Page 62 of Boss's Baby Surprise

I got up and immediately hugged her and then hugged Davey. “You guys are going to make the best parents. Congratulations!” I looked at the unopened gift that sat on the floor between them. “You might want to leave that here. I can get you something else,” I said.

Marci turned her attention to the box. “What do you mean?” she asked as she ripped open the top to a small case of wine. “Oh, yeah, I’m not drinking for a couple of months.”

“Right,” I said.

“But that’s not everything.” Marci pointed at the card.

“What are you talking about?” I asked as I pulled out a folded printout of a flight itinerary and an address in Seattle. “You’re moving?” I asked. Christmas was dissolving around me, and I started to cry.

“Don’t cry,” Marci said as she wrapped her arms around me. “Look.” She rattled the printout with travel arrangements on it at me.

“With the kid on the way, we thought it would be better to be close to my family,” Davey started.

“But what about Marci’s family?” I asked.

“Marci doesn’t have contact with anyone in her family,” Davey pointed out.

“I’m her family,” I practically shouted.

“You are,” Marci said. “That’s why we want you to come with us.” She shook the paper again.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“You said it yourself, there’s nothing keeping you here any longer, and you’ve always thought about maybe moving to the Pacific Northwest. This is a perfect opportunity. Come to Seattle with us.”

I finally looked at the paper she was pushing at me. It was plane tickets to Seattle for me and Leo. My jaw dropped open. I stared at her, and then I stared at Leo. I couldn’t say that my job was keeping me here because it wasn’t, and the only people who would have kept me in Chicago were now moving.

“I’d have to get a job,” I said numbly.

“You have to get a job anyway,” Marci pointed out.

I looked around our small apartment. “We’d have to pack everything up.”

“We’re getting a moving truck in a couple of weeks. You can just add your stuff to it.”

“Are you serious?” I asked.

“Marci wouldn’t agree to move if she didn’t think that you would be able to come also,” Davey said. “I know better than to try to split the two of you up.”

“I already have a job starting just after the first of the year,” Marci said.

“But what about your job?” I asked Davey.

“I have something lined up to start at the end of January.”

“What about a place to live? Do they have old neighborhoods like this?” I asked.

“We were really hoping you would say yes because we’ve already rented a house with more than enough room for you and Leo,” Marci said.

“Wait, you want us to live with you?”

“We are already over at each other’s places all the time, and this way, we can help each other out. I was hoping you would be willing to help with the baby,” Marci said.

“Of course I am willing to help with the baby. Yes, oh, my God, yes!” There was no reason to stay here. I’d have to find a new school for Leo, but he was young enough that it wouldn’t be a problem. All I needed to do was give notice for the apartment and find a job in Seattle.

What I thought was going to be an uneventful and sad Christmas had turned out to be one of the best Christmases ever. I was given a chance at a new life.

The week following was a blur of activity. The landlord was feeling generous and only charged me for one more month if I could be out by January first because there was a waiting list for the building. We moved everything into Marci and Davey’s place in a matter of days, and on the second day of January, Marci, Leo, and I were on a plane relocating to Seattle. Leo didn’t miss a bit of school since I managed to get him registered before the term started.

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