Page 23 of Keeping Zita

Everyone chuckled at that.

“That could possibly work. And I could go over every day to check on things,” Mandy added. “Maybe take night duty or something.”

“I couldn’t ask that of you,” Laryn said, with tears in her eyes.

“Whatever. Any time I get with your baby will be a blessing, and I’d be the lucky one.”

“I just don’t want to have to quit my job. I want a baby, but I love what I do,” Laryn said tearfully.

“I think women everywhere have the same feelings as you,” Chaos said gently. “There are enough smart people sitting around this table that I’m sure we can figure something out by the time it might become an issue.”

“You’re right. I’m just…stressed. Hormones, you know,” Laryn said.

Casper put his arm around Laryn and pulled her into his side. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.

“And before any of you assholes ask, yes, we’re getting married. That was always in our plans, but the baby sped that up a bit. There’ll be a lot of doctor visits, to make sure Laryn and the baby are okay, and I want her to have all the health benefits being married to me will give her.”

“Doesn’t she have those with her job now?” Obi-Wan asked. He wasn’t being an asshole, he was truly wondering.

“That’s what I told Tate,” Laryn said, sitting up.

“So you don’t want to get married?” Chaos asked, sounding confused.

“Of course I do. I love him. But I don’t want to have to get married.”

“It doesn’t sound like you have to get married,” Pyro chimed in. “You’ve got health insurance, you’re living together, what else will getting a piece of paper give you?”

“Shut the hell up,” Casper complained.

Laryn giggled, and the sound was a nice break in the tension that had surrounded the friends.

“I keep telling her that this changes nothing about our plans, just moves them up a little. She’s the love of my life, and if something happens to me, I want her and our baby to receive all the benefits that come with being my spouse. You all know as well as I do that spouses in the Army have more rights than non-spouses.”

He wasn’t wrong about that. It was possible that if they weren’t married, and something happened to Casper while on an op, no one would come to Laryn’s home to tell her. Unlikely, but possible.

“And I’m going to officially ask her. It’s gonna be uber romantic. And she’s gonna remember the proposal for the rest of her days, and tell our kids and grandkids all about how their dad and grampa went out of his way to make the most important question of her life memorable.”

“So you have it planned?” Pyro asked with a grin. “Can we help?”

“No, and no,” Casper growled.

Obi-Wan chuckled.

“Don’t embarrass me,” Laryn told Casper with a scowl.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“And no asking when we’re in bed either. Because I’m not telling our kids or grandkids about that.”

Laughter once more rang out around their tables.

“Please tell me that with the big secret out, Casper’s going to be less of a dick and PT won’t be quite so horrible from now on,” Buck muttered.

“Don’t count on it,” Casper informed him.

Everyone groaned.

Obi-Wan leaned into Zita once more. He was worried that all this drama was going to turn her off from wanting to hang out with his friends. Her idea of a live-in nanny was a good one, but if it was his kid, he wasn’t sure he’d trust someone he hired like that with his baby. He’d worry about what was happening the whole time he was gone.