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“So what?” she asks breathlessly.
“Young.”
Women my age don’t have to worry about getting pregnant anymore, but Madison is in her prime. Her body is practically begging to have babies. I should have thought about that.
“It just happens, and it’s not like you did it on purpose,” I add.
“You’re not…mad?”
“No, why would I be?”
I can see the disbelief in her eyes, and I realize she must’ve been imagining every worst-case scenario. I can’t blame her for that. But the more I think about it, the more I realize…I want this. Maybe not the way it happened, but I want her, and if that means facing the future with a baby, then I’m all in.
“We’ll face it together. I want to be there for you as you’re dealing with this. I know it’s not something you probably saw at this point in your life, but we’ll figure it out. Have you been to the doctor yet?”
“No, I…” She can’t get the words out. Her lip quivers, and I watch as her eyes fill with tears. She tries to blink them back, but they spill over anyway. “Ethan, I?—”
I pull her into my arms. She doesn’t resist, just lets herself collapse against me and buries her face in my chest. Her body shakes with quiet sobs, and I hold her tighter, running a hand through her hair.
I don’t know how long we sit like that, but I’m not in any rush. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay here as long as she needs. The cold, winter wind whips at our faces, but I barely feel it as I’m trying to be there for her.
Eventually, her crying slows, and she pulls back slightly, wiping her face with the back of her hand. She still looks fragile, like she’s waiting for the ground to drop out from under her, but there’s something else in her expression now. A flicker of hope.
“I thought… I thought you’d hate me.”
“Hate you? Madison, how could I ever hate you?”
She bites her lip, not answering, but I already knowwhat she’s thinking. This whole situation is complicated, and maybe it’s not how either of us planned for things to happen. But I don’t regret it. I don’t regret her. And it’s not like she did it on purpose. I should have been more careful from the beginning.
And suddenly, it hits me. This gentleness I feel for her, it’s not just the kind of sympathy you feel for a stranger. It’s something else.
“I love you.”
The words leave my mouth before I even realize I’m saying them, but they feel right. I’ve been holding them back for so long, unsure of how to say them, afraid of scaring her away. But now, in this moment, I know it’s what she needs to hear. I have to just say it and put it out there.
Her eyes widen, and for a moment, she’s completely still, like she doesn’t know how to react. But then, her expression softens.
“You… you love me?”
I nod, reaching up to cup her face. “Yeah, I do. I’ve been trying to figure it out, but it’s always been there. I love you, Madison. And I want a future with you. I want to be part of this. We can figure things out. People may not understand us, but we don’t need them to understand.”
Her breath hitches, and for a moment, I think she’s going to cry again. But instead, she smiles. It’s tentative, almost like she doesn’t want to believe that this is really happening. It’s cute, and it makes her seem fragile.
“I love you too. I’ve been so scared…but I love you. And…I want this baby too.”
Hearing her say that—it feels like everything in the world clicks into place. And I can’t just miss this opportunity. I lean forward and kiss her lips. They taste salty with her tears, but I just pull her closer to me and keep kissingher. It’s the only way I can express what I’m truly feeling. Because my words aren’t enough.
When we finally pull apart, she’s still smiling, but I can see the worry creeping back into her eyes.
“What is it?” I ask, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I don’t know how to tell them. Aurora, Zoe… everyone. It’s already so complicated with your daughter. How do I tell them I’m pregnant? I mean… this baby is Aurora’s half-sibling.”
I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. I know she’s right. This isn’t going to be easy. Aurora’s already made it clear that she doesn’t want us together, and now with a baby on the way…it’s not like we can just pretend. Madison’s stomach will start showing at some point, and it’s better if we tell Aurora than let her figure it out.
But…it doesn’t have to be today.
“We don’t have to tell anyone yet. If you’re not ready, we can keep it between us. Just for now. Don’t people usually wait until they’ve been pregnant for a while? It’s completely normal to keep it a secret at this stage.”