Gemini

She looked so scared as she stared into my eyes and said, “You need to know something before you decide that you want to marry me.”

“Allison, nothing could possibly make me not want to marry you…nothing…do you understand?” I said as I pulled her toward me.

She started breathing heavily and was trembling my arms.

“I…I need some water,” she said.

“Okay…okay, hold on.”

All eyes were on me as I reentered the diner. This was definitely awkward, but I could’ve cared less what they thought. I needed Allison to tell me what was going on.

“Delores, Allison’s not feeling well. Can I please have a glass of water?”

She poured it quickly and the door chimed as I made my way back out to her as she waited on the sidewalk with her arms crossed over her chest to mask the chill.

I handed her the water. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” She took the glass from me, gulping half of it down and licked her lips nervously.

“Allison, please…tell me what’s going on. Are you having doubts?”

“No, Cedric. Of course not, I love you. I’m not having doubts about you. I’m…”

“What? Allison…what is it?” I was seriously about to lose my lunch.

Allison let out a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

I stood there for a moment replaying what she just said, making sure I heard it right.

Pregnant.

She said pregnant, right?

She was having my baby?

Is this really happening?

I placed my hand over her stomach, gently. “You’re…pregnant?”

My lips trembled as I pulled her into me, kissing her hard and then releasing her.

“Wait…are you…sure?” I asked.

“Yes…I took a test a few days ago and this morning, before work, remember I told you I had a doctor’s appointment? Well, it was an ob-gyn. I wanted to be absolutely sure before I told you. He did an ultrasound. I was going to tell you tonight…but then—”

“Oh, my love, come here!” Tears poured from my eyes as I hugged her tightly. “How could you think this would change my wanting to marry you? I want to marry you even more now. I love you so much. This is my dream come true, don’t you know that?” I placed my hand on her stomach. “It’s… a little sooner than I expected…but we have nine months to prepare, right?”

“Actually, we have six months to prepare. I’m three months along. I think it happened the night we got back together…one of the several times…that we, you know…”

I took a deep breath from the shock of the news and exhaled with the realization that I wasn’t about to lose her.

I am going to be a father.

I grabbed the glass of water from her and gulped down the rest of it before speaking. “Sweetheart…this is wonderful news. Don’t you know we can handle anything together? There is nothing I can’t handle as long as you’re by my side.

“I’m so glad you feel that way, Cedric. Because they’ll be here in late May. They’ll be Geminis.

My water glass slipped out of my hand and shattered on the sidewalk. “They?”