wait, did you know that I moved?” “No, just send me the address. I love you Meeka and I will see you in an hour.” Meeka just looked at the phone as she pulled it from her ear. They had always had brief telephone conversations, but that was especially so. There was a lot that needed to be said between the two of them, but she was happy that he seemed to want to hash it out face to face too. Though she may have needed some time to think about everything, her mind had finally changed. She wanted and maybe even needed a man in her life and she just hoped that they could salvage some part of their relationship. She wanted them all to be one big happy family. While Meeka should have focused on how she was feeling, she was more interested in what she was going to wear and if it were possible to feel his hands on her body again. She hated to admit her, but she thought of him every night and she would give anything to feel his lips on hers. Her shower was hot and a bit too long. She had just gotten out when the buzzer on the wall by the door, signaled someone was downstairs. She pressed the button and asked who it was. “Rick.” A shiver ran down her spine with that one word and she looked down at herself. Her skin was dripping wet and the towel was held on to her body with one little tuck under her arms. She could hear him getting closer to his door and when he knocked, Meeka took a deep breath and pulled it open. He had the same look in his eyes that he had the first time they had been intimate and all of the feelings from that night came