Page 138 of Billion Dollar Dispute

“Don’t worry about work. I can take Chad, and you can rest today.”

She turns to me, a hint of a smile on her lips. “No, silly. My period is late.”

My jaw drops, and my eyes widen as the realization hits me.

“Are you sure?”

“Well, I’ll need a test.”

“I’ll go buy one,” I say, ready to head to the store after dropping Chad off.

“No, wait.” She holds out her hand. “I’ve got a box under the sink.”

I open the cabinet doors and search until I find the box. My stomach twists with nerves, as I hand it to her. She tears it open and tries to stand, but I quickly reach out to support her.

“Do you want help?”

“Can you go check on Chad? Give me a minute to pee on the stick alone.” She laughs.

“Right.” I step out, making sure everything is ready for school, then return to Jemima.

Running my hands through my hair, I pace the room. “Is it ready?”

“Almost.”

I enter the bathroom and see her standing there, looking a bit paler than usual. The timer beeps, and we exchange a look that makes my stomach drop.

What do we do now?

As if reading my mind, she takes my hand. “Come on, let’s do this together.”

I step forward and see the lines. “What does that mean?”

She suddenly bursts into tears, and my heart pounds harder.

“What’s wrong? We can try again, buttercup. Please don’t cry, it kills me.”

She sniffles. “No, I’m happy. We’re pregnant.”

“We are?”

Looking at the stick again, then back at me, she nods.

“You’re having my baby?” I whisper.

“Yes.”

“Can we tell Chad?” I ask as tears blur my vision.

“Maybe we should do it on the weekend,” she suggests. “Make it special for him.”

“Good idea.” I lean in, kissing her softly, feeling so much love and excitement for what’s to come.

Epilogue 2

Jemima

That weekend, we’re gatheredaround the coffee table, playing Chutes and Ladders.

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