Keifer stood at the door, keys in hand.
Keifer: "Sure you don't want to come?"
Jay: "I'm tired."
Keifer: "From yesterday?"
Jay: "From being a penguin."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "OUR thing."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
He kissed her forehead. "I'll be back soon. Anything specific?"
Jay: "Just the usual."
Keifer: "And ice cream?"
Jay: "Always ice cream."
Keifer: "Penguin wife needs her ice cream."
Jay: "GO."
He laughed. Left.
The door clicked shut.
Silence.
Jay stood in the kitchen. Stretching. Still sore. But that wasn't what was on her mind.
She counted in her head.
Days since her last period.
Twenty-eight. Twenty-nine. Thirty.
Thirty-one.
Her stomach tightened.
Jay: "No. No way."
She walked to the bathroom. Slowly. Carefully.
Opened the cabinet. Found the box she'd bought months ago. For emergencies. For just in case.
Her hands shook as she opened it.
Three minutes.
The longest three minutes of her life.
She sat on the edge of the tub. Stared at the stick.
One line. Two lines.
Two lines.
Jay stared at it. Blinked. Looked again.
Two lines.
Jay: "Oh my god."
She read the box. Checked the instructions again.
Two lines. Positive.
Jay: "Oh my GOD."
She sat there for a long time.
Heart pounding. Hands shaking. Mind racing.
A baby. Their baby.
She thought of Keifer. His face when she told him. His arms around her. His voice saying "I love you" to their child.
She started crying.
Happy tears. Scared tears. All of them.
She composed herself. Washed her face. Hid the test in her pocket.
Walked back to the living room.
Sat on the couch. Stared at the wall.
A baby.
She looked at the kitchen. Their kitchen. Soon there would be a high chair. Baby food. Messes.
She looked at the living room. Their living room. Soon there would be toys. Blankets. Tiny socks.
She looked at the bedroom. Their bedroom. Soon there would be a crib. Late nights. Early mornings.
A baby.
The door opened.
Keifer walked in. Bags of groceries. Normal. Everyday.
Keifer: "I'm back."
Jay: "Hey."
Keifer: "Got your ice cream."
Jay: "Good."
Keifer: "You okay?"
Jay: "Fine."
Keifer: "You're crying."
Jay: "I'm not."
Keifer: "Your eyes are red."
Jay: "Allergies."
Keifer: "It's winter."
Jay: "Winter allergies."
Keifer set the bags down. Walked to her. Cupped her face.
Keifer: "Jay."
Jay: "Keifer."
Keifer: "What's wrong?"
Jay: "Nothing."
Keifer: "Liar."
Jay: "Maybe."
Keifer: "Talk to me."
Jay looked at him. Her husband. The love of her life.
She almost told him. The words were right there.
But—
She wanted it to be perfect. Not in the middle of groceries. Not with tears still drying. Not with ice cream melting.
Jay: "I'm just tired."
Keifer: "Tired?"
Jay: "From yesterday. And the move. And everything."
Keifer studied her face. Didn't believe her.
But he let it go.
Keifer: "Okay. I'll put the groceries away."
Jay: "I'll help."
Keifer: "No. You rest."
He kissed her forehead. Went to the kitchen.
Jay watched him.
Soon, she thought. I'll tell you soon.
She spent the day planning.
How to tell him. When to tell him. Where to tell him.
A cute reveal? A simple "we're having a baby"? A gift?
She thought of Grazel Jay throwing flowers. Keifer's face when he saw the test. His hands on her stomach.
She smiled.
That night. Dinner.
Keifer cooked. Jay watched.
Jay: "You're getting good at this."
Keifer: "I have a good teacher."
Jay: "Tita Gema?"
Keifer: "You."
Jay: "I don't cook."
Keifer: "You eat. Enthusiastically."
Jay: "That's not a skill."
Keifer: "It's an art."
Jay laughed.
Keifer watched her. Still suspicious. Still waiting.
After dinner. Couch. Movie playing. Neither watching.
Jay leaned against him. His arm around her.
Keifer: "You're quiet tonight."
Jay: "Just thinking."
Keifer: "About?"
Jay: "The future."
Keifer: "Good things?"
Jay: "The best things."
Keifer: "Tss."
Jay: "OUR thing."
Keifer: "OUR thing."
He kissed her hair.
She almost told him then.
The words were there. On her lips.
Keifer. I'm pregnant.
But she wanted it to be special. Not on the couch. Not in sweatpants. Not with ice cream still in the freezer.
Tomorrow, she thought. I'll tell you tomorrow.
She snuggled closer. Hand on her stomach. Their baby. Growing.
Soon.
Keifer: "Jay?"
Jay: "Mm?"
Keifer: "Whatever you're thinking about... I'm excited too."
Jay: "How do you know it's exciting?"
Keifer: "Your face. You get this little smile. Like you have a secret."
Jay: "I don't have a secret."
Keifer: "Liar."
Jay: "Maybe."
Keifer: "I'll wait."
Jay: "For what?"
Keifer: "For you to tell me."
He kissed her.
She kissed him back. Smiling into it.
The movie ended. They went to bed.
Jay lay awake. Hand on her stomach. Heart full.
She thought of Keifer's face when he found out. The way he'd hold her. The way he'd talk to her belly.
She thought of their parents. Serina crying. Jasfer crying. Tita Gema crying. Everyone crying.
She thought of Section E. Ci-n screaming. Rakki smiling. Mica sobbing. Freya pretending not to care. Edrix saying "never."
She thought of Grazel Jay. A new cousin. More flowers.
She thought of Keifer's arms around her. His voice saying "I love you" to their baby.
She fell asleep smiling.
The test was in her drawer. Hidden. Waiting.
Tomorrow, she thought.
Tomorrow I'll tell him.