Brown eyes looked back at me. “Someone else is pregnant. The test you’ve seen wasn’t mine. When you find out, you had better fucking let me know.”
“On it. I’ll… I’ll leave you to it. Mum’s shepherded us all out.”
I watched him leave, unable to be cross with him anymore right now.
Once the door closed, Owen looked up, tears on his face along with the biggest, widest smile I’d ever seen.
“When did you find out?”
“Yesterday. I was going to tell you when we woke up in the morning.”
He moved back from me slightly, his hold slipping to my hips, his gaze dropping to my stomach. “My Christmas present?”
I nodded, too choked up now with tears to form a coherent word.
“That one time?”
I nodded again.
“Shit, my sperm must be strong.”
I started to laugh, more of a snort laugh that involved snot because I was still crying at the same time. “Super strong.” I dug around down the side of my mother’s favourite chair and found the paper tissues she always kept down there, blowing my nose.
“How are you feeling? Have you been sick? What… what can I do?”
I laughed, wiped my nose and went back into his arms. “I feel fine. It’s early days and I haven’t felt sick – I might not. How do you feel? Our lives are about to change.”
“How do I feel? Completely and utterly in love with you. Gobsmacked. Elated. Like I want to wrap you up and become a guard dog at your feet.”
Another sob came out. “You’re happy about it?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. Even when you agreed to marry me. Even when you first let me kiss you.” He didn’t try to wipe the tears from his face. “I need to give you a Christmas present. Come to our room.”
He led me out of there, the sounds of voices echoing down the corridor from the entrance hall where I guessed Mum had stuffed everyone while we had some time alone. I followed him, tears still leaking, my hand in his, the feeling that there was three of us together and not just us as a couple anymore surrounding me.
I watched as he leaned over into his bag, rummaging round and then pulled out a prettily wrapped gift with a bow stuck on it.
“Here. Happy Christmas.” He handed it to me, his expression almost anxious, nervous.
I took the package, a box, small in size. My heart rate upped as I unwrapped the paper, peeling it back carefully, feeling that this was one of those moments that I needed to savour as it would need to be adhered to my memory forever.
I hadn’t finished taking off the paper when I saw what was wrapped.
A tiny pair of grey baby booties, a small mouse embroidered onto each one.
I sat down on the bed and burst into tears.
Owen sat next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders and holding me to him, kissing the top of my head and murmuring words that made more tears flow.
I was emotional and hormonal and over-spilling with happiness right now. I didn’t want this moment to end.
“How did you know to buy these?”
I turned my head to look at him, seeing that smile which made my heart want to explode.
He looked shy. I touched his chin with my finger, feeling the stubble there.
“I have an alarm set each month in my calendar to buy you chocolate for when you get cranky before you have your period. You’re pretty regular and this month you didn’t touch what I bought. And you cried when you were reading a book.” He shrugged. “I kind of figured that you might be. Hoped.”
