Page 55 of Cat's Outta the Bag

“Me too Jason, me too. All I could think about when I thought you were dead is how I’d lost the chance to have a life with you, have kids. That nearly broke me. I don’t want to waste another minute of our life together.” My heart is so full, it might burst.

Soon he has me panting again, not thinking about babies or the future. Just this moment right now. With him inside me, making each other feel good.

He reaches down and starts rubbing my clit just right. And I'm off, orgasm rolling through so violently that I scream his name. A moment later, he's falling with me, and I feel him pump inside me. His forehead connects with mine, and I can see all the love I'll ever need reflected back at me.

“I love you.”

“And I love you.”

Epilogue

Five years later

Alexis

I am positively giddy right now as I walk through the front entrance of our house, Slinky doing her best to trip me as I remove my shoes. Even in her old age, she wants constant attention. We bought this sweet little bungalow three years ago after my parents officially announced they were done traveling and ready to settle into retirement. These last few years haven’t been easy. But they’ve been full of love and laughter, and I couldn't be happier.

Jason's writing career didn't go exactly as we thought. The first script he wrote was optioned and made into a movie. It was a hit, but he couldn't find traction when he tried again. Not a lot of companies want to take a chance on romcoms if they don't prove themselves in the reading market first. So, at my gentle prodding, he turned the script into a novel. And let me tell ya, the romance reading community loves him. I mean, who wouldn’t? After writing two more books, he decided to try a different genre and is currently working on his first Sci-Fi. I can’t wait to read it.

My career has progressed beautifully. I'm still at the same hospital in the ER, and I think I'm about to be offered Dr. Jordan's job. She let it slip last month that she's retiring and put me up for the promotion. Jason thinks I have it in the bag. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I also record a podcast on weekends with a group of other women doctors from various fields. We were first brought together for a panel at a conference and were a hit. And within a month, we'd joined forces to make the podcast. We primarily focus on answering the public's questions about their health concerns, but also discuss current events in the medical field and how public policy affects medicine. At this point, I'm now more likely to get recognized on the street than my dear husband. Something I never expected, but Jason thinks it's hilarious.

A year into our marriage, we decided we were ready to try getting pregnant. I was getting nervous since my mom struggled so much and worried I would too. And as it turns out, I wasn't wrong. After two miscarriages, and dozens of negative tests, Jason already wanted to stop trying. He was so ready to be a father, and each disappointment weighed heavily on him. We decided to take a break from actively trying, no more charts or thermometers, and if after a year, we still weren't pregnant, we'd look into IVF. That was six months ago, and I'm currently five months pregnant.

He has no idea.

Honestly, I’m starting to show a bit and have been feeling crummy for months. The man is an idiot sometimes. But he’s my idiot.

When I step out into our backyard, he's on a picnic blanket with Charlotte and Zachary, our niblings. They're three now, and we love having them over for visits.

"Auntie Yexi! Auntie Yexi! You're back!" They pop up and charge for my legs, nearly taking me out. I love they still can't say their L's yet. It will be a sad day when I become Auntie Lexi instead of Auntie Yexi. Maybe they'll never grow out of it?

"Hey, you little monsters, let your aunt sit down. Don't knock her over." I smile down at my gorgeous husband. Even after four years, it's still a shock to say I'm married to Jason Adams. He has gained a little gray at his temples this year, and I'm obsessed. As I settle onto the blanket, I buss him a kiss on the cheek. Before he can take it further, I pull back and bring out the bag I brought out.

“Charlotte, Zach, I have a little present for you both.”

"Presents? YES!" Both jump up and down, aggressively yelling and punching the air. Three-year-old's, man, they're something else.

"Alright, please sit down while I give you your gift, and make sure to hold yours up high so Uncle Jay can see them." They nod, immediately plopping onto the blanket. I hand them their matching tie-dye shirts, biting my lip as they unfold and hold them up. Zach's is upside down, but you can still read what's printed there.

#1 COUSIN

I glance over at Jason, and he looks confused. Oh, my sweet husband, sometimes he’s clueless. So, I pull out another shirt and hand it to him.

"Here, I got you one too." I'm barely keeping a huge smile off my face as he opens it up and stares at it. Like the twins', it says #1 DAD.

After a beat, I realize he's still staring. So, I pull out my last clue. I sit up and unzip my hoodie, revealing my matching shirt that says, you guessed it: #1 MOM.

He stares at my shirt, then at my face, then back at his shirt, then back at my face. I can’t stop the tears that are starting to spill over.

“Does this?” He chokes up, tears filling his eyes. “Does this mean you’re pregnant?”

"Yes, baby, I am. And I waited a long, long time to tell you. I just had a doctor's appointment, I'm five months along, and the baby is doing great. She's confident we'll have a healthy baby in a few months." I smile and put my hand on my softly swelling stomach.

"We're going to be parents!" He laughs, pulling me against his body, lips in my hair, hand instantly covering mine. "Babe, we're going to be parents!"

“I know!” We’re both smiling at each other, hands on my belly, completely ignoring the two toddlers now running around screaming that they’re going to be cousins. Nothing could make this day more perfect.

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