Page 74 of Paper Flowers (Stonebrook #1)

DAYNA

L uke and I got married just a few months after he proposed.

It wasn’t a big wedding and honestly, it was never meant to be one.

My family wasn’t exactly thrilled that we eloped, but they understood.

They respected the way we chose to start our lives together.

After all, they were happy to have witnessed the proposal, they didn’t mind that they weren’t there for the quiet ceremony at Lake Tahoe.

The ceremony was simple. Just the four of us.

We snuck away for the summer and returned as husband and wife–sun-kissed.

More in love than ever. Sadie stood proudly as my maid of honor and Trixie wore a sparkling hair bow that matched Sadie’s and served as Luke’s best dinosaur.

Trixie took her role very seriously. Holding the silicone ring on her horn.

We didn’t have the heart to give her the real rings in case she dropped it.

It wasn’t tradition, and it wasn’t perfect. But it was us.

Almost a year to the day Luke proposed, we have settled into our family of three plus Trixie. Sadie calls me “Momma” now, and I never get tired of hearing it. Every time she says it, it sinks deeper into my soul.

This past school year, I got to experience everything from the other side–from the audience as a parent. I cheered during her award ceremonies. I sat beside Luke during parent-teacher conferences, we go to everything together as a team.

We’ve also started the process of making something official that already lives in our hearts.

I’m adopting Sadie. She’s mine in every way that counts, but Luke and I both knew this was the right step.

It brings him peace to know, if anything were to happen, Sadie would be cared for by someone who loves her completely.

She’s our girl. The one who has the idea for the Spring Festival, and I can’t wait until I get home to tell her everyone loved it.

Walking up the porch steps after parking next to Luke’s truck in our driveway, I’m hit with a smell.

Not a good one. The smell gets stronger with each step towards the front door.

I twist the doorknob and step inside–and holy fuck the smell is worse.

My stomach flips as the smell punches me square in the gut.

I set my work bag on the entry table and that’s when I spot him lounging on the sofa with his arms cradled behind his head. My husband is relaxed with his legs crossed at his ankles looking so unbothered by the smell in the house.

The Red Sox are playing the late afternoon game, they must be up for Luke to be this calm. Sadie is nowhere in sight and is probably upstairs and away from the kitchen. Lucky her.

“Luke, Baby, what is that smell?” I ask, slowly making my way toward the kitchen like I’m bracing myself for something horrendous.

“It’s meatloaf.” He casually says, turning his head just enough to peek at me through his bent elbow.

“No way is that meatloaf.” My stomach flips again. He sits up, eyebrows pinched like he can’t get a read on me. I reach the counter and in fact see the glass dish with his signature meatloaf dinner resting on the stove .

Huh? Maybe it’s the garlic bread that is giving off that god awful smell.

“How were your meetings?” I hear him behind me still on the sofa. I turn to him and breathe through my mouth to help alleviate the nausea I feel creeping in.

“They went well. We finalized the Spring festival and had some great ideas for interactive booths. They liked Sadie’s theme and I can’t wait to tell her.” I look around to the office to see if she’s doing her homework. “Where is she?”

Luke mutes the tv and leans his elbows on his knees.

I walk around facing him. “She’s with Caleb’s family, they went out for ice cream after school.

I have to pick her up in a bit. Want to go with me?

” He says as he stands to his full height.

Pressing a kiss to my forehead, I wrap my arms around his waist.

“I would love to but my stomach feels like it’s in twists, I might just lay down for a bit.

” Luke nods at me, and I take this moment to step out of his embrace and walk up stairs to change.

I get halfway up before I see Luke walk over to the stove to smell the meatloaf himself.

With a strange face he shakes his head. Yeah, he smells it now.

“I’ll be back Dayna!” I hear him shout as he closes the front door.

After a quick shower and slipping into my cotton shorts and Luke’s flannel, I already feel better.

By the time I wander downstairs, I hear Sadie’s voice.

I head to the kitchen and find Luke platting dinner–meatloaf, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes.

His go-to dinner choice on my long days at work. It used to be my favorite…until today.

I turn my attention to my girl who is perched at the counter watching Luke’s every move. She turns to me instantly, her whole face lighting up.

“Hi Sweet Girl,” I say, brushing her hair behind her ear. “I got some exciting news for you!” I say enthusiastically.

“Ms. McKenna loved your theme idea for Stonebrook Elementary’s Spring Festival.” I say, watching her eyes widen.

“Auntie Cara and the other staff members voted and ‘We Grow Together’ is the official theme of our Spring Festival! ”

Sadie gasps loudly, she nearly slides off the stool. Her legs kick under the counter as excitement pours out of her.

“They really liked it, Momma?”

“They loved it!”

“Sadie Girl! That’s so awesome!” Luke high fives her across the kitchen island. Her face glows, and I swear that smile is enough to cure even the worst smelling dinner.

“Wanna help me take the plates to the dining room table, Sadie?” Luke asks as he wipes his hands on the kitchen towel.

“This one’s Momma’s,” Sadie says seriously, pointing to a plate. “She loves the middle pieces.” My chest swells at that. It’s the smallest thing, but it means everything.

While they carry the plates over, I grab our drinks. Lemonade with extra ice for Sadie, a beer for Luke. I’m skipping a beer tonight for a ginger ale. Drinks in my hand, I walk into the dinning room, just in time to catch the end of Sadie’s ice cream trip.

“... and then Kelsey said ‘we should mix our sour gummy worms into our cookies and cream ice cream’ and we did!” she says, practically bouncing in her seat. To my surprise, my mouth waters a little at that combo. What the hell?

Luke sits down, setting a dish of warm dinner rolls in the center of the table. He gives me a wink with a playful smirk. Like he knows I will do anything for these dinner rolls.

Sadie picks up her fork and continues, “Oh, and today we had our sight word test! I only missed one. I spelled witch instead of which . It’s confusing.”

“It is confusing,” I say, sliding into my seat.

“But now you know which one is which.” Smiling across the table at her, she giggles.

I take an apprehensive bite. The second it hits my tongue, I know something is wrong.

The texture, the smell, the taste–I nearly gag on it.

Sadie and Luke look up from their plates, forks paused mid-air, concern etched on both their faces.

Then it hits. A wave of nausea so sharp and sudden it knocks the breath from my lungs.

I push my chair back, legs scraping against the hardwood floor as I stand.

I don’t even try to explain–I won’t make it upstairs.

I bolt for the small half bath downstairs.

I hear Luke tell Sadie to stay at the table as his footsteps are trailing.

I barely get the lid and seat up before I’m hunched over the toilet, losing everything I ate today.

My eyes squeeze shut. God–I hate throwing up.

Beside me, I hear the sink faucet turn on and then I feel a cool rag on my neck. Luke crouches down next to me as he holds my hair up and I begin to throw up again. He rubs gentle circles on my back as I’m dry heaving.

“Luke, go away .”

“Dayna, love. I’m not going anywhere.” He presses the glass of water into my hand.

“Here, use this to rinse your mouth.” I do, swishing and spitting, then finally I glance up at him.

His eyes full of worry, his face too calm for someone who just watched his wife throw up a weeknight dinner.

He flushes the toilet and sits next to me as I slump against the wall behind me.

“How long have you felt this way?” I think for a second.

“Yesterday, I felt a little off after lunch. But nothing like this.” I say getting up from my spot on the floor. Luke follows, helping me stand. He uses the back of his knuckles and traces my face softly. There’s something in his eyes, I can’t quite place this look.

“I think it’s just food poisoning.” I downplay it to get the worry off his eyes. “It’s nothing to be worried about.” I say, shaking off the look he’s giving me.

“No, Love. I think—” Luke cuts off his words.

“You think what?” He closes the bathroom door behind him. He tugs me towards him and lowers himself so we’re eye level. His eyes are crystal blue and the fluorescents of the light bring them out so beautifully. His hands slide to mine, warm and grounding.

“Dayna, I think you’re pregnant.” His voice dropped down to a whisper.

My heart lurches. Me? Pregnant? I mean, we’ve been trying for over a year. Hope has come and gone. I even got my period recently–except…it was lighter than usual. Barely any cramps. I didn’t think twice about it .

“But I feel fine…” I say, words tumbling out. “I don’t have any symptoms. I’ve only thrown up once–” He shakes his head, smiling faintly.

“Dayna. You love when I make meatloaf. The minute you walked in, the smell of it hit you bad. You normally can’t wait for us to sit down and have dinner.” He says looking deep into my eyes. “But tonight, you looked at it like it was going to kill you.”

My stomach turns again, but this time, it’s not nausea. It’s nerves. It’s hope.

“I— I don’t know, Luke…What if I’m not.”