I nervously fidgeted with my hands as I waited for Max to answer the phone. After a few rings, he finally picked up.
"Hey, Iris, what's up?" Max asked, her voice full of enthusiasm.
"Hey, Max," I said, taking a deep breath. "I have some news to share with you."
"What is it?" Max asked, sounding even more excited.
"I'm pregnant again," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and I felt my heart rate increase. I wasn't sure how Max would react to the news.
"Wow, congratulations, Iris!" Max said, her voice booming with excitement. "That's amazing news!"
I let out a sigh of relief, feeling grateful for Max's support and enthusiasm.
"We have to celebrate!" Max exclaimed. "When can we get together?"
"I'm not feeling too good right now, Max," I said, feeling a wave of nausea hit me. "But I would love to celebrate with you and Felix once I'm feeling better."
"Of course," Max said. "Take care of yourself and that little one."
I hung up the phone feeling relieved that Max had taken the news so well. I knew he would be excited for us, but his enthusiasm always had a way of making me feel better.
As the days passed, Felix and I began to plan for the new arrival. We talked about names, potential nursery themes, and how we would manage with another child in the house. It was daunting, but also exciting to think about the possibilities.
A few weeks later, I was feeling much better and was finally able to meet up with Max and Felix to celebrate the news. We decided to go out to dinner, and Max insisted on treating us all to a fancy restaurant.
As we sat around the table, enjoying our meals, Max couldn't stop talking about the new addition to our family. He was bursting with excitement, and it was infectious.
"I can't wait to be an aunt again," Max said, grinning from ear to ear.
Felix and I exchanged a smile, feeling grateful for Max's support and enthusiasm.
"We're going to need all the help we can get," Felix joked, and we all laughed.
"Will Red be here?" Max asks, cautiously.
"I haven't told him yet about my pregnancy," I said, "I might call him later," I added.
"Why don't you call him now?" Max ask.
I stop eating my food and face her, " tell me, do you feel anything more than friendship toward Red?" I smirked.
Max looked surprised by my sudden question, but she quickly regained her composure. "What? No, Iris, of course not," she said, shaking her head.
I raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Are you sure? You seemed pretty interested in whether or not Red would be here."
Max let out a sigh. "Okay, fine, I think I like him" she admitted.
Felix and I look at each and couldn't help to smile because of these two.
"Have you told him your true feelings?" Felix ask.
"No, how could I? I'm actually worried because it feels like he's pushing me away from him." she sighed.
"Maybe you should talk to him face to face. I already message him to go here," I said, as I smiled at Max.
Max's eyes widened in surprise. "You messaged him to come here?" she exclaimed.
I nodded, feeling a bit mischievous. "I thought it would be a good opportunity for you two to talk things out."
Max let out a nervous laugh, but I could see the excitement in her eyes. "Okay, I guess I'll have to gather up the courage to talk to him," she said.
Felix grinned. "You got this, Max," he said, giving her a reassuring pat on the back.
As the night wore on, we finished our meal and headed out of the restaurant. I could see Max's nerves starting to kick in as we waited for Red to arrive.
But as soon as he walked through the door, Max's face lit up, but he was with someone else.
Red approached us.
"Hey, guys, this is Missy," he said. The girl smiled at us.
"Who is she, Red?" Felix asks with a teasing smile.
"Oh! Don't think too much, she's a friend," Red said. Max became quiet for a while, and just smiled weakly at them.
"So, is there anything you have to say? We're complete tonight," He smiled, as he glanced at Max who is quiet on the other side.
"Well, I'm pregnant," I said, giggling and Felix hugged me on the side.
"Again? Oh my gosh! That's so nice. Lily will finally be a big sister," he exclaimed and hugged me and Felix.
"Congratulations to both of you!" he said.
Missy congratulated us as well, and we all made small talk for a few minutes. But I could see that Max was still feeling a bit uneasy.
Max is still quiet until I received a message from her even though she was just in front of me.
'I decided not to talk to him tonight' she messaged me.
I gave him a small smile after I read her message.
Maybe she felt a little off now that Red is with someone else. But who knows, maybe Missy is really just a friend.
We decided to call it a night and head home, but Max insisted to come with us to our home. So, to comfort a friend, I let her join us.
As we walked home, Max stayed quiet. I could sense that she was still bothered by the presence of Red's friend, Missy. I decided to break the silence and asked her if everything was okay.
Max took a deep breath before answering. "I don't know. It's just weird seeing him with someone else. I mean, I know he said she's just a friend, but I can't help but feel a little jealous."
I nodded understandingly. "It's natural to feel that way, Max. But you know, Red values your friendship a lot. I'm sure he wouldn't want anything to jeopardize that."
Max smiled weakly. "Thanks, Iris, I know you're right. I just need to get over it."
We arrived home and settled in the living room. Max started to open up more and we spent the rest of the night chatting and laughing. I could tell that she was feeling better.
As we said our goodnights and went to our respective rooms, I couldn't help but think about how important friendships are. They can lift you up when you're down and bring joy to your life.