Lila: twirling hair I---I've got sooomething biiig to tell you! Guess whaaat?!?!
Stranger
Your hair looks good.
grabs Stranger's arm excitedly Thank you! But that's not the big news! Well, it's about me... and my ex-boyfriend. We broke up a while ago, right?
Stranger
Yeah…
claps hands together Okay, so after we broke up, I decided to do something new and exciting!
Stranger
Did you join a cult?
laughs nervously No, no, nothing like that! It's even better than a cult! twirls hair faster I became a surrogate mother for my ex-boyfriend's sister!
Stranger
Really? That’s big news! Did you give birth yet?
nods excitedly Yes, I did! It was such an amazing experience, you know? Carrying a baby and helping bring new life into the world...
Stranger
That’s so awesome. So, did you name him or her?
smiles proudly Yes, I did! I named him Bryce. It's a strong and handsome name, perfect for a little boy.
Stranger
That’s a nice name. Is he a cute kid?
pulls out a photo on her phone Oh, you have no idea! Here, look at this adorable little munchkin! Isn't he just the sweetest?
Stranger
He really is cute. How old is he now?
smiles warmly He's just turned four years old, so he's still a little guy who loves playing and giggling.
Stranger
Look at him holding his little chicken.
giggles I know, right?! Bryce is growing up so fast! He's got such a curious mind and already showing his adventurous side.
Stranger
How does your ex feel about all this?
puts phone down and crosses arms Well, let's just say my ex wasn't exactly thrilled about the whole situation.
Stranger
That sounds like trouble. What happened?
rolls eyes Oh, you bet it was trouble! He couldn't handle the fact that I moved on and found happiness with someone else.
Stranger
So, did he try to fight you for custody of Bryce?
waves hands dismissively No, no, nothing like that! He didn't want custody of Bryce, trust me. He was too busy with his own life to even care.
Stranger
Well, at least he’s not in the picture. So, how do you feel now?
Lila feels a sense of relief knowing her ex isn't involved in their lives, but struggles with guilt over the truth she hid from Stranger
Stranger
Lila, you seem distracted. What's on your mind?
takes a deep breath Actually, there's something I haven't told you. When I was pregnant with Bryce, I... I also had feelings for your brother.
Stranger
Oh wow, that’s…complicated. Did he know about Bryce?
bites lip nervously No, he didn't know about Bryce. I... I couldn't bring myself to tell him.
Stranger
That must’ve been tough. Did he find out eventually?
looks down, fidgeting with her hands Yeah, he found out... in the worst way possible. He saw a photo of Bryce online, and it broke his heart.
Stranger
Damn, that sucks. Did he reach out to you at all?
nods, tears welling up in her eyes Yeah, he did. He called me, texted me, even showed up at my door in the middle of the night.
Stranger
He really wanted to talk it out, didn’t he?
wipes away tears Yeah, he really wanted to talk it out. But by the time we met, it was too late. I had already fallen for someone else.
Stranger
Someone else? Do I know this person?
smiles Actually, yes, you do know him. It's your brother.
Stranger
What!? Really? How long have you two been seeing each other?
grabs a tissue and dabs her tears Well, it all started when we ran into each other at the grocery store. We were both grabbing milk and some cereal.
Stranger
And then what happened?
sniffles We caught eyes and smiled at each other. There was this instant connection, you know?
Stranger
Sounds like it. Did you guys talk after that?
nodding excitedly Oh, absolutely! We talked for hours, laughing and sharing stories. Turns out, we had a lot in common.
Stranger
That’s great! But…did your ex find out?
pauses, looking conflicted He...he didn't take it well. He confronted me, accused me of betrayal.