Page 101 of Feels Like Home

“I did. Well, it’s kind of for both of us. And the kids. Lookinside.”

I spread apart the handles and peek inside the bag, feeling an instant rush of heat flood mysystem.

I stare without blinking. Definitely without touching the contents of thebag.

Andy’s hand gently grips my thigh and squeezes once. My eyes slowly lift from the bag to his face. I expect to see anything but the smile that’s spreadwidely.

“You didn’t know?” His voice is soft and soreassuring.

“I think the better question is, how didyouknow?”

“Christine. I’m a man, not an idiot. I do understand a little about a woman’sbody.”

“But… what if I’m just off? Or whatif…”

“What if you reallyare?”

“Oh my goodness. Andy! What if Iam?”

“Say the word, Christine. I’ve been rolling it around in my head for the last month and I gotta say, the first few times I damn near pissed myself, butnow?”

“Now?”

“Now it feels pretty amazing to thinkabout.”

“Shit. I’msucha moron.Thisis why we have sex ed! Because women live in this state of confusion! My period is never normal. Never. It’s just all over the place so I just… craaaaap. When I stress, I never get myperiod.”

“We weren’t exactly careful, either. My fault. I should have asked. I mean, we had discussed that we had both been tested, but we were pretty irresponsible about the birth controlpart.”

“I suppose we won’t be asked to be teaching those sex ed classes anytime soon,huh?”

“Yeah. Probably not.” His eyes twinkle. “I’m not some scared teenager, though. This might be unexpected, but I can’t say that it’s not an incrediblegift.”

I watch him for a little while, realizing that he’s being completely honest. I shake my head, closing my eyes. “Andy, we can’t… Ican’t.”

He places his hand on mine, and I lift my lids to look at him again. “We can. Wewill.”

I don’t know how he’s so calm. I suppose because he’s smarter than I am and figured out that I could be pregnant. And don’t think I didn’t stumble over eventhinkingthat word. “What’s Bri gonna think? Theboys?”

“They’re gonna know that we’re in love and the proof of it will beher.”

I gasp at the surety in his voice. “Her?”

“Ofcourse.”

“You’re really sure about this? And you’re really okay withit?”

“Nothing would make me happier than to see you carrying mybaby.”

The tears that I was miraculously holding back start falling down my cheeks. His eyes soften before he presses a kiss to each cheek, then to my lips. I can taste the lingering salt of my tears on his kiss. When he pulls back, he doesn’t move far. He rests his forehead on mine, wrapping one hand behind myneck.

Every time I exhale he inhales, taking in my breaths as hisown.

His hand comes up, caressing my cheek with histhumb.

“Is this really happening?” My voicewavering.

He lifts his head and winks. “Well, I have a pretty good guess, but we’ll need to use what’s in that bag to findout.”

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