The Summers After

forty-three

BELLY

Belly has a strange sense of deja vu, staring at the bathroom counter. She was in this exact position almost exactly a year ago. Could she really be pregnant?

Her skin feels alive with excitement.

Three tests.

Six pink lines, two pink lines on each.

Belly's pregnant.

She collapses to the bathroom floor in tears. Her heart might actually burst. The happiness floods through her body. She opens the door slightly.

"Conrad!" She shouts.

She hears footsteps up the stairs and his face is full of panic when he comes into view, "What's wrong?"

"Come here," She says, tears still streaming down her face.

Conrad sits down next to her on the floor, "Why are you crying?"

She holds the tests out for him. He looks at her, then back at the tests.

"Are these real?"

Belly nods, "Yes."

"You're pregnant?"

"Yes."

Conrad crashes his lips onto hers, "Oh my God,"

They're both crying and the kiss is salty from their tears, but Belly can't pull away. She lets him kiss her intensely, pure love and joy coming through each touch.

"I knew we could do it baby." Conrad breathes against her lips.

Belly laughs, "I can't believe it."

Conrad grabs Belly's face in his hands and looks at her seriously, as if reading her mind he says, "Everything is going to be great, okay?"

Belly pushes her forehead against his, "Okay."

They sit like that for a long time, just living in the joy for a moment. They decide not to tell anyone for a while, until she can have her first appointment and they get the all clear.

Belly is full of excitement, they've been wanting this for so long, and when they got Crew, Belly wondered if maybe they weren't meant to have a third biologically. Maybe Crew was their third. But now, they get another baby. She's also full of worry and concern.

Belly wipes her face and heads back downstairs to join Conrad and the boys. Jeremiah and Hailey are still there.

"Everything okay?" Hailey asks Belly.

"Yep!" Belly says happily.

Conrad gives Belly a smile. It's the kind of smile that makes a girl weak in the knees, and Belly thinks to herself, I'm so glad I get to have his babies.

Conrad looks at his brother, "So are you two back together?"

Jeremiah nods and kisses Hailey's temple, "We are."