Page 52 of Baby, It’s Hot Inside

As it turns out getting pregnant didn’t happen immediately. Even though I’m closer to thirty than I am to twenty-five, my doctor wants us to try on our own for more than six months before they do any kind of medical interference since all of mine and Luca’s tests came back normal. Theoretically I should be able to get pregnant just fine. I just haven’t.

Whatever. I’m trying not to obsess.

In the meantime, I get to hold my niece whenever I want like I’m doing now in the salon in between my clients.

“It’s ridiculous how beautiful you are,” I tell her. I kiss her sweet little head and inhale her perfect baby smell.

“I literally think I could nap standing at the shampoo bowl,” Savannah says.

“I bet you could. Do you want me to take your next one? I don’t mind.”

“No, it’s time for me to get back to my regular schedule. I’m lucky I get to work while I wear her or have her sleep in the portable crib. And her daddy is coming to get her early today.”

The bell rings and instead of Ren, it’s Luca that strolls through the door. This many months later and the sight of that man walking determinedly towards me still gives me butterflies.

He kisses my forehead and then his niece’s. “Look at these beautiful girls.” Then he glances at Savannah. “Hey, sis.”

“Yeah whatever. I know I’m not the most important girl in your life anymore.” She wags two fingers between us. “I’m still taking credit for this.”

“Even though it was like ten years in the making?” he asks.

“Yep,” she says.

“Fair enough. I’m not arguing with you.” He kneels next to where I’m sitting, then holds up a gift bag. “I brought you a present.”

I gasp. “You did?” I’m not even gonna pretend otherwise; I love presents. And ones from the man I love are extra special.

He reaches down and cradles Aubrey, our niece, and takes her out of my arms, then hands me the gift bag. “The packages are numbered, and you have to open them in order.”

Savannah comes over to stand next to me. “What did you do, big brother? When did you get to be so creative?”

I pull out the first wrapped box and scrape at the tape with my fingernail. I’ve almost got the wrapping paper off the box before I realize it’s Christmas paper. Probably the only one he could find.

I look up at him. “You’re adorable and I love you,” I say.

He grins at me and nods towards the box. “Open it, baby doll.”

I pull the lid open and find a ceramic disc painted with the words, ‘baby’s first Christmas.’ My eyes sting as they fill with tears. He takes the ornament from me and then hands me one of the other wrapped boxes.

“Now, this one,” he says.

I unwrap it to find a standard drug-store pregnancy test. I look up at him confused.

He reaches up and cups my cheek. “Your period is late. You’ve been more emotional than usual and the last two days your nipples have been super sensitive. Jackie, I think you’re pregnant.”

“My period is late?”

“TMI on the nipple talk, big brother,” Savannah says. She takes Aubrey, rocking her from side to side as she stands. Then she nods to me. “He’s not wrong though. Go pee on that stick.”

I stare at them and give them a watery laugh. “What’s in the other boxes?”

“Different kinds of tests in case you didn’t like this one,” he says. He points to the bathroom. “Go.”

“I’m going.” I slip into the bathroom and do my business then holler through the door, “set a timer for three minutes.” Then I walk out because I can’t stay in there and just wait for the test. I’ve done that one too many times. Stared at it and wished for there to be a line or a plus sign. Sometimes it feels a bit like reading tea leaves.

Luca pulls me into his arms when I reach him. “No matter what, you’re the love of my life. Do you understand that?”

I nod into his chest. “I love you too.”