?????'? ?????? ?????

November 18, 2022 | Atlanta Georgia
11:18A.M.

A couple of days passed, and Rashad couldn't get Solar out of his head. Her glowing face from the baby shower pictures, the sight of her pregnant, and the haunting possibility that the child could be his kept replaying in his mind like a loop.

He found himself scrolling through her Instagram late at night, looking at her smile and trying to piece together what her life had been like since the night they spent together.

Meanwhile, Mario, inspired by their conversation at the mall, decided to take Rashad's advice and visit Armani in person tomorrow.

He knew it was a long shot, but he had to try.

Rashad, on the other hand, was torn.

He debated whether or not to reach out to Solar. The weight of not knowing if the baby was his or not was becoming unbearable. But he also feared what she might say—or worse, that she wouldn't say anything at all.

Finally, after another restless night, Rashad decided to take action. He texted Mario in the morning.

Rashad: You talked to Armani yet?

Mario replied almost instantly.

Mario: Not yet. Why?

Rashad: Thinking about pulling up on Solar.

Mario: Finally. You should've done that the second you saw that picture.

Rashad stared at his best friends' response for a while, feeling a mix of anxiety and determination. He wasn't the type to chase anyone down, but this situation felt too important to ignore.

Later that day, after finishing up at work, Rashad sat in his car in the parking lot, staring at Solar's Instagram page.

He noticed a story she had posted, showing her walking out of a small café in town with a caption that read, Needed this chai latte today☕️.

Rashad had recognized the spot.

It wasn't far from where he was, and before he could overthink it, he started his car and headed in that direction.

When he pulled up outside the café, he didn't see her right away, but something told him to wait.

He parked, leaning back in his seat, watching the door like a hawk. Fifteen minutes passed, and just when he started doubting himself, he saw her.

Solar stepped out of the café, holding her drink in one hand and adjusting her purse with the other.

She looked stunning, her baby bump more prominent now under her brown sweater dress. Her natural curls framed her glowing face, and Rashad felt his heart race as he watched her.

He got out of his car, his nerves threatening to get the best of him.

"Solar," he called out, his voice steady despite the storm inside him.

She stopped in her tracks, turning to face him. Her brows furrowed in confusion at first, but recognition quickly dawned on her face.

"Rashad?" she said, her tone filled with surprise.

He nodded, walking closer. "Yeah, it's me."

Solar blinked, clearly caught off guard. She glanced around, as if trying to figure out if this was really happening or if she was imagining things. "What are you doing here?"

Rashad hesitated, running a hand over the back of his neck. "I saw your post. I wanted to talk to you."

Her expression shifted, a mix of curiosity and caution. "About what?"