“You’ve made me so happy, Tori,” I said into her lips as I parted them with mine. Our kiss was gentle, sated after our lovemaking. We just hold each other. She stroked my arms gently, closing her eyes at the sensation of our skin caressing. I looked down to her breasts, both warm against my upper torso and admired the way they curved. The angle of her left hip was exposed under me and I moved my hand to trace it. She’s just so perfect.
As I returned my hands to her hair, her brown eyes opened to gaze into mine and I couldn’t help but wonder, If we did have a baby, would its eyes be brown or blue? The thought brought a smile to my face and I leaned back, ready to rehydrate and get food in me.
“Are you hungry? I sure am. We can go to that little BBQ place down the street…” I trailed off as I entered her small master bathroom to relieve myself. I stood over the toilet and mentally catalogued all the places we could go for dinner as I finished my business and moved to wash my hands.
“We could try that new Thai pla--” I attempted but stopped short when my eyes hit the sink. What the fuck? Right next to the bronze faucet were pregnancy tests; four little blue plus signs all in a row. Plus signs meant…. I whirled around to storm back into the bedroom but Tori was standing just outside the bathroom door looking equal parts mortified and hopeful.
“What the fuck, Tori? Are these…?” I couldn’t finish my sentence. I knew they were pregnancy tests and I knew they’re positive. I stared from the tests back to Tori, trying to let my brain catch up to the news. Within seconds, it hit me. This is why she ran. This is why she was so upset when Jeff said I just wanted kids.
“You knew? That’s why you ran? You thought I’d only want the baby and… And not you?” I managed to get out, inching closer to her. Tears filled her beautiful eyes and I hated to see the pain in them. “Tori, why didn’t you tell me? How long have you known?”
Her lower lip trembled as tears fell drop by drop from her chocolate eyes and I moved to wipe them away. I stepped forward to embrace her face in my hands, rubbing her cheeks in comfort with the pads of my thumb.
“Baby, tell me what you’re thinking,” I pleaded, hoping this didn’t undo the beautiful moments we just shared.
“I took three of the tests yesterday. I’m about 6 days late and that’s unusual, so I… I just took the tests. And then I called the sperm clinic this morning to c-cancel my appointment. No point now,” she tried to giggle but couldn’t quite manage. “Then I had my chat with Jeff. And, well, you know the rest,” she blurted out, putting her head on my chest in defeat.
“What about the fourth test?” I asked, unable to help myself. Four positives. Damn straight, said the caveman.
“Oh, I just took that when I got home to make sure nothing had changed,” she chuckled softly, looking up at me through her wet lashes. “Nothing has changed. I’m… I’m still pregnant. I’m going to have a baby. Your baby, Wyatt.”
That last statement took my breath away and I staggered back against the shower stall. For a moment, Tori looked terrified, but then I let my smile loose. Her demeanor instantly changed and she grinned from ear to ear. I almost tackled her in my attempt to hug her close, so close. I lifted her into my arms and kissed her temple, hair, ears, neck. I felt tears fall from my eyes and into her tangle of auburn hair, releasing the last of my insecurities and trauma from my past.
I moved my head to Tori’s ear and gently, ever so gently, whispered, “You’re my family, Tori. You’re my everything. And now you’ve made me a dad. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you’ve made me.”
She turned swiftly to face me, shock and awe in her eyes. Her next words undid me:
“Wyatt, baby, you already have.” I couldn’t stop myself or my inner caveman from screaming Mine, mine, mine! when she pulled my large hands over her still-flat, perfect stomach. There was a life growing in there, one that would change ours forever. And I was so, so overcome with joy. I took my wife-to-be in my arms, kissing her as passionately as I could, and moved her backwards towards the bed.
“Well, just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean we have to stop practicing. There will be more babies after this one, after all,” I told her as I laid her gently on the bed. I spread her legs wide beneath me and stroked the skin of her thighs, belly, chest. Just as I was about to enter her again, I leaned down and asked, “Care to practice with me?”
Tori giggled a hearty, no-holds-barred sound and looked at me with joy in her eyes.