Page 105 of Promises to Keep

Magnus said, “Sophie, what do ye think, does Kaitlyn look pregnant tae ye?”

Sophie said, “I daena want tae overstep, Madame Kaitlyn looks upset by the attention.”

I said, “I am only pretending to be upset, because I know I am right. It is impossible to know if someone is pregnant, and definitely not right after having, um... you know...relations. You can speak freely, but if you side with Magnus, I retain the right to say that you’ve been coached ahead of time.”

“Ye do hae a high color and a softness that I think lends ye tae bein’ pregnant.”

I glanced at Hayley who had a laptop in front of her. “What do you think, Hayley, is Magnus conspiring against me?”

“I am not even playing along with this, I am researching vasectomy docs.”

“Jesus Christ.”

Zach said, “Now you’re eating for two? Yikes, my grocery list keeps doubling.”

I turned to Emma. “Help me, talk some sense into these people.”

She shrugged. “It’s scientifically impossible for Magnus to know you were pregnant from the first day—”

“The first minute! He seems to think he got me pregnant just by his...” I glanced around, and whispered, “You know...movements.”

Emma giggled. “Well, that is unscientific, but then again... sometimes you just know and maybe Magnus just... maybe he just knows you so well. It’s romantic if you think about it.”

Zach joked, “So Magnus, since you have the power to make the baby, what sex did you make?”

“I made a boy, I—”

Archie said, “Yes! A boy! Ben, there’s going to be a baby brother!” They started jumping up and down, so Isla and Zoe started jumping and wiggling beside them.

I huffed and set my face in a comical frown. “Now the kids are involved in this pseudoscientific feeling you have that you justperformeda baby boy. Quentin, did you know when you got Beaty pregnant? And do you know what sex it is?”

Quentin said, “I did not know, but then again, it’s my first time, maybe I was inexperienced. Now that I look back on it it was clearly that night, you know the one… right Beaty?”

“Och aye, Quennie, twas the night, definitely, and I am carryin’ a girl, ye can tell because I am wretched and I want tae eat...” She put her hands over Mookie’s ears and mouthed:meat.“Tis how the mother tries tae feed the daughter, tae strengthen her for the coming adversities. Everyone kens. Are ye cravin’ steak?”

“Of course I’m not craving steak! This wasat mostfive days ago!”

Magnus grinned. “Five days ago, I got ye pregnant with a son, I am verra proud of it.”

Everyone laughed.

Emma said, “Well, it’s still early to pee on a stick, I think, we want to really know-know, but it’s not too early for prenatal vitamins.” She pulled a bottle from the shelf and dumped some in her hand.

I comically scowled while I chewed and swallowed them down.

CHAPTER 50 - KAITLYN

We decided to wait for a while, for Lady Mairead to regain her strength, and we had plenty of supplies, so we put off shopping, and buying a pregnancy test. I also wanted to wait until there was no chance the pregnancy test would be a false negative or positive.

But finally I couldn’t wait any longer, and Emma returned from the store with one. I said, “I want privacy with Magnus, will you all please,please, pretend like nothing is happening here?”

Everyone agreed. I drew Magnus by the hand down to the bathroom off our bedroom.

We didn’t speak, he leaned against the bathroom counter.

I tore the box apart and dropped it in the trash, then pulled the stick from its wrapping and pulled down my pants. I sat on the toilet, put the stick between my legs, and urinated on it.

In that position I said. “I’m afraid to look, I don’t know how I feel, I wasn’t trying, you know, I...”

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