Epilogue
June
Two and a half years later…
“Ijust can’t get enough of these,” Lauren says as she helps me pack another box of ceramic plates.
She’s my best customer and the co-owner of the Greene Mountain Lodge with her husband Owen.
She’s changed all of the dishes in the restaurant to ones that I made (even though they’re not cheap) and decorated the rooms with my vases. “The customers love them too.”
“I’m so glad,” I say as I ring up her bill. I cringe when I tell her the full amount, but she just slaps her company card on the counter with a smile and tells me to keep doing whatever I’m doing.
I have to stop feeling bad for charging customers money. Sometimes I feel like an imposter for it, but I shouldn’t. I make a good quality product that people love, so why shouldn’t I get paid for it?
It’s been eight months since I opened my own shop in the Greene Mountains and it’s been amazing. I’m right off the main road, but I still get a heavy flow of people coming in. This summer was crazy with all of the tourists buying up everything faster than I could make it.
I have three part time employees, but the shop still keeps me busy. There’s always something to do and of course, I still have to make the product.
Now that the summer is over and we’re into fall, I can breathe again and I have the chance to work on making more inventory. My kiln is amazing and I never have to worry about it burning my clay (or my studio down).
“I’m going to a conference next month in Portland,” she says excitedly. “There’s going to be thousands of rich hotel owners there exchanging tips and tricks. I’ll tell them all about you.”
“Really?” I say, getting that nervous excited feeling. It would be nice to have more steady sales all throughout the year, rather than just bursts during touristy times, but the thought of having to provide hundreds or thousands of ceramic dishes to inns all over the country is a little daunting.
“Definitely,” she says, nodding. “These are the best ceramics around, and believe me, I’ve looked everywhere. You’ll have to print up some business cards for me to hand around. Or… Why don’t you come as a vendor? Yeah! You can set up a table and show off your wares. People will love it!”
“Really?” I say, feeling a little queasy thinking about it. “You think that’s a good idea?”
I get more queasy as she goes on, telling me all about the conference attendees and how they’ll all adore my pottery. My stomach churns and I grab the counter, feeling faint.
“Are you okay?” she asks, looking at me funny. “You’re looking green.”
I don’t answer her. I just turn and sprint to the bathroom. She follows me in and holds my hair back while I’m sick in the toilet.
“It must have been something I ate,” I say, flushing with a wince.
“Yeah, or you’re pregnant.”
We lock eyes. Holy shit.
“I’ll go get you a test,” Lauren says and then races out.
I sit on the cold tile floor, heart pounding so hard I can hear it in my ears.
Pregnant.
The word feels too big to hold all at once.
She’s probably right. I had the same peanut butter and banana on toast with fresh fruit that I always have for breakfast. And now that I think about it, I wasn’t feeling too good yesterday either.
The nausea starts to recede and is replaced with a tingling excitement.
I could be pregnant.
With Ethan’s child.
Lauren returns five minutes later like she’s responding to a five-alarm fire—breathless and wide-eyed, a paper bag clutched in her hand.
“I got two,” she says, thrusting the bag at me. “Just in case.”
She waits outside while I take both tests. I leave them on the bathroom counter and come out with my hands shaking.
Lauren looks just as nervous, pacing around like she’s as invested as I am.
When the time is up, I take a deep breath and return to the bathroom.
“I know this is a private matter,” Lauren says, barely able to contain herself as she follows me. “But I’m coming too.”
I just laugh and leave the door open for her.
“No way,” I whisper, a blissful lightness filling my chest when I see two lines on each of the tests. “I’m pregnant.”
Lauren grabs my arms and jumps up and down, screeching. “You’re pregnant! Congratulations!”
She yanks me into a hug and squeezes me so hard as my mind races and tears fill my eyes.
“I knew it!” she says, jumping up and down as she hugs me. “I knew it! I’m never wrong about these things.”
I laugh, then cry, then laugh again, my hands instinctively going to my stomach like I can already protect what’s there.
I’m having a child with Ethan.
My mind goes straight to him. To my soul mate. To my best friend. And now, to the father of my child.
I’m so lucky I get to go on this journey with him. It’s going to be a blast.
The past two years and a half with him have been incredible. Just waking up in the morning and seeing him lying next to me, sleeping so peacefully, that big chest slowly moving up and down with every heavy breath—it makes me so happy.
Every time we see each other after work, he looks at me like he still can’t believe I’m real. He holds me in his big protective arms, kisses me, and says ‘I’ve missed you so much’ like being away from me causes him pain. It makes me feel so loved, cherished, and desired.
And the nights we have together… The afternoon delights… The early morning wake-ups… We still can’t keep our hands off one another. We’re still obsessed with each other. That hasn’t changed. It’s only grown stronger over time.
“I guess I should go tell Ethan,” I say, a little stunned as I stare at the tests that have forever changed my life. Nothing will ever be the same. I’m a mom now. There’s no going back.
“He’s going to be thrilled,” Lauren says, hugging me again. “I’ll come back tomorrow to pick up the rest of the order… and to brainstorm baby names.”
She gives me a wink as she takes her box and leaves. “Good luck, mama.”
I smile, feeling all lightheaded.
Mama.
I lock up the shop early and head home, my heart racing the entire way.
Ethan’s truck is in the driveway when I pull in. He’s on the porch, sleeves rolled up, painting the shutters. I smile when I see him grinning at me. Who paints the shutters on their day off?
My man does, of course. He always wants our home looking beautiful for me.
I step out and he comes over. His familiar, solid presence is always so grounding for me. It makes me feel like I can handle anything with him by my side.
“You okay, babe?” he asks, searching my face. “I thought you were working until five.”
I let him swallow me in those big comforting arms and I take a deep breath of his woodsy masculine scent, giving us one last moment like this before I change us forever.
“June?” he asks, stepping back to look in my eyes. “What’s up?”
Tears flood my eyes, but I’m smiling as I look up at him. He’s going to be an amazing dad.
“Maybe when you’re done with those shutters you can start working on another bedroom,” I say with a grin.
He looks at me confused for a moment, then his breath leaves him in one sharp rush.
“No…”
I pull the test out of my bag and place it in his palm. “Yes.”
For a second, he just stares at it.
Then his knees actually buckle.
He lets out a sound that’s half laugh, half choke, and pulls me against his chest so hard I can barely breathe.
“We’re going to have a baby,” he whispers, his voice rough and full of emotion. “We’re going to have a baby!”
I press my face into his neck, breathing him in as he squeezes me tight. His excitement is contagious. I know this is going to be great. Everything is great with Ethan.
He pulls back, cupping my face, blue eyes shining as he stares at me with so much love I can barely take it.
“I’m going to take care of you,” he says, fierce and certain. “Both of you. I swear.”
“I know,” I say, smiling. “I’ll take care of you guys too.”
He kisses me and I take it all in, feeling more excited about the future than I’ve ever felt before.
“I need you,” he growls as I feel his tender hands becoming dominant and firm as he tightens his grip on my hips. He pulls me nice and close. “Can we still…?”
I grin as I nod my head. “We better get it in while we can. We’ll have a house full of kids before you know it.”
“A house full of kids,” he says with a faraway look in his eyes as he smiles. “I like the sound of that.”
He scoops me up into his big arms and carries me inside, straight to the bedroom. He takes my clothes off in record time and sinks his hard cock into my aching pussy as he tells me how much he loves me over and over again until I’m cumming and screaming it back into his ear.
I’m going to have a family with this man.
How lucky am I?