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Valerie
Ican’t believe it’s already been four months since I discovered that I was pregnant. It feels like yesterday that Pasha was telling me he didn’t trust pregnancy tests, and now he’s buying every baby-related thing under the sun in preparation for our little one.
Strollers, cribs, blankets, little bumpers for the corners of the tables… Just when I think Pasha has bought everything, he comes home with another set of items for the baby.
I’ve never seen him this excited about anything, but today he’s going to get a surprise that’s sure to take his excitement to the next level.
I’m almost scared to tell him, but I can’t keep the news to myself.
I shuffle into the kitchen, where Pasha is working on another cake. He says he wants to make the cake for our wedding, but he still hasn’t proposed, so I don’t know what all the cake stuff is about.
Practice. That’s what he always tells me when I ask him why he’s making another cake. He wants it to be perfect.
I clear my throat, but he’s too deep in concentration, studying a recipe on his phone as a stack of unfrosted cake layers sit beside him on the counter.
“Hello,” I say softly from the doorway, not wanting to scare him.
He puts down his phone, looking over to me and smiling. “Hey, darling, what’s up?”
“Not much,” I lie. “How’s the baking going?”
He laughs. “Every time I think I’ve gotten these cakes right, they end up too dense, or too light, or too… burnt? I’m not even sure what it is this time, but something isn’t right.”
“Oh dear, looks like we’ll have to call off the wedding.”
His eyebrows shoot so far up his forehead that they almost fly right off his face.
“Relax, I’m joking,” I say, holding up my hand. “But a proposal wouldn’t hurt, either. How can I prepare if I don’t know when we’re getting married?”
He waves his finger at me, shaking his head. “Oh, you’re asking for a spanking now. I told you it was coming. I’m not going to spoil it by saying when.”
“So, it’s a surprise,” I say, finding my opportunity to share the news.
He nods, sliding a cake pan across the counter with a look of apprehension. He’s been working so hard on becoming a better baker that I almost believe he’s trying to change careers. But he’s always been very hands-on about the way he takes care of me.He likes to make things personal, and that’s one of the reasons why I know he’s the one.
“You’ll get it right soon. I know it,” I say, bouncing on my toes as the excitement inside me builds.
He notices my behavior straight away, turning back to face me fully. His eyes dance over me the way they did when we first met, giving me instant butterflies. How can it be that after all this time, he still makes me feel shy?
“You look like you have something to say,” he remarks, rubbing his chin as he studies me.
I nod, pulling a white envelope from behind my back. “I do, but it’s in here. I haven’t looked at it yet. I wanted to do it together.”
He frowns, leaning forward as I wave the envelope with the biggest smile ever. “What’s in there?”
“A surprise,” I reply with a wink.
He comes over to me, looking at the envelope like he’s lost all comprehension of what an envelope is or what it could contain. To me, it’s obvious, especially since I just got back from the doctor, but he’s been so absorbed with his baking that I’m not even sure he knows that I left in the first place.
“You can open it,” I say, thrusting it out to him when he gets close enough.
He takes it from me like he’s afraid it’s going to burst into flames in his hand.
“Oh, come on, it’s not anything scary. It’s exciting! Open it!” I’m bouncing on my toes again, giddy with anticipation as Pasha slides his finger under the edge of the flap to break the seal.
“Some papers,” he mutters as he pulls out a folded document.
“Read it! Read it!” I can barely contain my excitement at this point. I grab his arm, nearly causing him to drop the paper as he unfolds it.
