Chapter Fifty #2
I can’t stop the goofy look on my face. “But… why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was scared.” She shrugs. “You were on tour, then everything happened with Annie, then the wedding…” She laughs awkwardly. “And suddenly two and a half months had passed.”
I search her face.
“You’re not messing with me?”
She giggles. “No.”
I pull her into my arms. “So… have you taken a test?”
She shakes her head. “No. I didn’t know when to tell you.”
I laugh in disbelief. “Indi…” I cup her face. “This is the best news I’ve heard all day.” She searches my eyes. “Really? You’re not upset?”
I frown. “Upset? Why would I be upset?”
She hesitates. “Because of the band… and because nobody officially knows about us yet.”
I shake my head. “Baby…” I smile so hard my face hurts. “How could I ever be upset about us having a baby?” I kiss her—long and hard. “The idea that there’s a little bit of you and a little bit of me…” I laugh. “I can’t even explain how happy that makes me.”
She laughs against my mouth before gently pulling back. “But we don’t know for sure yet. So don’t get too excited.”
“Too late.” Grinning, I grab her hand and head for the front door.
“Whoa.” She laughs as I practically drag her behind me. “Where are we going?”
“To buy a pregnancy test.”
She laughs louder. “Caleb, we’re in the middle of Annie’s welcome-home party.” I stop and turn to her. “We can’t just disappear.”
“Watch me.”
She shakes her head. “Can’t it wait until tomorrow? We should at least say goodbye.”
I take both her hands. “Indi… I need to know.” My grin grows wider. “And if that test says we’re having a baby…” I shake my head in amazement. “I’m coming straight back here and telling everyone.”
She studies me for a long moment. “You’re really okay with this?”
I laugh. “Okay with it?” I brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “We’ve belonged to each other for years. The wedding certificate just made it official. If there’s a baby too…” I grin. “That’s just the cherry on top.”
She lights up. “I’m okay with everyone knowing.”
I kiss her again before suddenly stopping. “Wait…” I frown. “What did Annie whisper to you?”
Indi laughs. “She said she already knew.”
“What? How?”
“Apparently, my tummy’s a little rounder.” She glances down. “And she said I kept resting my hand on it.”
My eyes glance down, and now that I’m paying attention…
Maybe.
Only a little.
But…
Maybe.
I open the car door for her.
She catches my leather jacket before climbing in. “Are you really happy?” She fidgets nervously. “We’ve only been married for two days.”
I lean down until we’re eye to eye. “Indi, I’ve considered you mine for years. The wedding just gave us matching jewelry.” She laughs. “So stop trying to delay this. I need to buy a pregnancy test.”
Fifteen minutes later, we’re back at the manor, hiding in the downstairs bathroom. Indi sits on the edge of the bathtub while I pace the floor like an expectant father in one of those old movies.
The unopened test sits on the vanity.
I insisted she buy the one with the smiley face.
If our lives are about to change forever, I wanted something a little more exciting than a small pink line.
“How long has it been?”
She checks the timer. “About thirty seconds.”
“What? It feels like five minutes.”
She laughs before wrapping her arms around my waist. “Do you want a boy or a girl?”
I stop pacing, my answer immediate. “A boy.. I don’t think I could handle a girl.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“I’d have to deal with boyfriends.” I shudder dramatically. “Our daughter wouldn’t be allowed to date until she was…” I pretend to calculate on my fingers, “…thirty.”
She laughs.
“No, maybe forty.”
“What if it’s twins?”
My eyes widen. “I hadn’t even thought of that. But… actually? That’d be awesome.”
She looks up at me, curving her lips. “You’re taking this really well.”
I kiss the top of her head. “My sweet Indi…” I rest my forehead against hers. “You, me… and a baby. It sounds perfect. I can’t wait to see you as a mum. And I definitely can’t wait to be a dad.”
Tears well in her eyes. “Did you ever think we’d get here?” She looks at me fondly. “A place where we’d trust each other enough not to run?”
I shake my head. “I think we were always meant to find our way back. This was always going to be our happy ending. “You… me… and little Hendrix.”
She immediately wrinkles her nose. “We are absolutely not naming our son Hendrix.”
I laugh. “It was worth a shot.”
She glances at her watch and smiles. “It’s time.” She lets go of me and walks over to the test.
I move in behind her, slipping my hands around her waist as we both hold our breath while she slowly, she turns it over.
A bright blue smiley face beams back at us.
“Yes!” The word tears out of me as I punch the air. “We’re having a baby!”
Indi turns to face me, and the tears she’d been holding back spill over.
“Oh, baby.” I pull her into my arms. “What’s wrong?”
She laughs through her tears. “Nothing.” She shakes her head. “I’m just… so happy. I was terrified you wouldn’t want this.” She smiles through her tears. “And look at you. You couldn’t be happier.” A sob escapes her.
“I’m unbelievably happy.”
She dissolves into tears, while I rub my hands up and down her arms before pulling her close again. “Hey… it’s okay.”
She laughs and cries at the same time. “It’s just the hormones.”
“Is that Nurse Indi talking?”
She nods against my chest, and I hug her tighter.
“We’re going to have a baby.” I pause dramatically. “And we’re calling him Hendrix.”
She smacks my arm… hard. And I laugh.
“He’s not being called Hendrix.”
“Okay…” I pretend to think. “Cobain?”
She snorts. “No.”
“Madonna?”
She laughs harder. “No.”
“Shakira?”
She shakes her head. “I’m naming this baby.”
I nod solemnly. “Probably for the best.”
She wipes her eyes. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
The corners of her mouth pull up. “I needed that.”
I frown innocently. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I gesture toward her stomach. “I was completely serious.”
She rolls her eyes and smacks my chest before heading for the bathroom door.
“Wait.” She turns. “I want to tell everyone.” I can’t stop grinning. “I honestly can’t keep this to myself.”
She beams. “I’m okay with that.”
She walks back, retrieves the pregnancy test, and carefully slips it into her handbag. “But first…” She reaches inside again and pulls out our wedding rings.
I slide mine back onto my finger while she slips hers on.
I take her hand. “Now we can.”
Together, we leave the bathroom and head back into the kitchen, where the room is buzzing with conversation, and I don’t even try to contain myself. “Everyone!”
Nobody hears me.
They’re all too busy talking.
Indi giggles.
I climb onto the nearest chair. “Hey!”
Still nothing.
I throw my hands into the air. “Will you all shut the fuck up for a second?”
The room falls silent, and every head turns towards me, with several people bursting out laughing.
“Is this another marriage proposal?” Chad calls.
Annie immediately starts cheering.
“Bit late for that.” I reach for Indi’s hand. “We actually got married.”
The room goes quiet again.
“In Scotland.” I hold up our joined hands, letting our wedding bands catch the light.
A chorus of shocked gasps ripples around the room.
Before anyone can recover, I place my hand gently over Indi’s stomach. “And…” I can’t stop smiling. “We’re having a baby.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then Annie lets out an ear-piercing squeal and starts jumping up and down, clapping like she’s won the lottery, and everyone else quickly follows.
Laughter fills the room, cheers erupt from every direction, but I don’t hear a single word.
All I see…
Is my wife.
I pull Indi into my arms and kiss her while our family celebrates around us.
Somehow, in the space of two days…
I’ve become a husband.
And now…
I’m going to become a father.
I honestly can’t imagine life getting any better than this.