Benny was pretty generous. Just then, the phone rang. Cathy was calling again. “Didn’t you say you’d be back today? Why haven’t we heard anything from you?”

Cheryl almost forgot her brother and sister-in-law were getting married tomorrow. She needed to hurry back. She could only call Benny, who had left not long ago. She told him she had to return to Nareigh; Donald and Jennifer’s wedding was tomorrow, and she’d promised to be home today. She also needed to bring Serena.

Benny didn’t hesitate and agreed to drive Cheryl. “Thanks so much, Benny, for giving us a ride,” Cheryl said, holding the baby as she climbed into his Lamborghini Urus. Looking in the rearview mirror, Benny saw Cheryl holding her baby girl in a swaddle. She looked worn out. He shook his head slightly. He really didn’t understand these girls.

“Benny, just drop me off at Teresa’s. I need to see her first,” said Cheryl.

“Alright, I’ll give her a call,” Benny said, dialing as he drove. “Hey, you home?”

“What’s up?” Teresa had just gotten out of bed and sounded half-asleep. She hadn’t gone to work.

Benny looked at Cheryl through the mirror and gave a helpless smile. “Cheryl’s in my car with a baby. She said she’s heading back to Nareigh to see you. Mind if I drop her off at your place?”

There was a short pause. Teresa perked up a bit. “What baby?”

Benny chuckled. “Don’t play dumb. I know the whole story. Cheryl has a baby out of town and keeps it a secret from her family. You’re the only one she told.”

Teresa didn’t expect Benny to know.

“Oh,” she replied flatly, trying to figure out how much he actually knew, especially about Michael. But Benny only mentioned Cheryl, nothing about her.

“I just got on the highway. Should be in Nareigh in about thirty minutes. I’m gonna hang up now,” said Benny.

The baby in the back seat started crying. Cheryl quickly said, “She’s wet. Can I change her diaper in your car? I brought plastic bags. I’ll wrap up the dirty diaper so it won’t mess up your car.”

“No problem. Go ahead,” Benny said casually.

There weren’t many cars on the road, and they got to Nareigh’s downtown area pretty fast. When they hit a speed bump, Benny saw Cheryl was still changing the diaper, so he slowed the car way down. He’d never driven that slowly before. With all the stops to help Cheryl and the baby, it took Benny a full fifty minutes to reach the Rosary Estates.

“Thanks for driving us, Benny. And for buying that blanket for my daughter. It was really expensive,” Cheryl said.

“No worries. Don’t mention it. You’re still young. Just think about what I said,” Benny told her.

“Yeah…” Cheryl nodded. She knew he was telling her to come clean about everything.

She got out holding Serena. Benny told her to go ahead, and he’d carry her things in for her. Cheryl didn’t have much, just a few bags of baby stuff—diapers, formula, that kind of thing.

Benny grabbed the bags and was heading upstairs when Teresa stopped him by the elevator. “I’ll take those. I’ve got it,” she said.

“What, not letting me in your place? Don’t tell me you’ve got a hidden kid too,” Benny joked.

Teresa stayed cool, arms crossed. “Cheryl’s breastfeeding. You wanna watch?”

Benny cleared his throat and handed her the bags. “I totally forgot. What’s the baby’s name?”

“Why are you so nosy? She’s not your kid,” Teresa replied with a grin, taking the bags and walking inside.

From the balcony, she watched Benny’s car drive away. Then she sat down across from Cheryl.

“Alright, spill it. What’s going on? How did Benny find out you have a daughter?” Teresa asked.

Cheryl pouted, clearly upset, and told Teresa everything that had happened. Benny had promised to keep it a secret.

“Teresa, do you think Benny can be trusted? Will he really keep this to himself?” Cheryl asked.

“I don’t know. I can’t promise you that,” Teresa said.

“Oh no…” Cheryl’s heart sank. “He said he wouldn’t say anything. If he tells my parents or my brother, what am I gonna do?”

“Well, you’re the one who told his cousin,” Teresa said.

“I had heatstroke and fainted. When I woke up, his cousin was the first person I saw. He seemed nice—took care of me, bought me flowers, took me shopping. I really thought…” Cheryl trailed off, frustrated with herself.

The phone rang again. It was Cathy. She asked where Cheryl was.

Cheryl quickly answered, “Mom, I can’t go shopping with you. I’m already out shopping with Teresa.”

“What? Teresa?” asked Cathy.

“Yeah,” Cheryl said, then immediately passed the phone to Teresa.

Teresa took the phone, shot Cheryl a look for dragging her into it, and then told Cathy she was at the mall with Cheryl. Cathy sighed and said, “Cheryl has always been close to you. Even though you and Jonathan already… anyway, I’ll leave her to you, Teresa.” Then she hung up.

Teresa told Cheryl they were going to shop for clothes. Cheryl, acting all chill, said they could just leave Serena at home. Teresa was speechless. She asked, “What if she wakes up?” Serena was still tiny and needed nursing.

Cheryl waved it off. “She won’t wake up. Let Michael watch her. I trust him.” Before Teresa could say anything, Cheryl dragged her out the door. They planned to be back in an hour.

When they passed Horizonlead Plaza, they saw the construction was still going on. Cheryl looked surprised. Teresa said, “That’s your brother’s project!”

Cheryl blinked. “Wait, why is my brother working right outside your place?”

“Ask him,” Teresa replied.

Thankfully, Teresa didn’t see Jonathan on-site very often.

Cheryl started ranting about how fake Lyndon was, and how he bailed the second he found out she had a kid. Teresa, trying on some flats, said, “That’s pretty typical. No guy wants to suddenly be a stepfather.”

Cheryl huffed, “Still, he could’ve at least said something. He told me he was going to the bathroom and just ghosted. Blocked me without a word. So rude. No one’s ever treated me like that before.”

Teresa just shook her head. “You’re inexperienced. It’s not that big of a deal.”

Cheryl had been venting for over two hours and wasn’t done. “Teresa, you’re not even that much older than me.”

They bought shoes, then headed to look at clothes. Teresa found a pink tulle dress for 2,000 dollars and just bought it. Cheryl picked a strappy dress for 2,300 dollars. Teresa paid for that, too.

Cheryl leaned her chin on her hand and stared at Teresa’s chest. “We both had babies, so why are yours so plump and mine so flat? Didn’t you say yours went up a cup size from nursing? Why didn’t mine grow? So unfair.”

The cashier tried not to laugh. Teresa pointed at her. “Say one more thing and I’m not paying for you.”

Cheryl shut her mouth instantly.