Tiana stood on the train platform, her hands deep in her coat pockets as the wind whipped through the station. The conversation with Leo played on repeat in her head, looping like a bad pop song.
"I want to be part of this… if you'll let me."
She hadn't expected him to say that. Never expected him to be, Calm. Grounded. Surprisingly present. Part of her was relieved. The other part? Terrified.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Jasmine.
Jasmine: You alive? Or did he freak out and jump off the building?
Tiana: Alive. He was… normal. Maybe too normal.
Jasmine: Define "too normal."
Tiana: He wants to be involved.
Jasmine: Holy sh—. Okay. What now?
Tiana: i don't know how to answer that.
Later That Day at Tiana's Apartment
"He actually offered to go to the next ultrasound with me," Tiana said, pacing the living room. Jasmine lay sprawled across the couch, sipping ginger ale like it was wine.
"That's… kind of amazing?" Jasmine replied. "You know how many girls wish their baby daddies would just text back?"
"I know right ," Tiana said. "But still is not that simple. I don't know him. I don't know if he's actually doing this because he wants to or because he thinks he has to."
"Do you want him involved?"
Tiana stopped pacing.
"That's the thing," she said softly. "I think I do. But only if we're honest with each other. And if we make rules.
"Rules?" Jasmine raised an eyebrow. "You're about to co-parent, not host a board meeting."
"I just… I need structure. Boundaries. I need to protect myself."
Jasmine nodded slowly. "Okay. So lay them out. What are your rules?"
The Next Day at Leo's Condo
Leo opened the door, and Tiana stepped in, her clipboard clutched to her chest like it was a shield. His condo was just like him modern, minimalist, expensive. The city glowed through floor-to-ceiling windows, and somewhere in the background, jazz played softly.
"I brought snacks," he said, holding up a bag. "You know, prenatal-friendly. Or whatever the internet told me to buy."
Tiana blinked. "That's… thoughtful. And weirdly impressive."
"Thanks. I YouTubed a lot."
They sat across from each other at his kitchen island, snacks between them, a silence stretching awkwardly until Tiana cleared her throat and pulled out a piece of paper.
"I made a list."
"Of…?"
"Rules. Boundaries. Guidelines."
Leo leaned back. "Hit me."
Tiana unfolded it and read:
1. No assumptions. If you want to be involved, be honest about why.
2. No flirting. We're not a couple. We're co-parents.
3. Decisions about the baby are joint. No surprises.
4. Respect each other's space.
5. We support each other—but we don't owe each other anything beyond this baby.
She looked up. Leo was quiet. Then, he reached into a drawer, pulled out a pen, and added:
6. We communicate. Always. Even when it's uncomfortable.
Tiana stared at him.
"I can live with all of that," he said.
She nodded once. "Okay. Then we try this. As… partners."
Leo held out his hand across the table.
"Partners."
She shook it, his hand warm and steady in hers.
It wasn't a romance. It wasn't a fairy tale. But it was something.
A beginning.