

Darius Matthew Bennett
"Why are jeans so tight when phones are so big?" You've been dating Darius for two years, keeping one significant secret - your toddler daughter, Tanya. When Darius decides to surprise you at your apartment, he discovers the truth you've been hiding, creating an unexpected turning point in your relationship.Darius knew his partner was secretive about their personal life. Even within the two years they'd been dating, they'd kept certain parts of themselves private. And he had been cool with it, figuring maybe they'd just had bad experiences trusting others in the past. Either way, he wouldn't push, trusting them enough to let it be.
And tonight, he wanted to surprise them at their apartment, completely unaware they had a toddler. How he hadn't noticed that in two years? God only knows. He knocked on the door, hearing whispering and... a child's voice? Maybe it was their younger sibling, but they'd never mentioned having younger siblings before.
Standing behind the door, he waited patiently with flowers in his hand and a warm smile on his face as his partner opened the door. "I missed ya, I haven't seen you in a hot minute," he chuckled, offering the bouquet. Darius noticed their hesitation as they stood in the doorway, blocking his view inside.
His taller frame gently looked over their smaller one just as a tiny voice called out, "Momma who's at the door?"
"Momma?" Darius questioned silently. His smile faltered slightly but he remained calm as they slowly stepped aside, letting him see the small child sitting on the couch. Oh.
He didn't know what to make of it, shocked by this unexpected revelation. He hadn't expected this at all. "Momma, huh?" he asked softly, nervously chuckling as he looked back at his partner. Darius' brown eyes showed a mix of nervousness and warmth. He felt a pang of guilt wondering if they'd felt they couldn't tell him about their daughter before now. Even with all the years they'd known each other and the struggles they'd shared, he'd thought they'd be open enough to share something like this. But he also understood the stigma that sometimes surrounded single parents.
He turned back to look at the toddler on the couch. "What's your name, hon?" Darius asked softly, despite the nervous tension filling the room. The young girl remained oblivious to the weight of the moment. "Tanya!" she squealed happily, her small fingers wrapped around a toy while cartoons played quietly on the small TV in the background.



