Chapter 45 #2
I can’t think straight until I’ve found him in the kitchen.
He looks freshly showered and his arms are big and bulky in his white T-shirt, making me realize that he was probably working out while I was gone.
I would have barged into his bathroom to tell him while he was covered in soap if he hadn’t been finished by the time my tests were.
Hearing my footsteps, he looks up, meeting my eyes before his gaze flicks to my hands. He freezes before looking right back at my face, a question dancing in his expression. My breath comes out shakily as I nod, dipping my chin and feeling my hair sway.
My feet surge forward and I’m running right into his chest before I’ve even recognized that I’m moving.
My arms fly around his neck and Leon lifts me up into him, pulling me tight.
He spins us around and laughs, inhaling my scent through my hair and cupping the back of my head with one of his hands.
“Fuck, baby,” he whispers, sounding wondrous. “Really?”
He lets me pull back enough to look at him closely. “Really,” I croak, nodding with blurry, watery eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was going to buy the tests. I just wanted to make sure before I said anything. I wasn’t sure and I really really didn’t want to be wrong.”
“Don’t apologize.” He shakes his head, kissing my lips through a smile. “You’ve just given me the best fucking news, tesoro. We’re going to have a baby. Fuck, you’re incredible. You have no idea.”
“I’m so happy,” I confess, allowing a couple joyful tears to fall. “I was worried I might be overthinking it, but I haven’t been feeling well and I just had this feeling.”
“Are you okay?” he sets me down, immediately becoming concerned. “You haven’t been feeling good, baby?”
“Just some nausea,” I assure him with a small smile. “We’ll have to make a doctor’s appointment to get a blood test to confirm and maybe an ultrasound to see where we’re at gestation-wise, but as of right now I don’t feel anything concerning symptom wise.”
“We’ll make an appointment,” he agrees with a firm nod. “We’ll need to get you vitamins and make sure everything looks good. I can have Doc come by, or we can go to one of the offices we trust here.”
“Maybe one of the offices at first,” I suggest, swallowing a little bit of discomfort. “We should wait to tell the boys until it’s at least confirmed by the doctors and I wouldn’t want them to see Doc here and assume someone is sick.”
“Good idea.” Leon nods, lifting a hand to brush a few strands of hair from my eyes. “I…God, Katya. You, I—”
He cuts himself off and I touch the side of his face, cupping his cheek. “What is it, moja láska?”
“I love you,” he confesses, the three sweet words rushing out of him.
“I know the timing may make it seem like it is, but I swear to God I’m not just saying this because of the baby.
I’ve been thinking about telling you this for far longer than I should admit.
You’re everything to me, Katya. You and our little family, I couldn’t ask for anything more.
I’m so in love with you and the light you bring into all our lives.
I don’t expect you to say it back until you’re ready, if you’re ever ready. ”
A watery giggle leaves me, another stubborn tear escaping the corner of my eye. “Do you want to know what I’ve been calling you this whole time? What I said I’d like to keep to myself for a little while longer?” What I just called you two seconds before you said the best thing I’ve ever heard?
“What?” he asks, confusion marring his brow.
“My love. Moja láska means my love, Leon,” I say slowly, making sure my words come out clear and precise.
“I’ve been falling in love with you since I married you, one day at a time.
I love you too. So much that it almost hurts sometimes.
Like there’s this ache inside me that only you can quell.
I fell in love with our kids so quickly, and becoming their mother only made me love you even more.
I love sharing this life with you, and I can’t wait to keep growing it. ”
Taking one of his hands in mine, I push his large palm flat against the middle of my stomach.
“I know there’s no bump here yet, but when there is, it’s going to be ours. Our little product of love and admiration. A little sibling for Bastian and Leo to love and adore, and someone to love them just as fiercely in return.”
“I can’t believe it happened so quickly,” he breathes out, keeping his hand in place. “It was meant to be.”
I couldn’t agree more.
“If we ever do this again, I promise to take the test with you there, or at least after telling you first,” I vow, looking up at him vulnerably.
“I’ve never done anything like this before, and I don’t regret how I did it this time, but I think I’d like to have you by my side if we ever need to do it again. ”
“You don’t need to promise me anything,” Leon tells me, not a hint of doubt in his tone.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Katya. And if you ever need space again to process anything, you won’t hear me complain about it.
You’re my wife but you’re also a person, baby.
You get to make decisions that make you feel comfortable when you need it and I’ll never begrudge you for it. ”
“I couldn’t have fallen for a better man,” I croak, wrapping him up in a tighter hug than before. “You’re everything, Leon.”
“You are everything,” he counters, kissing me shortly again.
Once, twice, three times. “We’ll wait to tell the kids about the baby until we agree everything is confirmed and healthy.
But I’m not going to hide being in love with you for even a minute more, Katya.
I’m going to tell you when they’re around, and kiss you without worrying if they’re looking.
We’ve gone on enough dates for them to know that Mommy and Daddy care for each other and them. ”
“Mommy and Daddy,” I repeat, lips wobbling. “I’ll never get tired of hearing that.”
“Neither will I.”