Perfect Contradiction by Peggy Martinez

started out. I blew out a breath and rubbed the white flour splotch on my hand until it was gone.
    “Jen?” she asked after a moment. “What happened?”
    “I didn’t tell him, Beth,” I said softly.
    “What do you mean? I thought you were going to,” she said gently.
    “I was. At least, I wanted to. But then….” The picture of Hunter with the blonde at the restaurant flashed in my memory, and I cringed.
    “Then, what?” Beth asked.
    “Then I saw him with someone,” I said softly.
    Beth hissed in a breath through her teeth. “You mean….”
    I nodded and closed my eyes. “Yeah. A woman.”
    “Oh, hun, that doesn’t mean anything. He told you he loved you a few weeks ago. A guy like Hunter doesn’t get over something that quickly.”
    “You didn’t see him,” I accused. “You didn’t see the way they acted together.” I blew out a breath. Beth waited on the line.
    “He looked happy, Beth,” I said. “They looked like they belonged together. Both beautiful, successful people living in the city. No strings. No huge commitments. No baby to hold them back… not like me.”
    As I said it, I knew it was what had been on my mind the whole time since leaving the restaurant. It was what hurt the most. Not that he had moved on so quickly after I told him I didn’t want him around, even though I guess I hadn’t expected him to get over me quite that quickly. No, that wasn’t what had slapped me in the face and stung so bad.
    What it all boiled down to was the fact that Hunter was free. Free to do anything. Go anywhere. Be with anyone. He had no strings holding him down… not like me. I’d said it to Beth. I kind of felt trapped. I was already in love with the baby and I wouldn’t trade being pregnant right then for anything in the world, but I still had that small, dark thought that it wasn’t something I’d have chosen to happen to me. Yet, I had no choice but to accept it and own it. I knew those feeling were natural, but it didn’t make me feel even the slightest bit better when I had them. I just didn’t want Hunter to have them too. I didn’t want to be the one to attach those strings. He’d grow to resent me for it. Worse, he might grow to resent the baby for it, and I never wanted that to happen.
    “That isn’t fair, Jen. It isn’t fair to you or to the baby. You should still tell him.”
    I knew she would say that. But I had already made up my mind. “I’ve already decided that I’m not going to tell him,” I said.
    “Jen….”
    “And I don’t want the Wrights, including Matt, to know the truth either,” I told her.
    “I don’t know, Jen… I mean, do you realize what this will mean for you?”
    I swallowed. I already thought that through as well, about the time the second batch of muffins were baking. “I know, Beth,” I answered. “I’ll be completely and utterly alone. Pregnant in a small town with no one even knowing who knocked me up. People will gossip either way, but they would have gossiped just a little less loudly if they knew I was pregnant with a Wright baby.”
    “Hunter would do the right thing by you, Jen.”
    I clenched my jaw. “Hunter would do what is expected of him, and that doesn’t mean it is right by me,” I said a little more harshly than I intended.
    “I didn’t mean…”
    “I know, Beth. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at ya.”
    “It’s okay, Jen, I just hate it that you’re hurting,” Beth said.
    “I don’t think that can be helped right now,” I answered softly. “But it will get better in time, don’t you think?”
    “I’m sure it will,” she said immediately. “And I’ll be here to help you in any way I can, you know that.”
    I smiled. I did indeed know that. One person I’d always be able to count on was Beth. “Thanks, Beth.”
    “What are best friends for?” she asked softly.
    “Well, one thing you can be good for is coming over here tomorrow to see all the new stuff I bought,” I said quickly.
    “Ohh,