Page 15 of Rose
She sat down hard, head spinning. Her mind raced back to all the moments with William—how often they made love, how neither of them cared much about protection. They both knew it was possible, but she wasn’t ready for this. Not now. Not with their careers barely slowing down.
But ready or not, here it was.
The doctor offered an ultrasound, and she found herself nodding before she could process what she was saying. The cold gel on her belly barely registered before the image appeared on the screen. Small. A little bean. But alive. And when the heartbeat filled the room, rapid and strong, everything inside her crumbled.
Fear faded. Doubt disappeared.
All she felt was love.
Raw. Unexpected. Overwhelming.
This baby was created in love. No matter the timing, no matter the fear, it was real. She wiped at the tears blurring her eyes and smiled for the first time that day.
A’Mazi drove her home, sneaking glances at her every few seconds like he expected her to break apart again.
“I’ll drop your car off later,” he said, watching her until she stepped safely inside before driving off.
William wouldn’t be home for hours. Perfect. She had time.
She wanted this moment to be special.
William always talked about wanting kids, joked that if it was up to him, she’d already be a mom to two or three little ones by now. But he respected her decision to wait, to focus on their careers, their marriage, their life together before adding more to the mix.
But now...
Now she couldn’t wait to see his face.
She was going to give him everything he ever dreamed of.
The minute A’Mazi dropped off her car, Ahzii wasted no time making a store run to grab everything she needed for the surprise. A pregnancy reveal right before their baecation to Thailand felt perfect, like the start of a beautiful new chapter.
Back home, she set the scene. The lights in the living room dimmed to a soft glow, a simple but romantic dinner prepared, and the gift bag sitting front and center on the coffee table. She slipped into one of her favorite lingerie sets, deep red and laced in all the right places, hidden beneath a silk white robe. Her curls cascaded down her back—just how William loved it.
When the sound of keys jingled at the door, her heart fluttered.
“Beautiful?” William’s voice called through the dimmed house, warm and deep, making her heart melt like it always did.
“In here,” she answered softly, waiting in the living room.
When he walked in and saw her, his face lit up like Christmas morning. His eyes always found her first, and every time they did, it was like seeing her for the first time. He crossed the room and kissed her deeply, over and over again, his black suit still sharp from work, and all she could think about was how much she loved peeling him out of it. But tonight wasn’t about that. Not yet.
“It smells amazing in here. You cooked?” he asked, surprised.
She laughed softly. “Yes. Go shower and then join me for dinner, handsome.”
His eyes roamed her frame, hungry, already imagining what was underneath the robe.
“You getting in with me?” he teased, heat lacing his words.
“Not this time,” she smirked, brushing her hand against his chest. “But I have a surprise waiting when you get out.”
That was all it took. He grinned and practically ran upstairs, making her laugh quietly to herself.
After his shower, they sat down to eat. He kept side-eyeing her, confused every time she passed on the wine.
“You sure you’re good? You always say wine goes with everything.”
She just smiled and brushed it off.
