Page 108 of Theodore

“Are you okay?” Theo barked as I heard the engine start shortly after.

“I’m fine—just come. Drive carefully.”

He hung up, and the nerves churned in the pit of my stomach.

Mara rubbed my back reassuringly as I gathered the test stick and the box it came in.

“I’mruininghis life.”

“Hannah, having a baby is ablessing! You are in love and are so good together. You’ll get through this regardless of your decision. Just please stop trying to decide for him.” Mara begged as I fell into her arms. “Plus, I’d be the aunt,” she whispered, and I laughed despite myself.

“You’d have to marry Ryan first.” I pointed out as she chewed on her lip thoughtfully.

“I told him not yet. I want to finish school first.”

I looked up at her sharply, a gasp escaping my lips. “Wait. Ryan’s asked you?”

Mara nodded with a grin.

“He said hewantsto marry me but wanted to see how I felt about it if he proposed. He doesn’t want to scare me off—we’ve been together about amonth.” She giggled as I stared at her in disbelief.

“Fuckme.”

“Iknow. I jumped on him. I was so excited!”

We made our way downstairs as the doorbell chimed through the house. I looked at Mara nervously as she went to open it.

“Want me to make myself scarce?”

“Yes, please. In the nicest way. I have to do this myself.”

I swallowed as Mara opened the door.

“Hi Theo, bye, Theo.”

Mara strode past Theo as he looked at her in bewilderment.

“Has she just left her own house?”

He jutted a finger in her direction as I waited for him to come in. He turned back to me, the smile on his lips fading when he saw my face. His eyes fell to the box in my hand, and he opened his mouth in an ‘O’ shape.

“Is that—”

“A pregnancy test,” I whispered as he gazed at me, frozen to the spot.

“And are you, uh, are you...pregnant?” Theo asked, his voice unusually high-pitched.

“Yep.”

“Wow,” he said, striding towards me. Taking my hand, he kissed it softly. “So are these tears of happiness or sadness?”

“I don’t know.” I wailed as he nodded, his green eyes on mine. “We’re in school. We don’t have any money. It would besodifficult, Theo.”

Theo was silent for a moment as he studied me.

“But it’sourbaby. We would have to find a way to manage. I could work—”

“Like last time? I saw how exhausted you were.” I reminded him.