Page 23 of Suddenly Pregnant

9

“Just stretch your hand flat,” Jack said, pointing at the bits of food they’d bought on their way to the wildlife sanctuary just outside of Sydney. “And they’ll come to you.”

She’d grown up in Texas feeding goats and pigs in carnival fairs and petting zoos, but this was different. They stood in the middle of a lush green space, and several kangaroos surrounded them. A few were shy, but most of them skipped forward, toward them, a giveaway that they were used to visitors.

Billie smiled, content. Three weeks had gone by since they started to have sex on the daily. Thankfully, she’d also started to feel much better from any morning sickness now that she was about to enter her second trimester. Her stomach didn’t show a whole lot—she had a slightly round belly now, but she wore blouses that were loose in her middle section to hide her small bump.

A medium sized kangaroo skipped until he was close enough, and she leaned down a bit, and stretched out her hand the way Jack told her—the same way she’d fed goats before, with her palm flat out. The cute animal sniffed her hand for a moment, then quickly ate from it, wasting no time to devour all the bits of food.

“See? It likes you,” he said, next to her.

“What can I say? I have that effect on people,” she said, then grabbed the bag and poured more food in her hand, and a couple more kangaroos came close. “I love them. They’re so cute. I want to have them as pets.”

“No you don’t,” he said, chuckling.

“Why not? Why can’t I have all the kangaroos?” she said, in a feigned offended tone, and touched her chest for added dramatic effect.

“They’re wild animals. They aren’t meant to be domesticated.”

She stood upright. They were still talking about kangaroos, right? Or should she ask to make sure? She cleared her throat. For the past weeks, they had a great time together. They ate at nice restaurants, laughed at each other, and made love until they were both an exhausted, entangled mess of sweaty limbs in the bed.

Would their relationship level up? Or was she being an idiot even dreaming about it? She hated not knowing. Maybe he wasn’t meant to be domesticated either… not in the long haul, anyway. Maybe what he shared with her was as far as he could go in a relationship.

She loved their little secret world of happiness, but it wouldn’t last forever.

The repercussions of her pregnancy would hit him once it hit the news, and she wondered how he’d take it. The pressure from his work and family’s expectation, not to mention the media, would put their blissful status quo to the test. A sour sensation spread in her stomach. She didn’t even want to think about it.

“You’re no fun. You’re crushing my dreams,” she said, nudging his elbow, hoping that her tone remained playful and she didn’t spew out all her insecurities.

A few more kangaroos hopped their way, and she had to reach into the bag and feed the eager group. Children laughed not too far from them, and she glanced at the family petting the animals. Would that be them one day? Regardless of their romantic situation, would he engage in family outings with her and the baby or would he prefer having alone time with the kid?

They’d glanced over the topic of co-parenting, but what did that exactly look like? A pang of fear burned at the pit of her stomach again.

“Having fun?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said quickly. Minus the overthinking.

Her phone rang in her pocket, and she reached for it with her free hand. Great way to dispel the tension eating her up inside. She recognized Poppy’s face on the screen, and took the call immediately. She couldn’t wait to turn on the camera function on and show Poppy the kangaroos surrounding them. Maybe Poppy’s step kids would be around, and they could see them too. “Hey, Poppy. I’m at a wildlife sanctuary and this place is the shit. I have to show you. Accept my camera request,” she asked, but her cousin didn’t accept it.

“Billie… we need to talk,” Poppy said, her voice way too serious.

“Why?” She clenched the phone. “Everything okay?”

“I’m so sorry, Billie. I’ve practiced this a couple of times but don’t know how to say it.” Poppy sighed into the phone on the other end of the line. “Your father had a heart attack… and he didn’t make it.”

Billie’s heart skipped a few beats, then resumed its job, with the intensity of a megaphone, thrumming in her ears. She dropped the bag on the ground, her knees wobbly. Her father… dead? Even though she was in a vast open space, invisible walls closed in on her, her vision darkening, but before she could stumble, Jack caught her waist and keep her steady, then embraced her in a warm long hug.

“Are you okay?” he asked for the fifth time, reaching to her hand.

Billie sat next to him in the private airplane he’d charted for the trip.

He couldn’t have used the company plane and risk anyone finding his whereabouts. Going with her to Texas was a huge risk. He had no business there, and it’d wave a huge red flag for his work people. Soon they’d all connect the dots and realize both him and his assistant were gone. But for now, it’d have to do.

She’d been honest about her father’s death, and Human Resources promptly hired a temp to replace her for the week she’d be gone. As for him, he’d gotten a nasty bug and wouldn’t be at work for a few days—instead, he’d work from home.

As long as the temp rescheduled his meetings and he answered to his calls and emails, he’d be good. He was doing it for the baby, he kept telling himself. It was a long trip, and he didn’t want her to experience any added stress besides the devastating experience of losing a parent.

“I’m okay,” she said in a low voice, her eyes still puffy. Then, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I thought I’d have more time,” she said, her voice still raw. “My father and I always had a complicated relationship, but a silly part of me wanted to tell him I was pregnant. I dreaded it, of course, because I knew he’d chastise me for getting knocked up outside of wedlock. It was just the way he thought. Old fashioned. But, also, I thought deep down he’d like the idea of being a grandpa. Because this kid wouldn’t take anything away from him…. Like I did,” she said, her voice breaking again.

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