Page 74 of Voracious

She snatches the other two and turns them. Both have two lines. Two lines that indicate pregnancy. I lean down and grab the digital one she dropped, and it says,Pregnant.

We’re silent as we stare at all three, a lone tear sliding down Stacey’s cheek.

The air in the room vanishes as the light in her eyes shimmers into nothing. “I’m… I’m pregnant.” Her lip trembles. “Kade…”

I snake my arms around her, and she shudders in my hold, breaking down as she lets her tears overwhelm her. I stay strong for her, holding her through each gasp for air as she hyperventilates. The tests clank on the floor, the dogs scratch the door to get in and we both sink to the ground.

Stacey buries her head in my chest then looks up at me with bloodshot eyes. “Please don’t leave me. Please. I’m begging you,Kade. I can’t do this without you.”

I kiss her temple, her forehead, her nose and lips and cheeks as I say, “You don’t need to beg me, Freckles. There isn’t a chance in fucking hell I’ll ever leave you.”

Stacey wipes her eyes and sits up, leaning her back to the bathtub opposite me. “You promise?”

“I promise, Stacey. Nothing will ever make me leave you. I understand we’re young and we had no plans for kids anytime soon, but plans can change. I’m with you, okay? Whatever you want to do.”

“Whatever I want to do…” She chews her lip and looks down at the swelling she thought was bloating. “You would be okay if we kept it?”

I furrow my brows. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I mean, I want to. God, I want so much to keep the baby. But we’re nineteen. I have… We don’t… I… I thought you had all these milestones you wanted to achieve before you were thirty.”

I lean forward and hold her cheek, swiping my thumb against the tears under her eye. “There would be nothing better in this world than having a family with you, Freckles. Ignore our age. Ignore everything else and go with your gut. What do you want to do?” Then I shake my head at myself. “No, sorry, you don’t need to decide yet. It’s a big decision. Let’s go to bed.”

She smiles, and a laugh breaks out, a nervous one, as she kisses me. “I want to keep the baby. I want to have a baby with you,KadeMitchell.”

I feel my heart rate picking up, warmth spreading through my chest. “You do?”

“There’s no one else I’d rather be with.”

I’m already imagining all the journeys we’ll have as I take her to bed. We both fall asleep with our hands cradling her stomach, and for the first time in a long time, I’m excited for my future. For our future.

The next day, we call the doctors and hand in a urine sample. The day beforeLuciellais to arrive home and find out about us, we go for an ultrasound.

We nervously hold hands while the midwife watches the screen. I don’t breathe or blink as I see the flutter of our child’s heartbeat. Her fingers tighten around mine, but my gaze is stuck on the screen.

“Everything is looking perfect. As you can see, your little bouncing baby has a strong heartbeat. Currently eleven weeks and five days.”

Stacey covers her mouth with a whimper. “Look,Kade. Our baby.”

“Our baby,” I repeat, squeezing her hand. “Stacey’s already three months along?”

The lady nods. “Yes, she certainly is. With a perfectly healthy and very active baby. The due date is…” She looks down at something then smiles. “Oh, how wonderful. Christmas Eve. We can discuss further details during the antenatal appointments.”

“We’re having a baby,” I say, turning to Stacey. “I get to have a family with you.”

It’s this moment that I see my entire future rearranging. In the best way possible. Yeah, I’m fucking terrified. But at the same time, I can’t wait.

A mini-Stacey or a mini-me running around with Milo and Hopper following behind. The high-pitched giggle. The dark hair flowing around them while we kiss them goodnight.

My mum’s face when she holds her first grandchild, my dad standing beside her.Ewanon the other side with a proud smile.Luciellacrying while spoiling them with gifts and kisses and cuddles.

Fuck. I’m going to be a dad. Me.KadeMitchell.

The lady hands us a picture for us to take home. I look down at Stacey, both of us with watering eyes, and I kiss the woman I get to watch turn into a mother. Into the mother of my child.

“I love you, Freckles,” I tell her.

She sniffs. “I love you too. So, so much.”

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