It's late when I leave the couch to go to bed. With no news from Ezio since I told him about the pregnancy, I have little hope for our future. Once in bed, I toss and turn. Anxiety stifles my fatigue, making it impossible to sleep. Despite the late hour, I decide to call Andy.

"May ? Is everything okay ?"

Her question crashes through the barrier of my emotions like a wrecking ball, unleashing them. They flood my body, overwhelming me and filling my voice with sobs. Unable to respond for a few seconds, Andy gives me time to calm down.

"He's gone," I manage to articulate between sobs.

"What ? How ? What happened ?" Her still-sleepy tone shows she's trying to grasp my words while waking up.

"I told him about the pregnancy."

"Oh, May."

"All he said was that he needed a drink, and ten hours later, I still haven't heard from him."

"What a son of a bitch! Seriously, if I find him, I'll kick his balls so high he'll become the best tenor in the world."

I laugh weakly at her comment, but the harsh reality soon hits me again.

"Seriously, Andy, what am I going to do ?"

"If he doesn't accept the baby, you'll become a wonderful, loving mom. Sure, you'll be single, but you'll raise your child in a healthy home, full of love and joy. And then we'll make a four-person house share for the rest of our days; it's not so bad," she says, trying to cheer me up.

I smile at this absurd but tempting idea. Andy changes the subject to distract me, and we talk for a good part of the night until I fall asleep with the phone at my ear.

Later in the night, almost at dawn, in one of those blurry moments where dreams and reality merge, I feel a weight beside me. Someone takes the phone from between my pillow and my head, then gently kisses my forehead, whispering, "I'm sorry, May." In the blink of an eye, I find myself alone again.

I wake up late, early in the afternoon. Seeing my phone on the bedside table, a vague memory of the night returns to me, leaving me unsure if it really happened or if I dreamed it.

Still groggy, I struggle to get out of bed. I decide to take a shower to wake up. Afterward, I look at my reflection in the mirror, my eyes lingering on my rounding belly. This little being, unknowingly, has turned my life upside down. My eyes fill with tears as I feel a mix of nostalgia, anger, and devastation. The hormones do nothing to calm me, so I splash cold water on my face. After regaining my composure, I get dressed and head downstairs to eat, my stomach growling.

I rummage through the fridge, looking for something the baby might want, and find a snack. As I close the fridge, I turn and scream in fright, throwing what I have in my hand at Ezio, who's standing in front of me. Trying to calm down, I lean against the counter.

"Damn it, Ezio, don't ever do that again. I'm on the verge of a heart attack !"

"Sorry, I thought you heard me," he apologizes, handing back my weapon: the sausage.

"Thanks, but I think you've killed my appetite," I reply, taking the sausage from his outstretched hand.

He sits on the stool across from me while I slice the sausage.

"Do you think it's good for the baby to eat deli meats ?"

I glare at him, stunned by the nerve of his question. He realizes my annoyance and falls silent.

"Are you planning to talk about yesterday ?" I ask coldly, not looking up from my snack.

He clears his throat.

"Yes, but I'm waiting for you to put down the knife and finish eating. I'd rather not spend another month bedridden," he jokes with a slight smile.

Raising my eyebrows, I sigh at his response, which doesn't bode well. Once I finish my snack, I settle on the couch, waiting for Ezio to join me. He sits in the armchair to my left before starting:

"First of all, I want to apologize for my reaction and disrespectful behavior. I told you I didn't want to see disappointment in your eyes again, and at the first opportunity, I acted like a child and disappointed you once more."

On the outside, I remain stone-faced, but inside, my heart warms at his apology.

"Nothing justifies my actions, but to be completely honest, I was very hurt by your silence. I was angry that you didn't tell me sooner. It's been three months, May !"

Unable to meet his gaze filled with misunderstanding and disappointment, I lower my eyes.

"The reason I was gone so long isn't that I don't want the baby; it's because I needed to be alone to understand what I did wrong for you to fear my reaction so much and not trust me with this. Sure, we never talked about having a baby, but you should've known I'd be thrilled. All I've been telling you since we reunited is that I love you, that you're the most precious thing I have, and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That implies starting a family together."

Relieved to hear his words, my guilt prevents me from showing it. I shouldn't have been so afraid of his reaction and sidelined him during the early stages of this pregnancy. I feel foolish and disappointed in myself.

"I was really scared you'd leave. That the idea of becoming a father would scare you as much as it scared me. That you wouldn't be ready to welcome this baby, that all of this was happening too soon and at the worst possible time. All of this made me decide to wait before telling you. But I must clarify that I found out late; I was already two months along, and then everything happened so quickly—the shooting, your recovery, and I could never find the right moment to tell you."

"So that's what you learned the day I came to see you before going to the opera? I knew your excuse was fishy."

I withdraw and lower my head in shame. Ezio moves closer and sits next to me. He lifts my head with his hand, locking his ocean-blue eyes with mine.

"May, don't be so hard on yourself. Objectively, I understand your fear and decision, even if it hurt me. Now, if you're willing, let's leave this behind and enjoy the future ahead of us. We're going to have a baby, May!" he says, radiating joy with a smile.

I smile at his enthusiasm, relieved that he's happy about this news.

"Are you ready for your life to change ?"

"May, my life has already changed so much since we reunited. Of course, I'm ready for it to be even more filled with happiness !"

I smile at him and we embrace. At his touch, all my doubts evaporate, and I feel so good in his arms that I never want to leave. Everything becomes simple again.

He kisses my forehead, and we part.

"So, what's the next step ?"

"Tomorrow, we have an ultrasound where they'll measure the baby and check if it's developing correctly. Can you make it ?"

"Of course, from now on, nothing is more important than you two. You're my priority."

I smile at him again and then kiss him. I remember I need to let Andy know about this change in situation. As I search for my phone, Ezio piques my curiosity.

"Paola is coming to the apartment later."

"Are you planning to talk to her about our plan ?"

"Yes, that's why I asked her to come. I'd like us to discuss it together since you're the main person involved."

I swallow hard, realizing the moment is approaching.

"Of course, if you don't feel up to seeking revenge now that you're pregnant and want to put it aside, I'll understand. Whatever you decide, I'll support you."

"There's no way I'm backing down so close to the goal. Pregnant or not, it doesn't change anything. I want to see this through."