My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

The car door closed gently behind Raelynn as she buckled her seatbelt. She leaned back, giving a small sigh, feeling the tension from the hospital start to melt away. Elion glanced at her, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the gear shift. His sharp eyes noticed her relaxed posture, noting how she seemed both tired and relaxed, tracing little patterns on her jeans.

Without saying anything, he turned the key, the car's engine purring quietly as they drove away from the hospital. Raelynn broke the silence first, her voice soft but clearly curious. "You know, Elion… I didn't expect that from you."

He glanced at her for a moment, looking as neutral as usual. "What didn't you expect?"

She tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "You helping that little boy. Honestly, I thought you'd just ditch me and go home without a second thought."

He raised an eyebrow, sounding calm, but you could hear a slight defensiveness in his voice. "What are you talking about? I only did it because leaving you there would've taken even longer."

Raelynn chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Oh, come on, Elion. You don't have to pretend with me. Maybe it's because…" She paused, her eyes glinting with a playful light. "You're going to be a father soon."

That resonated with him, though Elion kept his poker face. His grip on the wheel tightened just slightly, but his face stayed the same, not giving anything away. He wasn't sure how to respond to that. Was that why he had felt the urge to help? The idea nagged at the back of his mind, making him question himself.

Raelynn seemed content to let the silence linger, leaning her head back and staring at the passing streetlights through the window.

Suddenly, she screamed, her voice echoing through the car like a fire alarm.

"OH MY GOD!"

Elion's heart did a flip, and his reflexes almost betrayed him. His foot hovered over the brake pedal, but at the last second, he caught himself, steadying the car before anything dangerous happened.

"Raelynn!" he shouted, his eyes narrowing as he pulled over. "What the hell was that for? Are you trying to get us killed?"

But Raelynn wasn't paying attention. She was in a frenzy, her hands flying to her neck, then to her lap, then the seat beside her as she frantically searched for something. Her breathing quickened, and her face was a picture of panic.

"What are you doing?" Elion demanded, though his tone softened slightly when he saw her distress.

"My necklace!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. "It's gone! I can't find it anywhere!"

Elion sighed, leaning back against his seat, his patience wearing thin. "It's just a necklace. I'll buy you another one, more expensive and better looking. Now, calm down."

Raelynn snapped her head towards him, her face turned red with anger. "It's not about the price, Elion! It's important to me! I have to find it!"

He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Alright, fine. When's the last time you saw it?"

She gave him a look as if he had just asked the dumbest question in the world. "On my neck, obviously."

Elion closed his eyes, his jaw tightening as he willed himself to stay calm. "What I mean is… where do you think you lost it?"

Raelynn thought for a moment, then gasped. "It's probably at my apartment! We have to go back there!"

She was trying to pull a 'serious' look, but Elion wasn't convinced. "It's probably lying around somewhere at home. You can check tomorrow."

"If you're not taking me, I'll go myself," she said stubbornly, already reaching for her seatbelt.

Before she could unbuckle it, the car jerked forward as Elion started driving again. "Stop being reckless."

Raelynn blinked, surprised but also a little smug. "I knew you cared," she said under her breath, a small smile tugging at her lips.

They drove in relative silence until they arrived at Raelynn's apartment. As soon as the car came to a stop, Raelynn flung the door open and dashed out in a hurry.

"Don't run!" Elion called after her. "You'll trip or hurt yourself!"

She ignored him, disappearing up the steps, leaving Elion trailed behind at a slower pace.

When he entered her apartment, he immediately noticed how small it was compared to the lavish places he was used to. Yet, it had a warmth to it—a cozy, personal charm. The walls were painted in light, soothing colors, and the furniture, while simple, looked neat and cared for. A faint scent of lavender scent filled the room, and he noticed several photographs on a small desk by the window.

Elion's eyes lingered on one particular photo—a younger Raelynn smiling brightly, holding a bouquet of flowers. Her joy seemed almost tangible, and he found himself staring longer than he intended.

"Thank God!"

Raelynn's relieved voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She came out of the bedroom, clutching a delicate necklace with a pendant in the shape of a small crescent moon. Her fingers caressed it as she quickly fastened it back around her neck.

"It was on my bedside table," she said, her voice filled with relief. "I must've taken it off and forgot to put it back on."

Elion's eyes narrowed slightly as he focused on the pendant. Something about it seemed familiar, though he couldn't place why.

"What's wrong?" Raelynn asked, noticing his intense stare. She smirked and added teasingly, "Am I so pretty that you can't stop looking at me?"

Elion's face darkened for a moment before he turned away abruptly. "You're done, right? Let's go."

Raelynn tilted her head in confusion but followed him out the door. Standing there in silence, Elion's thoughts remained fixed on the pendant. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen it before, though his memory remained frustratingly blurry.

Raelynn walked by him, cheerful again, he silently vowed to figure out why the pendant seemed so familiar to him. For now, though, he pushed the thought aside and walked her back to the car.