Page 22 of Under The Cherry Blossoms
Cass bounds up and over to the sink, snatching up the test and examining it closely. Her eyes widen as they meetmine.
“We’re having a baby! Oh my god, we’re having a baby, Balls!” She begins jumping up and down andscreaming.
My vision is impaired momentarily by white spots clouding my eyes and for a minute, all I can hear is the sound of my own heartbeat thundering in myears.
“Oh, ew!” Cassidy shouts, suddenly dropping the test on the floor. “You peed on that!” Those four words bring me back to my senses and a loud laugh escapes as I join her in her happy dance. Because,baby.
Ababy.
I’m having ababy.
We’rehaving ababy.
Bring. It.On.
My eyes popopen as my phone alarm begins to quietly play on my bedside table, rousing me from my light sleep, and I reach over to silence it before it can wakeBen.
Rolling over to face him, I smile at the peaceful look on his slumbering face and take this moment to consider what I have to do this morning. I should be nervous, but I’mnot.
Ben arrived home from his business trip yesterday afternoon and after an intimate dinner atPetite Assiette d’Amour, the restaurant from our first date, we came back to my place and made up for the night we missed. Later, as I lay in bed sated and content, listening to the calming sound of Ben’s breathing, my excitement over this morning’s announcementgrew.
I know this man, I know his heart and I trust fully in our relationship. It’s taken me a long time to reach this point, but there is no doubt in my mind that I want this future withBen.
Unable to contain my excitement any longer, I bounce out of bed and race to the kitchen to put my plan intoaction.
Reaching up to the overhead cupboard, I pull out the mug I purchased yesterday. I hold it in my right palm as I look it over for the hundredth time, my eyes immediately pulled to the message on the bottom of the cup.You are going to be a DAD!is printed in bold, black lettering, contrasting starkly with the bright white mug and I can’t wait to see Ben’s face as realizationdawns.
Quickly making his morning cup of coffee I make my way back into the bedroom and place the drink on my bedside table. Then jumping on the bed, I bounce over to Ben and begin peppering his face withkisses.
Groaning sleepily, his mouth quirks with a small smile at my attack before he reaches out and grabs me around the waist, pulling me to him and nuzzling myneck.
“Well, that was a fantastic way to wake up,” he says, his voicemuffled.
Pulling away, I move from the warmth of his body to grab the coffee. “Here you go, I made this for you,” I say, thrusting the drink at him with a biggrin.
“Uh, okay, thanks, baby,” he replies, throwing me a stupefied look and taking a smallsip.
The next five minutes are the longest of my life as Ben drinks his coffee slowly, keeping up a steady stream of conversation. About what, I have no idea because all I can hear is the excited thump of my heartbeat in myears.
“Okay, Squeak, what the hell is going on? You’re about to burst out of your skin overthere.”
“Nothing!” I deny vehemently. “I’m just in a goodmood!”
“Right.” That single word is dripping with disbelief. “Whatever you say, babe.” He finally drains the last of his coffee. My eyes widen in anticipation, and then widen even further as I watch Ben place the mug on his bedside table and move to get up without even glancinginside.
“Wait!” Iscreech.
Stopping mid turn, he slowly returns his gaze to me, and even in my state of anxiety, I note the teasing expression on his face. “What’s up,Squeak?”
“Here.” I shove the now-empty mug into his hands. “I don’t think you got all the coffee. You should check and make sure there’s none left in thebottom.”
“Okay,” he says, drawing the word out so it contains multiple syllables. He throws me a look that screams‘I’m just humoringyou’.
As Ben glances down to the bottom of the mug, I kneel on the bed, right in front of him, practically giddy as I await hisreaction.
I see it immediately. The moment his brain registers the words. His eyes shoot to mine and the panic causes an internalflinch.
“What the fuck is this,Skylah?”
