There were two blue lines on it.
I was pregnant.
Athletic won the game three-nil. Jude scored two. Ryan grabbed the third when he replaced Jude with fifteen minutes to go. The team was elated, even Guy looked pleased when he was interviewed, followed by Rowan and then Ryan, who was always the best of the team at interviews, probably because Otter had schooled him on what to do.
Jude wasn’t up there, which was strange. He was usually a go to for reporters as the camera liked him and he could string a coherent sentence together. He’d also scored twice – three times if you counted scoring in me.
I was on his sofa, possibly the place where our baby was conceived, wrapped in blankets, with a pile of thick cut toasted bread in front of me, watching the aftermath of the game when I found out why he wasn’t being interviewed.
My phone rang, his name on the screen.
“Genny said you’d gone back to mine and I needed to call you. She said you were okay, but fuck, Neva, what’s the matter? I’ll be back in half an hour.” His words came out with the force of a hurricane.
“I’m okay. I know why I haven’t been feeling right.” I didn’t want to worry him.
The line went dead, only for it to ring again with an incoming video call from him.
“Where are you?” I couldn’t tell where he was. “Is that the medical cupboard?” A box of bandages falling on his head gave it away.
“I think so. It’s the first door that wasn’t locked. Are you pregnant?” His expression was deadly serious. “Is that why you’ve not been feeling right?”
My eyes filled again with tears that dropped straight out and my throat contracted. I nodded – hard. “Yes.” It was the only word I could get out.
His expression transformed from serious to elated, a wide beaming smile brightening the dingy cupboard. “We’re having a baby?”
I nodded again. “We’re having a baby. Please don’t say anything, not yet. Just come home – I mean back to yours. I feel bad for asking for you because I know your parents are there and you’ll want to celebra - ”
He cut me off. “The only place I want to be is with you right now and I won’t say anything. I know we wait for three months before telling people.”
“What will you tell your parents?”
He swallowed. “That you’re not feeling great and I’ll catch up with them later. Not going to lie, Nev, my mum will guess by midnight and she won’t be able to contain herself. I won’t lie to her.”
“I don’t expect you to. How long till you can leave?” I hated how needy I was feeling right now.
His smile was gentle this time. “Ten minutes. I’ve already showered. Be home in half an hour.” He shook his head. “This is the best day ever, you know that don’t you? And it has nothing to do with the win.”
I nodded, the tears there for real now.
“Are those happy tears?” He looked worried.
I nodded again. “Very. Just get home.”
“On my way.”
He didn’t even stop to put his kit bag down in the entrance hall, dropping it on the floor besides me. I was already up on my feet, ready to be enveloped in one of his hugs, but instead he held the tops of my arms and looked at me, his eyes travelling from my toes to my face and back down again, lingering on my stomach.
“There’s no bump yet. There won’t be for a bit.” I started laughing at him. He looked so amazed and enthralled.
“I know.” He nodded, his eyes looking shiny. “I’ve read books on it. I didn’t tell you that because the pressure was enough already. Didn’t take that long really, did it?”
I shook my head. “It felt long. I think it was when we were in Amsterdam or on this sofa when we got back. That’s when I think it happened.”
The hug came then, a big warm hug that I’d decided was the best thing ever. “Does that mean we’ll call the baby Amsterdam?”
I laughed, hoping he was joking. “I’ll make an appointment next week to have a test with the doctor.”
“I’ll come with you.”
