That’s how long the test said to wait. Three minutes to find out if my entire life was about to change.
We sat in the living room—me curled up on the couch, Serenity pacing by the windows, Mehar tucked into the armchair. The test sat on the coffee table, face down, taunting me.
“This is the longest three minutes of my life,” Serenity muttered. “And I once waited two hours for Prime to finish a ‘quick errand.’ Two hours. In the car. No AC.”
“What was the errand?” Mehar asked.
“To this day, I don’t know. He came back with a smoothie and told me to mind my business.”
I laughed despite myself. “That’s terrible.”
“Didn’t even offer me a sip.” Serenity shook her head. “The disrespect.”
The timer on Serenity’s phone went off, interrupting my laugh.
We all froze.
“Okay.” Serenity’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Moment of truth.”
I stood up slowly. My hands were shaking. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat.
I picked up the test.
Turned it over.
Two lines.
Positive.
“Oh my God.” The words came out strangled. “Oh my God.”
Serenity scrambled to her feet. “What does it say? WHAT DOES IT SAY?”
I held up the test, my vision blurring with tears.
“I’m pregnant.”
Serenity screamed. Actually screamed, so loud it probably scared every seagull within a mile radius. She launched herself at me, wrapping me in a hug so tight I could barely breathe.
“OH MY GOD! YOU’RE PREGNANT! YOU’RE HAVING A BABY! I’M GONNA BE AN AUNTIE!”
“You’re already an aunt,” I managed. “Storie and Dream?—”
“I’M GONNA BE AN AUNTIE AGAIN! THIS IS THE BEST NEWS EVER!”
Mehar was smiling from the doorway. A real smile, not the polite one she’d worn for years under Ahmad’s roof. “Congratulations, sis.”
“I can’t believe this.” I was crying now. Happy tears. Scared tears. All the tears. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
Serenity finally released me, bouncing on her heels like a kid on Christmas. “We have to tell Prime. We have to call him RIGHT NOW?—”
“No.”
She stopped bouncing. “What? Why?”
“Not yet.” I wiped my face, trying to get myself together. “This news… it deserves to be delivered in person. After Yusef is safe. I don’t want Prime distracted. He needs to focus on ending this war and getting my nephew back.”
Serenity looked like she wanted to argue, but she didn’t. “Okay. Okay, I get it. But the SECOND that boy is home safe, you’re telling him.”
