Page 101 of Single Mom's Mountain Men
"Baby?" I gasp.
"Yes," he says, looking bemused. "Or did you not know you were pregnant?"
"I didn't think I could...after my last baby, the doctor said it would be difficult for me to conceive again."
"Difficult but not impossible," he smiles. "Congratulations."
And then when he leaves us I finally face the men who are varying levels of stunned.
"You're pregnant!" Charlie whispers.
I nod still startled. "Yeah, I suppose so. Um... do you want to check who the biological father is?"
"Who cares about the biological father?" A smile splits across Wes' face. We're all going to be dads!"
I’m still in shock and overwhelmed at everything that happened today, but his excitement makes me smile. And as I look at the equally stunned but happy expressions on his brothers’ faces, my happiness only grows and grows.
We’re going to have a child together. It hits me suddenly, a rush of awe and my smile becomes a laugh. We’re really going to have a family.
Wes’ loud exclamation and my laughter wakes up the girls, who stare around bleary-eyed.
“What’s happening?” Katie asks, fear instantly jumping into her face. “Is Dad back?”
“No.” I tell her. “He’s not coming back Katie. And he’ll never hurt any of you again. I promise.”
I don’t want to tell my kids that their father is dead. They don’t need to know that right now. For now, all they need to know is that they’re safe.
They both stare at me and then slowly nod.
We wait till we’re at home to explain the pregnancy to the girls. While they nap in Mitch’s room, we talk amongst each other, figuring out the logistics of what our relationship is going to be and how much of it we’re going to tell the girls. And while it’s certainly a complex problem, I’m just so happy that this is a problem that I get to have.
I’m alive. I think constantly, ridiculously happy. I’m alive with my men and my girls. They’re all safe. Nothing else matters.
Eventually, after the girls wake up and we have the dinner I made–I can’t believe it turned out okay despite the stressful circumstances–I start, “So girls. There’s something we have to tell you.”
Maddie pauses. She’s perched in Charlie’s lap as usual with Katie leaning on Mitch and holding Wes’ hand. The sight nearly brings tears to my eyes but I swallow the emotion to speak.
“I’m pregnant,” I start. “Which means that you’re both going to big sisters.”
Their eyes widen.
“You’re pregnant, momma?” Maddie asks.
“Yes I am,”
“We get a brother?”
“Or a sister.” Katie says beaming. “I want a sister. Another one.”
“I want a brother!”
“Can we name her now? I want to name her Adriana. That’s my new friend’s name that I just met today.”
“No! It’s gonna be a boy and we’ll name him Joey.”
The men chuckle and I roll my eyes while grinning. My daughters’ enthusiasm also gives me strength for the next part. “Wait, girls, before you go off figuring out names, there’s a second thing that I want to…well, I’ll let you guys do it.”
I turn to the men and they glance at each other, then seem to unanimously silently elect Mitch as their spokesperson.
