"You're not failing," he says when I finish. "You're human. And you're about to be a mother. Those things are allowed to coexist."
"What if I'm terrible at it?"
"You won't be."
"You don't know that."
"I know you. You're going to be an amazing mom. Possibly a stressed amazing mom, but amazing nonetheless."
I rest my head on his shoulder. "We're having a baby."
"We're having a baby."
"Are you scared?"
"Terrified. But I’m also excited. We're going to figure this out."
We sit there for a while, watching the sun set through the oak tree branches. Tonight, I'll accept the Preston merger. I'll vote to expand Celtic Knot because Brennen deserves to chase his dream. I'll tell my brothers I'm pregnant.
But today, right now, I'm just sitting with my husband in the park where he proposed.
His arm is around me. My head is on his shoulder. The pamphlets sit forgotten on the car.
And for the first time in days, I can actually breathe.
Chapter 8
Miles
Emma's hand finds mine as we walk back to the cars, and I realize this is the first time in days she's looked me in the eye without panicking. Progress.
"We're really doing this," she says quietly.
"We're really doing this."
"You're not freaking out?"
"I'm absolutely freaking out." I unlock my car. "But I'm also excited. And terrified. And probably going to research everything obsessively for the next six months."
"Seven months and three weeks," she corrects automatically.
"See? You're already doing the math. We're going to be fine."
I follow her home, watching her car ahead of me. She's probably reading through "Your First Trimester" at every red light.
"Did you know the baby is the size of a blueberry right now?" she calls me while on the way home.
"A blueberry with opinions about pickles, apparently."
"The pamphlet doesn't mention pickle cravings specifically. That seems like an oversight."
"Maybe you should write them a letter."
"Dear Pregnancy Pamphlet Authors, Please include a section on pickle obsession. Sincerely, A Concerned Mother-to-Be."
I laugh, and she giggles—actually giggles—for the first time all day.
At home, Emma heads straight for the couch, kicking off her shoes with a deep sigh.
