“I’m pregnant, honey.”
“But how? And you can skip the X-rated biology lesson.”
“I don’t know how,” I said. “They said it was next to impossible.”
“Next to impossible.”
“That probably wasn’t the official medical diagnosis, but yes… Not impossible.”
He stared. “I just… I can’t believe it.”
“Me neither. Although, now that I think about it… Remember that afternoon you came home from work? Jack was napping, and you stormed into the house with hardly a word and took me right then and there against the kitchen counter?” Pleasant shivers danced all over me. “God, just thinking about it…”
“I remember…” Jim said. “One of my better afternoons.”
“The best, it turns out.”
Jimmy’s brows furrowed, and he held my gaze intently, no more jokes. “You’re really pregnant?”
“Eight weeks. Are you happy?”
“I’m somewhere beyond happy. But…”
“I know. I’m scared too. But I have a feeling, down deep, she’s going to be okay.”
“She?”
“I think so,” I said. “I think I’m having your baby girl.”
Jim stared a moment longer, then pulled me to him, holding me with his strong arms. An embrace that never failed to tell me I was protected, safe, and loved. So much love.
“God, Thea,” he whispered against my hair.
I pulled away and held his strong jaw in my hand. “You gave my life back to me. Everything I have is because of you.”
“I can say the same, Thea. You gave me my life back when I’d stopped living it.”
He kissed me softly, and I leaned my head on his shoulder as we watched our son horse around with my sister—the last of my real family, who I’d love forever, no matter what. Because it felt better to rebuild bridges than it did to watch them burn.
Jimmy slipped his arms around me, his hand sliding over my belly.
“Love you,” he breathed into me. “So much.”
“Love you too,” I said, giving it back. “So much.”
I was infused with it, so much love for my Jimmy and this life he and I had built, five minutes at a time.
The End