Page 42 of Oops, My Professor Got Me Pregnant!

“It’s just a friend. You can keep building.”

“Okay.” He went back to playing with the Mouse Trap game.

Lauren didn’t want to leave Louis alone when he was having a difficult day, so she answered the call and went to lean against the windowsill, where she would still be close enough to keep an eye on him.

“Hi, Céline. What’s up?”

“I just wanted to check in on you.” Céline’s voice was kind, as always. “Have you told Nico about the baby yet?”

Lauren glanced at Louis in concern. He was a bright boy, and she couldn’t very well mention a baby in front of him.

“I haven’t.”

“Lauren.” Céline’s voice, while still kind, was slightly exasperated. “You know waiting won’t help, right?”

“I realize that.” Lauren sighed. “But I can’t tell him about the… bun in my oven. Not yet.”

“He’s going to find out about the bun sooner or later,” Céline pointed out. “You’ll start showing, and eventually the bun will be, say, ready to take out of the oven.”

“I know. But his mother hurt her ankle today. And before that, I asked him if he was, well, hungry for any more buns than the one he already has. And he was pretty clear that he was full.”

“I think you’re taking the bun metaphor a little far.”

“I know, but the original bun is right here in the room with me.”

“Ah.” Céline paused. “I know you’re scared to tell him, but you need to do it. Right now, you can control the situation. You can tell him how you want to, when you want to. If you wait too long, that choice will be taken away from you, and Nico will feel like you hid something from him.”

“I know. But I have a plan. I’ll speak to him tomorrow about the bun and about everything else.”

“Good for you. And just remember, I’m here for you if you need to talk or anything.”

“Thanks, Céline. You’ve really been a wonderful friend.”

“Yeah, I know. I am the greatest.”

Lauren could hear her friend’s smile across the distance. “Sure, sure. And you’re very humble. All right, I’d better go.”

“Lots of baking to do.”

“Exactly. Bye, Céline.”

“Bye.”

Lauren hung up and returned to the couch.

“What was that about?” Louis asked.

“It was just my friend checking up on me.”

“That’s nice. Can we play another game now?”

“Of course. How about you go pick one out?”

Louis flew to his room to select another game, and Lauren packed up Mouse Trap and moved to the kitchen table for a more comfortable seat. Even as she laughed and played games with Louis for the rest of the afternoon, the day was bittersweet. She would tell Nico about the baby tomorrow, so this could very well be the last afternoon she got to spend with Louis.

Perhaps the pregnancy hormones were making Lauren extra emotional, but as she fixed herself and Louis a vegetable snack in the kitchen, she felt tears prick the backs of her eyes. She and Nico had stood here just hours ago while he told her he didn’t want another baby.

Nico came home a few hours later. As soon as the door opened, Louis dropped his hand of cards and raced to the entryway and into his father’s arms.

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