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“Oh, trust me, I do know.” Eleanor’s grin is wide enough that it takes up her whole face. “This is so exciting! I can’t wait to tell everyone!”
“Not yet,” I chide, even though I know she’s teasing me. “Carter needs to know first.” I point my finger at her, and she smiles and mimes zipping her lips and throwing away the key.
“I won’t share until I get the a-okay from you!”
“You better not.”
I pay for the tests and hug the bag to my chest all the way back to our room, not relaxing until I hear the click of the bathroom door lock.
“It’ll be fine,” I whisper. “No matter what, it’ll be fine. I still could be overreacting, too.”
I take the tests and set them to the side to wait and set a timer on my phone. Carter will probably be back soon from whatever he’s doing, so I make sure to sit in silence so I can hear if the door to the room opens. It doesn’t make the wait any better, but at least I won’t be surprised by him coming in suddenly and asking what I’m doing.
When the timer rings, it takes me a few moments to actually move. I’m still convinced that this was all a waste of time and money but now that it’s time to know I’m hesitating. I pick up one of the tests at random and close my eyes and take a deep breath. It’ll be okay no matter what.
Two pink lines stare back at me and time slows down. In the distance I hear the door being unlocked and Carter calling out for my name but I don’t say anything. I’m…surprised, to say the least. I didn’t think my intuition would be right, but here I am.
“Wow,” I whisper to myself. “This is really happening.”
Carter knocks on the door to the bathroom. I’m sure he saw the lights underneath the door. I don’t answer him, and I realize it’s because I’m too busy smiling to myself. My cheeks hurt from the wide grin on my face and the reflection confirms my joy. Carter’s knocking on the door gets a little louder as I check the rest of the tests. All positive.
“Jada? You’re worrying me, sweetheart,” Carter says, muffled by the door. “Can I at least get a ‘I’m okay’ from you?”
“I’m okay,” I finally answer. My excitement leaks into my voice. “I’m more than okay.”
“That’s…good?” Carter’s confused hesitation makes me chuckle as I walk toward the door to unlock it. “I’m glad you’re having a fun time in the bathroom. Can I come in?”
I open the door to Carter’s raised eyebrow. He’s smiling but it’s more awkward than anything, and I’m sure the wide grin on my face only serves to confuse him further.
“Hey” I say, knowing I can’t stop my smile.
“Hey yourself.” The last little bit of tension oozes out of his shoulders once he sees I’m alright. “You gonna tell me why you’re so smiley?”
I say nothing and hold up one of the tests I grabbed before opening the door. I see his eyes widen and his mouth open in shock.
“You – I –” He pauses to collect himself, and I let him take a moment. His voice cracks when he can finally speak again, and it makes me feel like I’m floating. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” I say, my eyes getting misty. “I’m pregnant.”
I can barely finish the words before Carter picks me up in my arms. The pregnancy test falls from my hands, and I wrap them around his neck and shoulders to anchor myself to him as he presses his face to my collarbone. He’s shaking, but I can tell it’s just from the sheer giddiness of the moment since I’m shaking, too.
“I can’t believe it,” he whispers. “I really can’t. I’m – You’re pregnant.”
“You’re gonna be a father,” I say and play with the ends of his hair. He presses a kiss to my neck and pulls away so we can look each other in the eyes. He has a grin that matches mine even as we press our lips together.
“I love you so much,” he murmurs against my lips. “I’m just – I’m overjoyed.”
I giggle and pull back just enough so I can touch our foreheads together. He’s still holding me up with a sure grip. “Me too. I’m so excited.”
“I’m going to spoil you both rotten,” he says.
“I know you are,” I respond, rolling my eyes despite the tears welling up. “That’s so like you.”
He pulls me into another kiss, and we stay there in the doorway just to bask in the moment.
“I – We have to tell my mom,” he says, and my eyes widen. He’s right. We didn’t think that she’d be here for the wedding, but now she might be here for the birth of her next grandchild, too. “We have to go.”
It’s a mad dash to get ready for the drive to his mother’s house. Eventually, I’ll have to tell my own parents as well, but this is too important to Carter. They can wait just a few moments longer.
