Page 152 of Gracefully Yours

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JULY

The day had finally arrived. We were all moved into our new house. All the finishing touches had been completed, and while it was sad to leave our old place behind—the place where we’d fallen in love, had more movie nights than I could count, where we’d started our life together… I was happy to be here.

Home.

Ourhome. Together.

I liked to think that our house was flawless, from the built-in library she could fill to the fireplace in the living room and the giant sewing room with plenty of space for her creations above the garage. Charlotte certainly wasn’t complaining about the extra-large closet or large tub in our room. She was in love.

And I was so, so very in love with her, a fact I reminded her of every day.

Even though I’d said the guys and I could move everything from our house, Charlotte insisted we hire movers instead. To be honest, we all needed a break from the constant moving. I was confident that once the other two couples settled into their new homes on our street, no one would be in a hurry to move again.

Charlotte wasn’t showing yet, but that small bump was there all the same. We’d spent the last month practically holding our breaths, but she was officially out of the first trimester.

“I still can’t get over this space,” she said, running her fingers over the whitewashed wood table. “This is so perfect.”

“I’m glad you like it.” I might have been in charge of designing the structure, but I had handpicked each of the details inside also, down to the breakfast nook we were sitting in. From here, I could see Brownie running around in the big backyard through the framed windows.

“Daniel.” Charlotte gasped, her hand going to her stomach.

“What?” Moving out of my seat, I kneeled in front of her. “Is everything okay? Is it—”

“The baby kicked.” She laughed, grabbing my hand and placing it on top of her bump. “I could feel it—”

And there it was. A tiny bump against my palm.

“Oh!” I looked up at her, catching my wife with tears in her eyes. “That’s… incredible.”

“I know,” she said, giggling as the tears dripped down her face. “Daniel…” She sucked in a breath. “You know, in five months, we’re going to be parents.”

I pressed a kiss against her bump. “I know. Everything we’ve wanted.”

“I’m so glad it’s you.”

“Me too, baby.”

There was no one else I could picture as the mother of my children, except for Charlotte. My best friend, now my partner in life.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me.”

“No, I do. This is the best gift. The greatest gift you could have given me. Not the house, but…” She sighed, rubbing her little belly. “You. The baby. Love. For a while, I didn’t think I’d ever find it. That I’d settle, because at least it was something. But this… This is everything. You are my everything. And I wish I’d seen it sooner. In college, five years ago, but…”

“But you have me now.” I stood up, pulling her into my arms. Swaying her back and forth in the middle of our brand new kitchen. “And I’m never going anywhere, darling.”

“I know. And you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“No,” I laughed. “That’syou,for me.”

“Mmm.” She leaned against my chest, and I heaved her up into my arms.

“Should we go break in our new bedroom? Because I have plans for you, wife.”

Charlotte laughed. “Oh, I can’t wait to find out exactly what they are.”

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