Montana Haven: A Small Town Surprise Pregnancy Romance

11. ~ Jake ~

I wonder if I’m taking the reins of our growing relationship without allowing Mia to also grip onto them.

It’s in my nature to dominate a situation to the point that I believe that I know best. It’s helped me in life with ensuring that things go as well as they possibly can. I’m so used to being in charge and in control of my life, as well as Dylan’s.

People at the ranch look at me as the cowboy in charge and even the other cowboys tended to follow my lead when the moments called for a leader to step up or take control of a situation.

But this situation is different.

Mia is also in the driver’s seat when it comes to making decisions about this pregnancy and what we’re going to do about it.

But I will admit that I’m the one who kind of pushed and urged her into telling the children after we went back and forth on it for about a week on what to do.

She wanted to wait it out and I told her I didn’t think it would be right, or fair, for the children to find out once her stomach began to balloon in a couple of months.

Mia is the one who wants the children to be comfortable about all of this and I told her that waiting months until she’s showing will make them feel betrayed, not accepting - finding out when everyone else would find out.

So, Mia thought it best we have dinner at her apartment. Especially since Dylan has been asking for the longest time if he could finally see it. They’ve been spending so much time at our house that Dylan has jokingly wondered if they still have their apartment, and has been wanting to see Emily’s room.

We decided on getting their favorite dinner choices from Grandma’s Comfort Diner in an effort to help ease them into the situation. Maybe I’m just optimistic that everything will be alright, while I believe Mia to be worrying too much.

Not saying she isn’t allowed to worry… I guess I feel that she’s been here before.

With being pregnant and not being a first time mom. The kind of worries she has is what first time mothers would usually have who have never been pregnant before. But I’ve been trying to be as supportive of her feelings as I can be because even as a father, I could never personally and physically understand what it meant to carry a child in the womb.

To me, motherhood is such a beautiful thing, with the way women can grow a life inside of them.

”So, how”s everyone liking their dinner?” I ask, trying to keep the atmosphere light and jovial. We”re all seated around Mia”s brightly lit kitchen table, the plates of food casting delicious aromas through the air. Dylan is halfway through his brisket burger, a light smear of sauce at the corner of his mouth, while Emily is meticulously spreading out her shepherd”s pie, leveling the mashed potatoes as if they were a piece of art.

”This is the best burger, honestly! You can”t get this at school,” Dylan says enthusiastically, taking another large bite, barely pausing to come up for air.

Emily, more focused and precise, nods without looking up from her plate. ”The shepherd”s pie is delicious, too. It’s like grandma’s.” Her approval, though quiet, feels like a big win, given how particular she can be about her food.

”That”s awesome to hear. Grandma”s Comfort Diner never disappoints, right?” I prod them gently for more responses, eager to keep the mood upbeat. ”Do you guys think we should do dinner like this more often?” I add, trying to gauge their interest in more family gatherings like this in the near future.

”Yeah! But can we try different foods too? I wanna see if they can beat this burger,” Dylan responds with a broad smile, already excited by the prospect.

Emily finally looks up from her plate, her eyes brightening at the suggestion, ”Can we go to the pizza buffet next time?”

”Of course we can, honey.” I smile brightly at her as Mia stares at me, smiling widely at how well Emily takes to me.

The conversation flows easily from there, and I can”t help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. It seems, at least for now, that the news Mia and I have to share might just be received with open minds.

The plates are nearly clean, and the air is filled with the remnants of laughter and easy conversations. It”s now or never. I look over to Mia, who gives me a slight nod, signaling it”s time. Clearing my throat, I capture the kids” attention. ”Guys, we have something important we need to talk about. It”s about our family. Or well, the family I am hoping you two will be okay with. Not just involving us four though...”

Both Dylan and Emily look up, their expressions shifting to curiosity. ”What do you mean, Dad?” Dylan asks, his tone slightly cautious.

Mia takes my hand under the table, squeezing it lightly for support. ”Well, we”re going to have a new addition to the family. Mia is pregnant,” I say, trying to gauge their reactions.

Immediately, Emily”s fork clatters onto her plate, her face the very picture of astonishment. ”Huh? Mom, you”re having a baby?” she whispers, her voice barely audible. It”s clear she”s struggling to wrap her mind around the news.

Dylan blinks at us, his reaction delayed, but then he breaks into a tentative smile. ”Wow, really? That”s... cool, I guess.” He”s obviously taken aback, but his response leans more towards curiosity rather than shock.

”Yes, we”re having a baby, sweetheart,” Mia gently addresses Emily, whose eyes are still wide with disbelief. ”It”s a big change, we know, but we”re all going to support each other, right?”

Emily nods slowly, still in shock, while Dylan chimes in with a more pragmatic concern. ”Does this mean I”ll have to share my room?”

The question breaks the tension slightly, and I can”t help but chuckle. ”We”ll figure all that out, buddy. Right now, we just wanted you guys to know what”s happening and that we”re all going to be together.”

The table goes quiet as the weight of the news settles around us. Dylan and Mia fall silent while shooting surprised glances at one another while Mia, unable to take the silence which further worries her, makes the excuse to grab the chocolate cake for dessert.

As I move to the kitchen to help Mia, I grab a cloth and start wiping down the counters, trying to keep my movements calm and collected.

The silence from the living room is unnerving, but I remind myself that this is a massive shift for Emily and Dylan. One that will take time to adjust to. Mia carefully puts away the leftover slices of chocolate cake, her movements measured, betraying her inner turmoil.

”Maybe we should have waited to tell them,” she whispers, barely audible over the sound of clinking dishes. I pause, looking into her worried eyes. ”They”re just in shock, love. It”s a lot for them to take in,” I say, trying to infuse my voice with confidence. ”Give it some time. They”ll come around. They always do.”

I want to believe my own words, to reassure not just Mia, but myself too. The quiet from the living room stretches between us like a tangible thing, but I hold onto the hope that with time, our family will find its way back to the laughter and warmth we”ve always shared.

We lean against the kitchen counter, a small oasis of calm in the storm of change swirling around us. Mia’s hands are folded tightly in front of her, and I reach out, encasing them in mine.

“We knew this wouldn’t be easy,” I start, my voice steady, ”but it”s not just about us anymore. We”ve got to think about the kids” feelings, and of course, about what’s best for the little one on the way.”

Mia looks up, her eyes searching mine, “Do you think we’re doing the right thing? Moving, the baby, all of it at once?” Her voice is laced with uncertainty.

I squeeze her hands gently, “I do. It’s going to be tough, no question. But we’re in this together, and that’s what counts. We need stability for our kids, a home where they can grow up feeling safe and loved. And yes, it”s scary and big, but it”s also full of potential. For us to become a family unit that can weather anything.”

She nods slowly, a hint of a smile breaking through. “And how do we make sure Dylan and Emily feel involved? Really involved, not just like they’re being dragged along for the ride?”

“That’s a good point,” I concede, releasing one hand to scratch my chin thoughtfully. “We start by listening, truly listening to what they’re worried about. We can give them some control too, like letting them pick out something new for their rooms or help decide some things about the new place.”

Mia brightens, “That’s brilliant! It could help make this transition feel more like an adventure than a disruption. And what about us, and the little one?” There’s a new note of optimism in her voice.

“For us, we keep doing what we”re doing now,” I reply, pulling her closer. “Supporting each other, being there to talk through the fears and the excitement. We’ll make decisions together and ensure our home is a haven - not just a house. For the baby, we make sure that amid all these changes, we”re ready. We ensure health, happiness, and that the baby is coming into a family full of love.”

Mia rests her head against my shoulder. “Love, huh? I guess that’s the best security we can give them.”

I kiss the top of her head. “Absolutely. With love, we’ve already got a solid foundation. Everything else, we’ll figure out together.”

Mia shifts slightly, breaking the comfortable silence. ”But what if things don”t go as planned? What if the kids struggle to adjust, or we find ourselves overwhelmed?” Her voice is tinged with worry.

I tighten my hold around her, wanting to offer comfort through my touch. ”I understand those fears,” I acknowledge, my voice steady. ”But remember, we”re not doing this alone. We have each other, and that counts for a lot. For Dylan and Emily, we”ll be their constant, their source of stability no matter where we are. And if we”re overwhelmed, we”ll reach out for help, lean on our friends and family. We”re not islands, Mia. We”re part of a community that”ll support us through this.”

She leans back to look at me, searching my face for the assurance she craves. ”And if the stress of moving, the new baby, all of it, starts to wear on us?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I cup her face gently, ensuring she can see the sincerity in my eyes. ”Then we remind ourselves why we started this journey in the first place. Love, Mia. The love we have for each other, for Dylan, Emily, and the baby. That love has carried us this far, and it won”t fail us now. We”ll handle each challenge as it comes, together. We might stumble, but we”ll pick each other up. That”s what families do.”

Mia”s lips curve into a small, hopeful smile, and she leans into my hand. ”Together,” she repeats, her voice more robust now. ”I guess as long as we have that, we can handle whatever comes our way.”

”Absolutely,” I affirm, my heart swelling with love and determination. ”Together, there”s nothing we can”t face.”