Chapter 26
JENNA
It’s a quiet Saturday morning, but there’s a buzz beneath my skin that won’t quiet. Even the gentle spring sunshine filtering through the window of the small waiting room can’t soothe the fluttering in my chest. I stare down at my lap, counting the seconds as they tick by.
My hand keeps slipping to my stomach like it might tell me something to make this feel real.
Claire sits beside me, flipping through a celebrity magazine. Her leg bounces impatiently, jiggling the entire row of plastic chairs attached to ours. When I shoot her a glance, she shrugs, an apologetic smile quirking at her lips.
“I feel like I’m waiting for my own results,” she whispers, closing the magazine and setting it on the side table. “This is torture.”
“Imagine how I feel,” I mutter.
She snorts a laugh, earning us a glare from an older woman across the room. We duck our heads simultaneously, and I bite my lip to stop from laughing again. I don’t know how Claire managed it, but she got me into her OB/GYN’s office on a Saturday, last minute.
I owe her something spectacular for this—designer shoes, some fancy chocolate, my firstborn child. Well, maybe not that last one.
The thought hits me like a gentle wave. Firstborn child. My hand settles again on my stomach, protectively. Could it be real?
The door opens, and a nurse with a clipboard smiles kindly as she calls, “Jenna Ridley?”
Claire squeezes my hand tightly. “You’ve got this.”
I manage a shaky smile. “Yeah. Totally got it.”
I sit on the edge of the exam table, feeling like a kid as my legs swing above the tiled floor. The walls are painted a soothing shade of pale lavender, posters about prenatal vitamins and pregnancy health lining every available surface. My stomach flips again as I wait.
Finally, the door opens, and the doctor walks in. She’s warm and professional, with kind eyes behind black-rimmed glasses. “Hi, Jenna,” she says, extending a hand. “I’m Dr. Martinez.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say, returning the handshake, my palm embarrassingly sweaty.
She doesn’t seem to mind. “So, you’re here to confirm a pregnancy?”
“Yep.” My voice sounds higher than usual. “I took a home test, but I need, like you said, confirmation.”
She smiles gently. “That’s a good idea. Always helps to be certain. We’ll just need a quick urine sample, and we can confirm for sure.”
She hands me a plastic cup, and I duck into the attached restroom, heart pounding as I fill it, seal it, and place it behind the little metal door as instructed.
Back on the table, I wait for what feels like an eternity, though it’s probably only a few minutes. When the door opens again, Dr. Martinez has a gentle expression on her face, like someone delivering good news.
“Well, Jenna, you are definitely pregnant,” she says, handing me the results as though I might want proof.
For a second, the whole world slows. I stare down at the paper, at the bold word “positive.” The letters swim slightly, blurring together as reality fully hits. Then, the strangest thing happens. I smile. A big, stupid, unexpected smile. My eyes sting a little.
“Are you okay?” Dr. Martinez asks softly.
“I am,” I whisper, astonished at my own reaction. “I really am.”
I’m pregnant. Abram’s baby is growing inside me. She goes over some instructions, giving me a list of vitamins to take and foods to avoid, then tells me to schedule my next appointment where we’ll do the first ultrasound.
As I stand to leave, I feel a bit unsteady, but for the first time in days, it’s not fear making my knees weak. It’s joy—clear, bright, unmistakable joy.
Claire jumps up the moment she sees my face. “Well? Tell me!”
“It’s official.” My voice shakes, but I’m smiling so hard it hurts. “I’m pregnant.”
Claire shrieks so loudly that everyone around us jumps. She throws her arms around me, nearly knocking me down. “Oh my God! Jenna, you’re going to be a mom!”
“Shh!” I laugh. “Not so loud!”
“I can’t believe it!” she says, hugging me tighter. “This is huge! How do you feel?”
“Good.” The word comes out quickly. “Really good. Is that weird?”
Claire pulls back, smiling tenderly. “Not at all. Come on—we have to celebrate.”
I arch a brow at her. “Celebrate?”
She winks mischievously. “Crumbl. Right now.”
I laugh, feeling giddy. “Definitely Crumbl.”
We sit on the curb outside the bakery, an open box of cookies balanced between us. The scent of freshly baked sugar and butter wraps around me. I take a giant bite of a chocolate-chip monstrosity, my eyes nearly rolling back in my head. Pregnancy hormones or not, Crumbl never misses.
“So,” Claire says, nudging my shoulder with hers, “now what?”
I swallow, glancing at her thoughtfully. “I’m going to tell Abram tonight. We have a dinner date, so now’s the perfect time.”
Claire’s eyes widen a fraction, but she nods, supportive as always. “Are you nervous?”
I sigh, picking at the edge of the cookie. “A little. He’s so intense. His world is intense. I can’t even imagine how he’ll react.”
She squeezes my hand reassuringly. “He cares about you, Jenna. That much is obvious.”
“I know, but…” I trail off, uncertainty creeping back in. “A baby? That’s huge. I’m afraid it might be too much. Abram leads a dangerous life, Claire. Is it even fair to bring a kid into it?”
She pauses, the concern in her eyes softening. “Maybe it’s exactly what he needs to settle him down. You never know. Either way, you’re going to be an amazing mom, with or without him.”
Her words comfort me more than she could possibly realize. “Thank you,” I whisper, leaning my head against her shoulder. “For everything.”
“Always,” she whispers back.
For a while, we eat quietly, savoring the cookies, letting reality sink in.
I picture Abram, his strength, his dominance, but also the way he can be so gentle when he holds me.
The man he is beneath the power and control, the man I see glimpses of when he’s cooking dinner, the way his face lights up when he talks about his nieces and nephew.
“Do you think he’ll be happy?” I ask quietly.
Claire doesn’t hesitate. “I think he’ll be over the moon. Even if it takes him a minute to admit it.”
I nod slowly, pressing a hand to my stomach again. “Yeah. I think so too.”
She leans back, polishing off another cookie. “Besides, you’re glowing, Jenna. You’re totally in love with him. Everyone can see it.”
“I don’t know if it’s love,” I say, but as the words come out, I know they’re a lie. “Okay, maybe I do. God, Claire. I’m totally screwed, aren’t I?”
“Hopelessly,” she agrees, laughing softly. “But it looks good on you.”
I exhale deeply, my decision firming up in my chest. Tonight is the night I tell Abram. No matter how he reacts, no matter what this means for my future, I won’t face it alone. Claire’s words echo gently in my ears, reminding me I’m strong enough to handle anything.
“We should go shopping,” she says suddenly, eyes sparkling. “Get you dolled up before tonight. Give him another little taste of what his everyday life could be like.”
I laugh, warm anticipation filling me. “He’s already seen me naked, Claire.”
“Not like this,” she says confidently. “This is special. Trust me.”
I smile softly, feeling hopeful. “Okay, you win.”
As we gather our things and head toward the boutique Claire’s already gushing about, my heart pounds wildly. But this time, it’s excitement, not fear. Because tonight, my whole life is going to change.
And I’m ready for it.