By the time Aaron returned, the homestead seemed to hum with the secret Deborah harbored. She watched him stride toward her.
"Deborah," he greeted warmly, tipping his hat back with a familiar gesture.
"Welcome home, Aaron." Her heart beat fast as she stood before him, the news bubbling up inside her. "I have something to tell you."
He waited, anticipation etched into his rugged features.
"I'm... we're going to have a baby," she said, the words a bridge between them.
Aaron's reaction was immediate, his face breaking into a wide, ecstatic grin. He swept Deborah into his arms, spinning her around once before setting her down gently.
"That's the best news I've heard in ages!" His laughter rang through the air, infectious and full of life.
Deborah laughed too, her earlier reservations melting away in the warmth of his embrace. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, and knew that whatever the future held, they would face it together.
