Melanie

As I stand in the kitchen, flipping pancakes with trembling hands, last night's dinner plays over and over in my mind like a bad movie reel. It was dreadful, to say the least. I couldn't enjoy myself, couldn't even force a smile, but I couldn't let it show. Not with Marcus sitting next to me, oblivious to the turmoil churning inside me.

Marcus is still asleep, and I barely got a couple of hours of sleep myself. Oh, God, what am I going to do if I'm pregnant? Marcus said he didn't want to have children yet.

It's just a pregnancy scare, right? It's all going to be okay. I'm not pregnant. It's nothing more than a scare. I chant these words like a mantra, but the knot of fear in my stomach refuses to loosen. I'm six days late. It's normal, I keep repeating to myself. It's normal.

I glance at the clock on the wall; where is Evie? She promised to get me a couple of pregnancy tests, just to ease my mind. I need her to be here before Marcus wakes up. I can't let him know. Not yet. Not until I know for sure.

My phone buzzes on the counter, and I rush to grab it, my heart pounding in my chest. A text message from Evie. She's outside my door. Relief floods through me, followed by a surge of nervous energy.

I remove the pan from the stove and turn off the burner before hurrying to the front door. As I swing it open, I'm met with the sight of Evie, her expression unreadable. She hands me a paper bag without a word, and I peek inside to find two pregnancy tests.

I let out a shaky breath, feeling a strange mixture of gratitude and dread. "Thank you, Evie," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "You're a lifesaver."

Evie shrugs nonchalantly, but I can see the concern lurking behind her eyes. "No problem," she says softly. "You would do the same for me."

I manage a weak smile and nod. "Yeah, I definitely would," I reply, my voice wavering slightly.

Evie studies me for a moment, her expression filled with concern. "Are you going to take them now?" she asks softly, gesturing to the pregnancy tests in my hand.

I let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the situation settling over me like a dark cloud. "Yeah," I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper. "I guess I should."

Evie reaches out to squeeze my hand, her touch comforting. "Do you want me to stay?" she offers, her eyes searching mine.

I shake my head quickly, trying to force a smile. "No, that's okay," I assure her. "I'll be fine. Thank you, though."

"Okay," Evie says, though I can tell she's reluctant to leave. She steps closer and wraps me in a tight hug. "Call me when you have news," she says softly.

I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Of course," I promise.

As Evie pulls back, her expression serious, she meets my gaze. "I better get going," she says reluctantly.

I nod, feeling a rush of gratitude for her support. "Thanks again, Evie," I say, my voice catching slightly.

"Bye, Melanie," Evie says softly before turning and leaving.

I close the door behind her, clutching the paper bag tightly in my hand. With shaky fingers, I make my way to the bathroom, my heart pounding in my chest.

Once inside, I close the door behind me and take a deep breath. I empty the contents of the bag onto the counter, my hands trembling as I pick up the pregnancy tests.

Two different brands, both promising the same thing. I read the instructions carefully, my heart racing as I try to steady my nerves.

I need a plastic cup. Plastic cup. I repeat the words like a mantra as I step out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. I search the cupboards frantically until I find what I'm looking for. With the plastic cup in hand, I return to the bathroom, my heart pounding in my chest.

With trembling hands, I sit on the toilet and carefully pee into the plastic cup, trying to steady my nerves. Once finished, I wipe and stand up, placing the cup on the counter. I sink both pregnancy tests into the cup, making sure to keep them submerged for the specified amount of time.

As I throw the plastic cup into the garbage, I can feel my heartbeat in my ears, my mouth dry, my hands sweaty. Just a pregnancy scare. That's all.

One more minute. The seconds pass agonizingly slow as I pace the bathroom, my heart racing with each step. I try to distract myself, focusing on anything but the tests sitting on the counter.

After what feels like an eternity, the timer goes off. My heart skips a beat as I walk to the pregnancy tests, my hands shaking as I pick them up. With trembling fingers, I hold them up to the light, my breath catching in my throat.

My heart skips a beat as I look at them. Both tests are positive.

Positive.

The word echoes in my mind, drowning out all other thoughts. Positive.

I sink to the floor, my body trembling with shock and disbelief. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I try to process the overwhelming flood of emotions crashing over me.

Positive.

I whisper the word aloud, my voice barely above a whisper. Positive.

Marcus

I wake up slowly, the warmth of the morning sun filtering through the curtains. The bed feels empty beside me, and a pang of worry shoots through me. Melanie isn't here. She must have gotten up earlier than usual. But after yesterday, I can't shake off the unease.

Carefully pushing myself off the bed, I walk out of the room, calling out for Melanie. "Melanie?" My voice echoes through the quiet apartment.

"In the kitchen," her voice responds, but there's something off about it. It lacks the usual cheerfulness.

I follow the sound of her voice, my heart racing with concern. When I enter the kitchen, I see Melanie serving a plate of pancakes on the kitchen island, a steaming cup beside it.

Entering the kitchen, I find Melanie serving a plate of pancakes on the kitchen island, a steaming cup beside it. But something feels off. Her smile seems forced, her demeanor tense.

"I was just about to wake you up," she says, as she walks over and kisses me on the lips.

I return the kiss, but my mind is racing with concern. Something happened, I can tell. Melanie is trying to seem calm, but I know her too well.

Taking a seat at the kitchen island, I watch as Melanie sits next to me, and we start eating in silence. The air feels heavy with unspoken tension, and I can't shake the feeling that something is seriously wrong.

"How are you feeling today?" I finally ask, breaking the silence.

Melanie hesitates for a moment before replying, "Um, better actually."

"Really?" I raise an eyebrow, skeptical. "You seemed pretty sick yesterday."

"Yeah, well," Melanie shrugs, forcing a smile. "I guess it was just a passing thing. I'm not nauseous today."

I frown, unconvinced. "Doesn't matter," I say, my tone firm. "I've already told my parents that we're not going to brunch."

Melanie whispers, "Yeah, that's probably for the best."

My worry intensifies as I watch her, her eyes downcast as she stares at her plate. Something is definitely wrong, and I can't ignore it any longer.

"Baby, is something wrong?" I ask gently, reaching out to touch her hand.

She shakes her head, her eyes still glued to her plate. But something in her demeanor tells me otherwise.

"Hey," I say gently, pushing my chair closer to hers. I place her between my legs, my arms wrapping around her protectively. "Talk to me."

I place a finger under her chin, gently turning her face to meet mine. My heart skips a beat when I see her eyes brimming with tears.

"Baby, what's the matter?" I ask, my voice desperate, my heart pounding in my chest.

Melanie takes a shaky breath before speaking "This... this wasn't how it was supposed to be. It's not what you wanted," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.

Confusion clouds my mind as I try to make sense of her words. "What are you talking about?" I ask, my voice tinged with concern.

Her head drops, and she mutters something incomprehensible. I cup her cheek, lifting her head to face me. "Sorry, baby, I didn't get that," I say gently, my heart breaking at the sight of her tears.

Melanie sighs, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I'm pregnant," she whispers, her voice breaking.

Emotions surge through me like a tidal wave, from worry to surprise, and then to insurmountable happiness. "Are you sure?" I ask, my hands trembling as I cup her cheeks with both hands.

Melanie nods, her tears flowing freely now. "I took two pregnancy tests, and they were positive. I should have some bloodwork done, but-" she starts to say before I cut her off, unable to contain my joy any longer.

I crush my lips against hers in a passionate kiss, my love for her overflowing. Resting my forehead against hers, I whisper, "Baby, why are you crying? You're pregnant with our baby."

Melanie stammers, her voice choked with emotion. "But you said... you didn't want babies yet."

I chuckle, tears of joy welling up in my eyes. "I know, you're right. But it doesn't matter now, because we're going to have a baby!" I exclaim, my heart bursting with happiness.

Melanie laughs, her own eyes shining with tears of joy. "Yes, we are!" she agrees, her smile radiant.

I add quickly, "If you want it too, of course."

Melanie gives a small smile and nods. "At first, I was afraid for the tests to be positive. But after that, my only worry was how you would react. I was actually a little excited," she confesses, her voice filled with emotion.

"We are having a baby!" I exclaim again, unable to contain my excitement.

Melanie laughs, her joy contagious. "We are having a baby!" she repeats, her eyes sparkling.

I hug Melanie tight, kissing her head gently. "I don't ever want to see you cry again, especially for happy things," I tell her sincerely.

Melanie sighs contentedly, melting into my embrace. "Okay," she whispers, her voice filled with love and trust.

I hold Melanie tightly in my arms, feeling overwhelmed with joy. I'm having a baby with the woman of my dreams. Does it get any better than this?