Vic closed the door to Tachina’s bedroom behind him. The air felt different. It was charged, quiet, and a little tense. Not in a bad way. Just anticipation. On her vanity sat four rectangular boxes. The tests.
“You bought out the pharmacy?” He walked over to them and picked one of them up. He’d never even been this close to a test before. He was confused. Why would she need this many?
“It’s for accuracy. Nerves. A little bit of craziness, I know.” She breathed a nervous laugh and came to stand beside him.
“But you need to take four?” He placed the box down and grabbed another one. He read the back of it where it promoted how it had a 99.9% accuracy rate.
“You ever see a false positive?” Her eyebrows rose.
“I’ve never seen any result on a test,” he said.
Her smile dimmed slightly. He hadn’t been with her when she’d tested and found out she was pregnant with Kian.
“But I’m here tonight and I’m sure I’ll learn a lot.”
She giggled and then paused. Her eyes widened, and she began a little hopping dance on her toes.
“I had to drink a bunch of water. I wanted to make sure I would have enough pee when it was time to take the tests. I’ve been holding it for a while.”
“That’s why you’re dancing?” He smirked.
“Yes,” she said through clenched teeth. “My bladder hates me. Let’s do this before I explode and make a mess of myself.”
She raced into the bathroom and left the door partially open. He turned and found that she had brought his bag all the way into the room. It now rested on the chair beside the bed. He glanced back at the vanity. She’d left the tests. Wouldn’t she need them? Or did she have more in there with her?
“Okay. Come in and bring those boxes,” she called out. “And don’t freak out because there’s a cup.”
“A cup?” He frowned. He grabbed the boxes and headed into the bathroom. There was a small clear cup that held her urine in it.
“Yeah, for my urine. It makes it easier to dip the test instead of trying to pee directly on the sticks.” She giggled.
“You can aim like that?” he joked.
“Maybe, but we ain’t testing my skills out tonight.” She grinned.
He set the boxes down on the counter. They opened each of them. She placed the boxes in a row, then proceeded to perform the testing by dipping each end in the urine then sitting the test on top of the corresponding box. He just watched in wonder. Had she been by herself the night she’d found out she was pregnant with Kian? He swallowed hard, realizing all that he had truly missed.
Once she was done, she stepped back and exhaled. She set a timer on her phone and turned to him. Her eyes were wide, and her bottom lip trembled. He pulled her against him slowly. He slid his hands up her back as her forehead pressed to his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head.
“This is really happening again,” she whispered.
“It is,” he murmured. “And I’m honored you want me here.”
“I’m happy you want to be here,” she replied. “It means a lot to me. Plus, you are his father and this baby’s father. Why wouldn’t I want you here?”
That word—baby—hit him like a blow and a blessing.
“No matter what happens, nothing will change between us.” He cupped her face. This was a promise he was going to uphold. That was one thing about him. His word was law. In the business world and in his personal life. He was a man who always kept his promises.
“Promise?” She held up her pinky finger just like their son had.
He smiled and looped his with hers.
“I promise.” He kissed her on the forehead, then gently on the lips.
Her body pressed to him as her lips parted for him. He couldn’t help but deepen the kiss. This woman was his everything. She just didn’t know it yet. But she soon would. They pulled apart, breathing heavily.
He dropped another kiss on her forehead. “How much longer?”