Page 34 of Triplet Babies for the CEO

“Stop it!” I say, laughing and rolling my eyes. “But…yeah. He’s been amazing to me. It’s strange, but he makes me feel…important. Like Iactuallymatter.”

Jasmine’s laughter quiets, her tone shifting into something softer, more serious. “Well, I’m happy for you, Tash. But…are you sure about all of this? You sound pretty far gone, girl.”

“Yeah,” I murmur, exhaling slowly, nerves fluttering in my stomach. “I know I’m in deep. It all just happened so fast, you know? But I can’t imagine pulling away from it now.”

“Okay, real talk: how long has this been going on?”

I think back, realizing it’s only been a few weeks, though it feels like a lifetime of changes have happened since then. “Not that long, really. Just…a few weeks, maybe? But it feels like so much more.”

“All right, but let me ask you something,” she says gently. There’s a careful pause, and her voice drops to a tone I know means she’s about to hit me with something heavy. “Have you…had your period recently?”

I blink, the question hitting me like a cold splash of water to the face. “I mean, I…it should come soon, I think.” My voice wavers with fear as I try to brush it off, but a sliver of doubt creeps in, tingling at the edges of my mind. “I haven’t been keeping track that closely. My schedule’s been crazy.”

“Tasha,” she says firmly, her tone sharpened with a serious edge, “think about it. When was the last time you actually had it?”

The weight of her words sinks in as I start mentally counting back the days. I’ve been so caught up in everything, this new job, new life, Brody, that I haven’t paid attention to something as basic as my cycle.

My heartbeat quickens, and I feel a cold sweat prickling at the back of my neck as realization dawns. It’s been too long.

“Oh God, Jaz,” I whisper, pressing a hand to my mouth. “What if…?”

There’s a silent pause, then Jasmine’s voice, calm and steady. “All right, don’t panic. Just go get a test, okay? A couple, actually. Find out for sure. Don’t let this eat you alive when you’re not even certain yet. And call me the minute you know.”

After I hang up with Jasmine, I notice my hands trembling as I grab my keys and head out the door, desperate to get to the store. My mind spins with every possibility, every “what if”, and the nausea in my stomach only intensifies with each step.

When I reach my car, I slide into the seat and try to steady my breathing, but the second I turn the key in the ignition, my old car lets out a sputtering groan and dies completely.

I try again, pressing the gas pedal, whispering a desperate prayer to get it to start, but each attempt brings the same result: a lifeless, stubborn silence.

Frustration boils up, and before I know it, I’m hitting the steering wheel with the heel of my hand, letting out a choked, helpless scream.

“Of all days, why now?” I mutter, slumping back in the seat. Tears form in my eyes, but I can’t just sit here, drowning in this storm of fear and what-ifs. I need to know, and I need to know now.

Taking a shaky breath, I remember there’s one more option. Brody’s daughter-in-law, Gemma, gave me her number “just in case”.

This definitely qualifies for me, even if she didn’t really meanjust in caseI thought I might be pregnant with her father-in-law. I scroll through my contacts, my hands still trembling, and hit her number. It only rings twice before she picks up, her voice warm and chipper as usual.

“Hey, Tasha!” she says, her tone bright. “Everything all right?”

“Hi, Gemma…sorry to bother you, but my car won’t start,” I say, forcing my voice to stay calm. “I just…I really need a quick ride to the store. Do you think you could help?”

“Of course! I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” she replies without hesitation, her kindness easing the tension just a bit.

Gemma pulls up in no time, true to her word, and ushers me into the car with a friendly smile and a reassuring pat on the hand. The drive feels both endless and too fast, every thought tumbling over itself in my mind.

I stare out the window as my heart pounds, watching the world pass by, knowing that soon enough, everything in my life could change.

Chapter Thirteen

Tasha

Driving through town, Gemma’s gaze keeps flicking over to me, her eyes glinting with curiosity.

“So…you look a little pale. What’s going on, Tasha?” she asks, her tone light but with that sharp edge of concern that tells me she’s noticed more than I’d like her to.

She’s perceptive, maybe a little too perceptive for me to dodge her questions forever.

“Oh, I’m all right,” I say, trying to sound casual, though my laugh comes out strained. “Just one of those days where you wake up feeling off. Not really sure why.”

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