Page 125 of Come Back for Me
“I can’t lie to Connor.”
She shakes her head and grabs my hands. “You don’t understand—”
The timer goes off and both of us freeze. “I won’t say anything unless he asks.”
Sydney releases a heavy sigh and then nods. “I guess that’s the most I can ask for. Hopefully, it’ll be negative and this will all be a bad dream.”
I hope so for her too.
We both get up and head toward the bathroom to see the results.
Again, I stand outside, waiting for Sydney to come out, and I say a prayer, asking for this to go the way we both want it to.
But before I can go see the results, Connor comes through the door.
“Hey, baby.” He walks over and gives me a kiss.
“Hi.”
“What’s wrong?” he asks because it’s clear I’m distracted.
I shake my legs back and forth and then bite my lip. “Wrong? Nothing’s wrong, just need to use the bathroom.”
Then the door opens and Sydney comes out holding both tests. She looks at me and shakes her head, but I’m not sure what that means. Then she kisses my cheek and holds out what I assume to be my test to me.
Connor’s eyes drop to the unmistakable object in my hand.
Then she turns to him and smiles. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow. I need to go.”
“Syd?”
There are tears in her eyes, but she doesn’t say anything. She touches my arm and then walks away.
I stand here, watching her go while holding my test. I’m worried about her.
“Ellie?” Connor says. “Is that?”
My pulse spikes because if this is positive, everything will change. Not that our life hasn’t been constantly evolving, but a baby will amplify it. Then I think, what does it matter? He and I love each other and knew this was a definite possibility. I can’t imagine my life with anyone else.
He’s already an amazing father, and this time, it won’t be scary. I’ll have him with me each step of the way.
“I’m late,” I explain. “I thought that maybe I could be pregnant.”
He smiles wide, and now I really hope the test is positive.
I lift the test, and my entire world becomes just a bit brighter. “We’re pregnant,” I say with tears in my eyes.
He wraps his arms around me and kisses the side of my neck. “We’re having another baby.”
“It seems we are,” I say as a tear rolls down my face. “Are you happy?”
He pulls back. “Am I happy? I’m fucking beyond happy! We’re having another baby, and God help me, Ellie, I’m going to marry you. I know you wanted to wait, but—”
“I don’t want to wait.”
“What?”
I take his face in my hands. “I love you, Connor. I love you more than any woman has ever loved a man. I don’t need to wait to marry you. I don’twantmore time. We’ve wasted enough of it. I want us to have our family whole, and I want to be your wife.”
