I reached into my pocket and pulled out the pregnancy test, setting it on the table between us.
Sam stared at the test, his expression unreadable. For a long moment, he didn’t move, didn’t speak, just sat there looking at the two pink lines like they were written in a language he was trying to translate.
Then, slowly, he looked up at me. “You’re pregnant?”
“I’m pregnant,” I confirmed.
“We’re having a baby?”
“We’re having a baby.”
Sam stood up so quickly his chair scraped against the floor. Then he was pulling me into his arms, holding me so tight I could barely breathe, his face buried in my hair.
“Sam?” I said after a moment. “Are you okay? Talk to me.”
He pulled back just enough to look at me, and I saw tears streaming down his face. “I’m okay. I’m better than okay. I’m just…” He let out a shaky laugh. “I’m trying to figure out how I got this lucky.”
“You’re happy?” I asked, even though I could see the answer in his eyes.
“I’ve never been happier,” Sam said, grinning through his tears. “I’m terrified and thrilled, and I love you so much I can’t even put it into words.”
I laughed, my own tears falling freely now. “I love you too.”
“How far along do you think you are?”
“I don’t know. Maybe six weeks? Eight? I’ll need to make an appointment to find out for sure.”
“Do you feel okay? Should you be sitting down? Do you need water? Food?” Sam was already looking around like he needed to immediately take care of me.
“I’m fine,” I said, catching his hands. “I’ve been fine. I’m still going to be fine. This is just a positive test, not a medical emergency.”
“Right. Right.” Sam took a breath. “Sorry. I’m just… processing.”
“I know. Me too.”
We stood there for a moment, just holding each other, letting the news settle between us.
“We should tell Leo,” Sam said eventually. “Not tonight – he’ll never sleep if we tell him tonight. But soon.”
Before I could respond, Leo burst into the kitchen with Rocket at his heels, both of them practically vibrating with energy.
“Hands washed!” Leo announced proudly, holding up his still-damp hands for inspection. “Ready for pizza!”
Rocket barked his agreement, tail wagging so hard his entire back end wiggled.
Sam and I looked at each other and laughed.
“Pizza it is,” Sam said, reaching for his phone to order.
“With pineapple?” Leo asked hopefully.
“Absolutely not,” Sam said, but he was smiling.
Epilogue 2
Chloe - A Few Weeks Later
The fairy lights Sam and Jack had strung through the trees behind the clinic cast everything in golden light, making the October evening feel magical.
