Page 143 of Charmed, I'm Sure
Rounding the couch, I spotted a pair of slippered feet poking out from the other side. Chuckling, I closed the distance.
“Baby, what are you—” The words stalled in my throat as I took her in. Magnolia was sprawled on the floor, holding onto a very wiggly—was that a puppy?
“What do you think?” she asked nervously, struggling to contain the spotted creature in her arms as it whined and scrambled to get free.
“It’s a Catahoula,” she added quickly, as if I might protest. “Is that okay? You never mentioned a specific breed, so I just went with the cutest one I could find, and—”
“It’smine?” I asked, awed, crouching down beside her.
“He’s yours, yes.”
She loosened her grip, and the little fur ball immediately bolted toward me, jumping up and pawing at my chest, desperate to lick my face. I laughed until my stomach ached. He was mostly gray, with black spots along his back, a sable-colored snout and paws, and sky-blue eyes.
He was perfect.
“You got me a dog,” I breathed through my laughter, trying—and failing—to calm the puppy. “Does he have a name?”
She shook her head. “I thought you’d want to name him.”
Grabbing his face between my hands, I rubbed his head and watched as his velvety ears flopped around.
“Gumbo.”
“You want gumbo?” she asked, already turning toward the kitchen. “I think we still have some in the freezer.”
“No, baby.” I grinned. “The dog. His name is Gumbo.”
“Whatever you say, babe,” she laughed. But as her smile faded, something flickered in her eyes.
Suspicion tightened my chest. “What is it?” I asked, drawing out the words.
“Do you like your puppy?”
“Of course I do… Why?”
“Because that’s not the only surprise I have.”
Something about the way she said it—hesitant, nervous—made the hairs on my neck stand on end.
She took a step back.
Memories of New Year's Eve flashed through my mind. We’d both been drunk, a little careless…Surely not—
Shecouldbe.
I was a doctor, for fuck’s sake. How had I not noticed?
“Magnolia, are you…” My gaze flicked to her abdomen. I swallowed—hard.
“What?No!” Her eyes widened. “Oh my lanta.Hold, please.”
She bolted from the room, disappearing down the hall toward our bedroom.
My heart thundered as I tried to recall when her last period had been—just in case. But when she reappeared, peeking into the living room from behind the wall, my anxiety over an unplanned pregnancy shifted to… curiosity?
“You ready?” she asked.
“As I’ll ever be, I guess.”
