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But then…wait.

There was one very apparent line, yes, butnext to it was a second faint one. It definitely wasn’t a fully formed line,but it wasn’t not-a-line either. Did the faint one count? What were the linerules? Quick! She snatched the packaging from the trash can, but theinstructions didn’t get into how faint or vibrant the second line should be.Was this a fake-out second line? She placed her hand on her forehead and took amoment, letting the emotions swirl and settle, her stomach now off-kilter.

“Okay, okay. Not a big deal. We can figurethis out.” With her phone in hand, she set out for Google, where a hundredother women had asked the same question. Did the faint line count? She liftedher head victorious as a small smile crept onto her lips. The faint line mostcertainly counted. This was happening. It was real.

Autumn Primm was pregnant.

Chapter Thirteen

God, she’d bought a lot of stuff.

Kate surveyed the shopping bags lined up inher living room, and with a hand on her head took stock of her score. Severalbags of toys—some educational, some just for fun. Bedding, a handful of outfitsmatched to both Ren and Eva’s sizes as provided by DHS. Odds and ends liketoiletries, toothbrushes, a footstool for the sink in the spare bathroom, newtowels, a few children’s books for Eva and chapter books for Ren. She ran ahand through her hair to figure out what she’d missed. There was so much to doto get ready for…them. She’d go grocery shopping later that week so she’d bestocked up on foods they liked when her first round of official overnight visitationhit. Ren was definitely the pickier of the two, but she could work with that.No fish and only select vegetables.

Kate was exhausted, nervous, but also reallyexcited. In the end, this was going to be a good thing. For all of them. Andonce she’d settled things with the kids, maybe then she could think about goingback to work.Maybe.The trickle of trepidation appeared right on time when she imagined fightinganother fire. Didn’t matter. She loved her job and would find a way to swallowthat fear.

“What’s with all the bags in the back room?”Ren asked a few days later, once the visit commenced.

“Just some stuff I picked up for when youguys are here,” Kate told him.

“That’s really cool of you.” He stared at heras if trying to piece it all together. They hadn’t talked about her plans justyet. They’d get there soon. “Can I play outside?”

“Yeah, go for it, dude. Dinner’s in an hour.Burgers.”

“Awesome,” he said, and let himself into herbackyard with the soccer ball she’d presented him.

Eva walked around the space for the thirdtime. “This house is nice,” she said.

Kate followed her. “Nothing special, but it’smine.”

“It’s on my same street.”

“That’s the reason I met you, remember? Wewere neighbors.”

Eva nodded emphatically, realizing theconnection. “You’re right! I like this street.”

“Good,” Kate told her, and ruffled her hair.“Me too.”

Eva looked up at her. There was a long pauseas she tried to figure out what she wanted to say. “How come you’re so nice tous?” she asked, finally.

The question squeezed Kate’s heart. Sheknelt, understanding that not everyone in Eva’s life had been. “Because you’rethe best little girl I know. My very favorite in the whole world.”

Eva seemed awestruck by the comment. “Me?”

Kate nodded. “You.”

Eva seemed shy, and she was never shy. “Oh.”And then, “Thank you.”

“Nothing to thank me for.” Kate stood. “I’mgonna start dinner.”

“I can help!”

Kate chuckled. “I was hoping you’d say that.Follow me to the fridge. Let’s see what we can make happen.”

“Okay. Guess what? I like princesses.”

“Well, who doesn’t?”

* * *