Beautifully Broken

I bite my bottom lip and then blurt the words out, “I’m pregnant.”

He quickly moves the truck to the side of the road and then just stares at me.

“Did you hear what I said?” I ask nervously, and I go back to biting my thumbnail.

Slowly, he nods, a stunned expression tightening his features.

“Alex?” I whisper when the tension becomes too much.

“We’re pregnant?” he asks, and I watch as emotion washes over his features. A second later, he grabs me to his chest and kisses me hard. “We’re pregnant?” he asks again.

“Well, I don’t know about the ‘we’ part. I’m the one doing all the work.”

“My sperm had to swim its ass off for that egg. Give it some credit,” Alex says, all serious, but I see the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Your sperm didn’t take my egg on a date. Your sperm is so in the doghouse,” I tease him, relieved to see he’s okay with the news.

A huge grin spreads over his face, and then he turns the truck around and drives back down the road.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“The sperm is taking the egg to dinner,” he mutters playfully.

I burst out laughing as he stops in front of the diner. Getting out, Alex jogs around the front of the truck and opens the door for me. He helps me out, letting me slide down the front of his body, and then his eyes start to shimmer with tears, and it instantly makes me want to cry.

“I’m taking my beautiful pregnant wife to dinner,” he whispers, and a tear slips down his cheek.

All choked up, I whisper, “Why are you crying?”

“Because I’m so fucking happy. I’m so happy you chose to stay with me, and we’re going to build a family together.”

“I’m happy, too,” I whisper, and then I stand on my toes so I can reach his lips. “Thank you for making every one of my dreams come true.”

“I did?” he asks, holding back on the kiss.

“Yeah.” I inch a little closer to his mouth. “I just wanted a husband who loves me and a home filled with kids. That’s all I ever wanted.”

He presses a tender kiss to my lips, and I smile against his mouth. “I’ll have to build onto the cabin to make space for all those kids.”

“I’d like that.”

Taking my hand, he links our fingers and leads me into the diner. “Time to feed my wife and kid.”

His wife.

His kid.

I place my other hand over my stomach and swallow back the emotions.

My husband.

Our child.

“Do you think at some point I could reach out to Annie?” I ask after we’ve taken a seat at one of the booths.

Alex’s eyes jump to mine, and then he says, “Yeah, I’m sure you can call her. I’d like to wait another six months at least, just to make sure the dust has settled and there’s no one sniffing around. Also, you won’t be able to visit her, but she can always come here. We’ll figure something out that’s safe for everyone.”

“Really?” I ask to make sure before I get my hopes up.

“We’ll just need to explain everything to her so she knows not to call us by our old names.”

“I can do that.” A wide smile splits over my face.

“Just give it six months. Okay?” Alex gives me a comforting smile, knowing how much Annie means to me.

“Thank you.”

We look over the menu, and I’m overflowing with gratefulness for Alex and another chance at being a mother. And soon, I’ll get to see Annie again.

My little family.

Glancing up from the menu, I stare at the man who changed my life. God, he’s given me so much. Most importantly, a sense of belonging.

It was a long and hard road to get here, but it led me to Alex Jackson.

I’d walk that road again if I had to, but only for him.

The End