When I first introduced Jalen to my family, I honestly thought they’d see him the way I do—funny, loyal, hardworking. The kind of person who remembers the smallest things about you and shows up every time, no questions asked.
But the moment they met him, it was like something switched off in their eyes. They smiled through tight jaws, made awkward small talk, and later, my mom pulled me aside and flat-out said she “didn’t see this lasting.” My dad didn’t even bother to sugarcoat it. “He’s not one of us,” he muttered, like that explained everything.
At first, I thought maybe they’d soften. Give it time. But months went by, holidays passed with half-hearted invites, and every conversation with them ended the same—comments disguised as “concerns,” little jabs about how “different” our lives were.
They didn’t want to come to the wedding. Didn’t show up. I stood there smiling, surrounded by friends and Jalen’s family, pretending it didn’t tear me up inside. But Jalen? He never once complained. He told me, “Their loss.”
Now, sitting here staring at the pregnancy test I just took—two clear lines—I don’t even know what to feel. Joy, panic, fear, all tangled up.
Jalen’s in the kitchen humming like it’s any other Tuesday. He doesn’t know yet. Neither do my parents. And all I can think is… if they couldn’t accept him, what are they going to say about the baby?
Do I tell them? Or do I finally accept they’ve made their choice?
I must’ve read the results of that test a hundred times. My head buzzed with anxiety about how I would break the news—first to Jalen, then maybe to my parents. I walked out of the bathroom and found Jalen standing by the sink, elbows deep in a pile of dishes, soap bubbles flying everywhere. He flashed me a playful grin, like he was so content just doing everyday things with me. And that smile was all it took for me to exhale, calm down a bit, and realize: I can’t hide this from him.
“Hey,” I started softly. “So…I took a test.”
It didn’t even take him a full second to understand. He turned off the faucet, dried his hands, and looked at me with wide, shining eyes. “Are you—?” he asked, voice trembling just a little with excitement.