AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Good,” she said, standing up to collect our empty wine glasses. “Because I’m not planning on stopping anytime soon.”
“Promise?” I asked, following her into the kitchen, watching as she moved with that endearing blend of grace and the occasional clumsy sidestep. The most endearing thing I’d ever seen in my life.
“Promise,” she confirmed, and the simple word felt as solid as the earth beneath our feet.
“Then I guess it’s settled. We’re stuck with each other, for better or worse,” I said, leaning against the doorframe. It wasn’t just the coding; it was everything. With Hannah by my side, the entirety of my future felt within reach—vast, mysterious, and infinitely promising.
thirty-three
HANNAH
“Isn’t it beautiful?”Alex mused, stirring her herbal tea at the Witch’s Brew café the following morning. Her gaze lingered on the mural of Moon Harbor that adorned the wall, painted by the Moon Harbor High School’s Art Club. They had approached local businesses with their idea to paint murals honoring the town and its people. Naturally, Sara was the first to grant them permission.
“Every day, it grows on me a bit more,” I replied, feeling a swell of affection for the town that had become home.
“Same,” she agreed, smiling softly before her expression shifted to something more earnest. “Hannah, I have news.”
“Spill it, Waters.” I leaned forward, eager for whatever secret she was harboring.
Her lips curved into a radiant smile. “I’m pregnant.”
My heart leapt. “Oh my God, Alex! That’s amazing!” I reached across the table, squeezing her hands. Our laughter bubbled over, a shared crescendo of excitement and love.
“Thank you, Hannah. It’s been a long time coming. We’ve told our closest friends, but aren’t quite ready to share it with everyone in town,” she said, attempting a casual shrug.
I immediately understood and nodded. Our eyes shone with unshed tears, the magnitude of the moment hanging between us.
“Thank you for telling me.” A rush of protective warmth filled me. “You’re going to be the best mom.”
“Only if I can handle it as well as you’ve handled the animal hospital,” she teased gently.
“Hey, if I can keep the whole town’s animals happy and healthy, you’ve got nothing to worry about,” I joked back, but my mind was already racing with how I could support her through everything to come.
“Speaking of which, Rufus has been scratching like crazy lately,” she began, pausing to rub her temple in a way that telegraphed her discomfort. “I think it’s his new shampoo. The scent is just so...intense. And with these pregnancy hormones, everything makes me feel queasy.”
“Ah, the super-sniffer syndrome,” I quipped, trying to lighten the mood as I leaned against the counter. My heart went out to her; pregnancy was no doubt a beautiful experience, but it came with its fair share of bullshit.
“Exactly,” she sighed, managing a small smile. “It’s like living with a stink bomb.”
“Let me handle it,” I said, already picturing the shelf in the back of the clinic where I stored all the sensitive skin formulas. “I’ve got just the thing for Rufus. A hypoallergenic, unscented shampoo. It’s mild as water and should soothe his itch without assaulting your nose.”
“Would you? That would be amazing,” Alex’s relief was palpable, her shoulders visibly relaxing.
“Of course. I’ll swing by the clinic now and grab it for you.” I grabbed my keys, feeling a new sense of purpose energize my steps. “You just focus on growing that little human.”
“Thanks, Hannah. You’re a lifesaver,” she called after me as I pushed through the door, the bell’s cheerful jingle a stark contrast to the ominous clouds gathering at the horizon.
I walked down the block to my car, newly repaired and parked in front of Ellie’s shop, Moonbeam Jewels. Those clouds loomed closer, their underbellies darkening to a bruised purple. Normally, a storm rolling in would have me excited—there was something about the raw power of nature that resonated deep within me. But today, it felt different, as if the air itself bristled with static charge, waiting for a spark.
Shaking off the unease, I focused on the task at hand. Rufus needed relief, and Alex needed one less thing to worry about. I fished my phone from my pocket, shooting off a quick text to Sawyer about meeting him for dinner soon, then slid behind the wheel of my car.
“Nothing a little unscented shampoo can’t fix,” I muttered to myself, starting the engine and steering toward the clinic, the first fat raindrops beginning to splatter against the windshield.
* * *
The clinic’s automatic lights flickered to life as I flicked the switch and stepped through the back door, the familiar scent of antiseptics and pet shampoo hitting my nose. I wondered if I ever got pregnant, would my senses be affected like Alex’s had? That would make things hard as a vet. Funky smells were par for the course.
My fingers drummed against my thigh in a staccato rhythm, mirroring the quickening pulse of my heart. The storm outside had escalated. The rain hadn’t started, but the wind howled and the clouds casted erratic shadows through the front windows that danced across the polished floors.
