Choosing Love

Chapter 4: Secrets Revealed

For a moment she could only stare at the test, mouth agape. The shock was thorough and paralyzing. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. It had quite literally taken her breath away.

She didn't know how long she stayed that way, frozen to the spot. She jumped when a knock came at her door. She hid the test in a nightstand drawer before calmly saying, "come in."

It was Louise. She stuck her head in through the door.

"Mrs. Doyle, are you alright?" She asked, concern in her eyes. Lauren smiled.

"I'm fine, Louise. Thank you."

"Are you sure?" She pressed.

"I'm sure, I promise. I'm Just tired." She said, smiling. It was even true.

Still unconvinced but not wanting to push further, Louise pursed her lips but left the room. Lauren was grateful when she shut the door, and sighed deeply. She glanced at the nightstand, and unconsciously rested a hand on her stomach. A tiny life was growing inside of her. A mix of Ian and herself. The thought made her smile. It drove her to think a little more logically.

She had already begun the process of adopting Declan. Motherhood had been on her radar now for a while- this was just a new way of experiencing it. Looking at it that way made her feel more confident. A part of her couldn't help but think about the last time she was pregnant in Italy. She had been a vulnerable fifteen year old girl back then. Now she was married to the man she loved deeply. As much as she wondered about who that other baby might have become, she knew that she could give this baby a better life now than back then. This baby would be taken care of financially, would have a bright future ahead of it, and most importantly to her would have both parents in it's life. And she would give it all the stability, comfort, and support it needed. It changed her entire outlook on the situation. She took the test out of the drawer and held it in her hand, knowing that this was the beginning of the rest of her life.

Time seemed to purposely slow to a crawl to thwart her. She couldn't help the anxiety that filtered down to every nerve ending in her body. She kept herself sequestered in her bedroom, afraid that if she did someone would find out somehow. Louise came to check in on her a few times. Lauren asked that she take Declan out somewhere for the evening so that she and her husband would have the house to themselves. Although the nanny was highly suspicious of her behavior, she didn't question her.

At four o'clock she started setting the dining room table with a white tablecloth, linen napkins, roses, and candles. Once that was done she started cooking- Chicken á la king in a red wine reduction sauce, asparagus, smashed potatoes, and crème brûlée for dessert. While it was cooking she changed her clothes. A sexy red dress that showed off her breasts and hugged her curves, and silver stilettos to match. She fixed her hair and makeup and finished right when the crème brûlée needed to come out of the oven. She set the food out on the table before lighting the candles. After that, she waited for her husband to come home.

Ian got home from work fifteen minutes later, and was pleasantly surprised to see a candlelit dinner waiting for him along with his wife dressed to kill. He grinned at her and put an arm around her waist as he pulled her in for a kiss.

"You look ravishing, love." She grinned.

"Thank you. Now come sit so I can fix you a plate."

His smile widened. "Alright." He sat down as she prepared his plate. After fixing her own, she sat across from him and started eating.

"Where's Declan?"

"He and Louise are out for the evening, so we have the whole house to ourselves." She said, a mischievous glint in her eye.

He raised his glass to her and drank, not noticing that her wine glass was only filled with water.

"How was your day?" She asked.

"Long and exhausting."

"Doesn't that make it like every other day?"

"It was that way even more so today than usual."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You already made it better by doing this."

"I'm glad I could help."

There was a beat of quiet. "Speaking of doing this, what exactly is this for?"

"Can't a wife make dinner for her husband without getting the third degree?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, can you?" She blushed, and it gave her away. Ian reached across the table to take her hand. "What aren't you telling me, darling?"

She smiled. "Am I that obvious?"

"Not to most, but you are to me."

She smiled and looked away from his gaze. "I don't know how to say this..."

"Take your time." His encouragement made her slightly less nervous.

"I'm pregnant."

The surprised look on his face was so strange that it almost made her laugh. But the look of pure joy that flashed through his eyes when he realized what she had just said broke through to him. He stood up, went over to where his wife sat, helped her up, and then spun her around in a circle. She laughed, and it was a carefree, thrilling sound. He pressed her close to him and kissed her deeply and passionately.

"I didn't need another reason to love you even more, Mrs. Doyle. And yet now I have one."

She smiled. "So you're ready to have this baby?"

"With you by my side I can do anything. It will be the first of many great adventures in our life together."

Lauren wrapped her arms around his neck in an emotional embrace. To hear him talk about their life together with a baby of their own was enough to move her to tears. She felt a tear run down her face as she whispered into her husband's ear.

"I love you Ian."

"I love you too."