Only One Touch (Only One 4)

“I want to contribute to the house so it’s ours,” I say, and he just laughs and looks down. “I’m serious, Nico.”

“Becca, I don’t give a shit what you have to say, you aren’t paying a penny for this house. You need to come back with another proposal.”

“Fine,” I say. “I pick out the nursery colors.”

“Fine,” he says, and then he stops to look at me as I blink away tears. “Wait.” He finally sees me. “What are you saying?”

“Well,” I say. “I’m sort of late.” I finally blurt out the little secret that I’ve been holding in for a week.

“I don’t understand,” he says, and I tilt my head.

“Well, I was supposed to get my period last week,” I start to explain, and he rolls his eyes, “and I didn’t.”

“But …” He points at me. “I see you take your pill.”

“Yes,” I say, “but I was also sick last month, and I told you that the antibiotics I was taking recommended we use additional protection.”

He pffts out. “I’m not wearing a condom with you.”

“Well, and we are in a predicament because you didn’t want to wrap up.” I put my hands on my hips.

“Can it happen that easily?” he asks, and I gawk at him.

“We have sex five times a day; it’s not just a slip one day. Do you know how much sperm that is?” I say. “Trust me, I know. I googled it.”

“Well, how do we find out?” he asks, and I look over at him, walking to my purse and taking out the pregnancy test I bought at the pharmacy right before getting on the plane with him.

“I have to pee on the stick.” I hold up the box.

I turn and walk to the bathroom and feel him right behind me. “Um, no, you stay out here.”

“I’ve been in there.” He laughs, and I push him out, closing the door and locking it.

I pee on the stick and put it down on the counter, walking out to the bedroom. I see him sitting on the bed. “Are you mad?” I ask, worried that he is in more than he wants to be. “I know that this is fast, and I know we haven’t discussed this in detail, so I want you to know that if you aren’t ready, I get it. But I’m going to have this baby regardless, and I want you to know I can do it on my own if need be.” I try not to sob out the last part. For the past five days, I’ve been so fucking emotional it’s been exhausting just trying not to cry at every fucking thing.

“Are you insane?” he says, and he holds out his hand to me. I walk over, and he puts his hands on my hips as he looks up at me. “I want to marry you,” he says, “and have babies with you. The only thing is, if you’re pregnant, we are getting married tomorrow.”

“What?” I ask, shocked.

“My child is in you,” he says.

“People have babies without being married, Nico,” I say.

“We get married, you get the nursery choice,” he says, and I tilt my head.

“Last name hyphenated?” I ask. I wait to see his reaction, and I laugh. “I was kidding on that one.” I look down. “I’m scared,” I finally tell him. “I’m scared that I’ll be disappointed if I’m not.”

“So if you’re not, we continue to try until you are,” he says just like that. “Do you want me to come with you?” he asks, and I nod.

Together, we walk into the bathroom where the white test sits on the counter. “Here goes nothing,” I say, picking it up and seeing two lines. I look back at him. “We’re going to have a baby.”

Epilogue Two

Nico

Three years later

“Did you tell Phoenix he could come on the plane with you?” I look over at my wife as she stands there, rubbing her pregnant belly. She’s five months pregnant, and unlike Phoenix, this pregnancy is kicking her ass. She started getting morning sickness the minute she found out she was pregnant.

“I said that I would talk to Mommy,” I say, getting up from my office chair and walking over to her. She rolls her eyes. I try not to laugh because I actually said I would talk to Mommy, but then I also told him that Mommy would say yes.

“You can’t just take him on the plane to take him for a ride. It’s not the same as a car,” she points out, and I shrug.

“Um, he said dada airplane, and then he smiled at me. How was I supposed to say no?” I say. “How can I say no to that?” I put my hands on her belly.

“Easy,” she says. “No. See how I just did it. Like, Becca, do you want to have sex tonight? No.”