Epilogue
One yearlater
I was feeling off and decided I better do a pregnancy test. I didn’t say anything to Brett and he isn’t awake yet. I pee on the stick and leave it on the counter when I hear Maylee mumbling on the baby monitor. I go to her right away since we just moved her to her big girl bed. I don’t want her getting up and walking around the apartment on her own, even if everything is childproof.
I trudge across the hall to her room while Brett remains sleeping in bed.
“Hi, baby girl,” I say as I enter her room.
“Mama.” She smiles.
I give her a kiss. “Come, let’s go to Mommy and Daddy’s room,” I say, picking her up because she is still sleepy. I am anxious to see what the pregnancy test says. Brett and I weren’t planning another baby. We only got married last month and everything has been so great, but right after the wedding I came down with strep throat and took a round of antibiotics. It may have made my birth control pill less effective. The only reason I even thought I may be pregnant is because my period didn’t come.
I enter our bedroom with Maylee on my hip to see Brett is no longer in bed. I take a few steps deeper into the room so I get a view of the bathroom, and I see Brett is staring at the pregnancy test. When he turns to me, he says, “Fuck, yes! You’re pregnant.”
“What?” I ask in shock. “I just took the test as a precaution.”
He breaks out into a dance. We’ve spoken about having more kids but none of that was on our radar right now. We were just enjoying life as newlyweds.
“Fuck yes, yes, yes, baby, I am going to be here every step of the way. Whatever you need,” he goes on as he begins to floss.
“You’re insane.” I laugh.
“I’m a happy man,” he says and then he stops flossing and kisses me on the lips and Maylee on the cheek.
“Fuck yes,” Maylee says, and Brett’s blue eyes go wide.
My mouth drops.
“I knew this day would come,” I say, laughing.
“Baby, that’s a bad word,” Brett says to her, but how much weight can his words hold when she learned it from him?
“It’s time Daddy stops using his potty mouth,” I scold, giving him a pointed look.
“I think so too, but it isn’t going to be easy,” he admits.
“You’re Brett Noble, you can do anything you put your mind to,” I tell him, placing my palm on his cheek.
“I’m so excited for this baby, Honey,” he announces, and I know a part of him has always felt guilty about missing out on my pregnancy with Maylee and the first months of her life.
“I’m happy too, even though it was unexpected.”
“Everything about us is unexpected, Honey, and it’s been the best part of our lives.”
“You do have a point.”
“I had news for you too, but now your news is just so much better.”
“What news? Spit it out,” I urge because he has my curiosity piqued.
“I bought the farm from your mom,” he says.
My jaw drops. Mom had been talking about selling the farm for months. When Jacob got an offer to coach an NCAA team, she said the time was coming to say goodbye to the place that had been in my family for three generations.
“Say something, Honey. I was thinking we could spruce the place up. Build a swimming pool and make it into a summer home.”
“I-I. . .Uh. . .Uh.”
“This is a good thing,” he assures.
“Thank you, Brett. It means a lot to me that you would do that.” It means we don’t have to say goodbye to the farm. Growing up in Sugar Meadow had its ups and downs, but I am glad my kids will get to experience small-town life.
“I love you, Willow, and I love you, Maylee, and I love you,” he says, crouching down to my belly.
“We love you too, Brett, to the moon and back.”