Page 24 of Can We Try?

“How are you feeling?” Monroe asks.

“Good. A little morning sickness, nothing out of hand.”

“Fourth of July.” Emerson nods.

“Yeah, I didn’t know then, but the nausea became a regular thing, and then the boob pain, and the missed period. It all just kind of clicked for me and I took five tests at home,” I admit.

“So the two of you aren’t together?” Emerson asks.

I expected this question. “No. Not romantically. I told him I didn’t need his help, and that I didn’t expect anything from him, but he said he wanted this. He wants to be in our child’s life.”

“Of course he would. This is Lachlan we’re talking about. Has he told you about his parents?” Monroe asks.

“He did.”

“Wait, what’s wrong with his parents?” Brogan asks.

“It’s not my story to tell,” I tell her.

Emerson waves her hand in the air. “He doesn’t care if people know. His biological dad bailed when his mom told him she was pregnant. She met his now dad who adopted Lachlan when he was two.”

“The dad he didn’t have to be,” Briar says, tears in her eyes. “I understand that.” Her eyes flash to the kitchen toward where the guys are standing, but we all know she only has eyes for Forrest.

“Yeah,” I agree.

“He’s going to be a great dad,” Monroe tells me. “Maddox too.” She winks at Brogan.

“What if I can’t get pregnant?” Brogan asks, her voice soft and with a hint of despair. “We’ve been trying for a couple of months now, and nothing.”

“These things take time,” Briar tells her sister. “And emotions play a key role. Just enjoy trying, and it will happen when it’s supposed to.”

“He wants this so much,” Brogan says, her voice cracking.

“What about you?” Emerson asks. “Is this what you want?”

Brogan nods. “More than anything.”

“I know it’s hard, but stay positive. It will happen,” Monroe assures her.

“I’m sorry.” I reach over and place my hand on her arm. “You’ve been trying, and here I am, tossing this pregnancy in your face. I didn’t mean to do that.”

“No. No, Maggie, not at all,” Brogan is quick to reassure me. “I’m so happy for you. I know this is probably not how you planned it, but life tends to do that, tossing us curveballs when we least expect them.”

“Like me.” Emerson smiles.

“And me.” Monroe waves her hand in the air.

“And me,” Briar adds.

“All four of you have pregnancies that were not how I’m sure you planned them, and that’s your story. I know I’ll have mine. I guess, for me, I’m just worried that it’s not going to happen because my life is… more than I ever could have imagined it would be. I never thought I’d find a man to love me, scars and all, and now that I have, I want everything with him.”

“It’s going to happen for you,” Briar tells her sister. “I can feel it.”

Brogan smiles. “In the meantime, I get to be Aunt Brogan and get lots of practice.”

“Oh, are you ready to go home and practice?” Maddox asks, stepping up behind us. We all laugh because we didn’t even see him there, and he’s all for devoting time to practice.

“No, we’re spending time with our family,” Brogan tells her husband.

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