When Denial Is Not The Road

To Jalan Anymore

So i can’t fit into all my Zara cropped pants anymore.
I ignore and stash it to the back of my mind.

KinkyPugKevin stares at me while i’m driving, “Is that… your tummy?! You better take care ar…”
I hmm him and plot on what we’ll have for dinner and drinks.

Then my team manager says to me, “Yeah man, you’ve put on weight.”
I wave his comment away after a few seconds.
What does he know about looking good?

This week DatinTini stared at me and nagged, “Joyce. You cannot already. You have to diet.”
I peer at her meekly and go ‘i know.’

Then the ultimate statement came…

… when my manicurist asked me whether i’m pregnant.

Pause for silent drama.

The moment the sentence ended on her lips, i stared back at her wide-eyed not knowing how to respond because, honestly, i’ve *never* been asked that before.

I looked down at my tummy self-consciously, doing that slowly-trying-to-suck-it-in-without-seeming-obvious thing.