It took us a couple months to arrange everything, but at this point we’ve got it all sorted out. Scout and I have moved into the city, into Dan’s semi-unused house in what he calls the suburbs. But to me it still has that city-like feel. We’re close enough to the city to go into get a bite to eat, or to catch a move or a show.

Oh, we moved in with Dan, of course. Not just into his house. In case anyone was confused—although that seems somewhat unlikely, especially if you’ve been following my story all along.

The school district is great, actually quite a bit better for Scout. She misses some of her friends, but she’s quickly making new ones that I have the feeling will be her friends for a lifetime.

I sold the business. After all, it wasn’t doing too well, and it was going to fold anyway. I suppose the end of some happy stories might be that the business just exploded in popularity, now that I’m with Dan. But this is real life. But I don’t really mind in the least bit. The whole business was more of a stressor than anything else. And, anyway Dan and Scout are the two most important things in my life. The money can come and it can go, and when you have it you’re not even thinking about it. That’s just the way it is—something that took me a long time to learn. And what was that? Well, don’t’ stress about money, unless you have to, and then it can be a pretty damn stressful situation.

But it’s not over for me with physical therapy. I’m going to open a new practice. Dan is going to give me a loan, since he has plenty of money, and it’s not really anything to him financially to loan me some. I’ve analyzed the market, done my market research so to speak, and found that here in the city people are much more willing to pay for slightly more experimental therapies, so to speak. Basically, there’s a huge market here for swimming physical therapy, which is great.

Everything couldn’t be going better. Dan and I are incredibly happy together, and he seems to love his new role as dad, more than I could have imagined. And Scout, well, I’ve never seen her happier, now that she has two parents who care so much about her.

Each day I wake up, roll over, and see Dan’s sexy muscular body lying next to me in bed. I almost couldn’t believe it the first time it happened, once Scout and I moved in. Now that the football season is over, Dan has a lot more free time, and since I’m not working yet, we have plenty of time for sex, when Scout is off at school. When she gets home, Dan usually cooks dinner, and it turns out he’s a fabulous cook. We’ve been making plans for the summer, which vacation spots we’d like to go to, and all the things we could do with Scout in the city once she’s out of school. But we’ve already done a lot in the city, and I think it’s great for Scout’s education.

This is one of those rare mornings where I wake up alone. Scout’s not at school yet, and she’s probably still asleep. I remember Dan say something last night about doing an errand early this morning, but I don’t remember what it was, or whether he explained it.

This is weird. There’s something strange going on with my stomach, a strange feeling that I haven’t felt in a long time. It’s very familiar, a sick, nauseous feeling, but I can’t quite place it. When was the last time I felt this way? I really can’t remember. I’m not the type to get sick very often.

Uh-oh, the sick feeling is suddenly coming on strong.

I rush out of bed, just wearing my nightgown that I sleep in, and rush into the bathroom attached to the bedroom.

I’m headed right to the toilet, and I shove my face in it (not something you want to do every morning, obviously) and the vomit hurls itself out of me.

I keep retching for another minute, and then sit down on the tiled floor, resting my head against the wall, completely exhausted.

Suddenly, the thought hits me: the last time I felt like this was over six years ago, when I found out I was pregnant with Scout. Could I possibly be pregnant?

This time, I don’t have to rush to the store. I happen to have a couple pregnancy tests on hand, given to me be a friend at my old job, for what reason I can’t begin to fathom. But I hung onto them, just in case, as you might say.

I get up onto the toilet, after wiping my mouth and brushing my teeth (I mean, who can stand that taste, right?) and then I pee onto the stick and wait the required minute and a half (these devices seem to be improving technologically or something).

It turns pink!

Wait, what does that mean?

I check the instructions frantically.

Pink means pregnant!

I’m going to have another child with Dan!

“Chloe?” comes Dan’s deep voice from the bedroom. “Are you in there?”

“Yeah,” I say. “Just a second.”

Without thinking, my instinct is to hide everything, hide the evidence, so I take the pregnancy test and stuff it into my bathrobe pocket.

I glance in the mirror, and straighten my hair a little bit. I know Dan’s seen me every which way, even in the morning, and still finds me sexy as hell, but I guess it doesn’t’ hurt to tidy up a little. I rearrange the top of my robe so that some more cleave is showing, and then I open the door and walk out, taking a deep breath and trying to look calm, while my insides are bout to burst with excitement.

“What’s going on?” I say, taking a look at Dan.

He looks sexy as hell, as always, really, but today he’s dressed up, wearing a button down blue shirt and dress slacks. His hair is combed and gelled, and he’s clean-shaven.

“You look good,” I say, looking him up and down. After all this time together, I still find it difficult to take my eyes off him.

Dan doesn’t’ say anything.

“You OK?” I say.

Dan just look sat me, hungrily, with desire but it’s not the normal pre-sex look. No, it’s something more. But I can feel his desire for me.

He surprises me completely by walking towards me, taking my hand, and dropping to one knee.

I suddenly realize what’s about to happen, or at least what I think is about to happen.

I gasp and cover my hand with my mouth in complete surprise.

“Chloe,” says Dan, speaking gravely but with joy on his face, looking me directly in the eyes. “Will you do the me the honor of marring me?”

I’m too shocked to speak for a moment, and then I regain my voice.

“Of course!” I say, taking the ring from the box that Dan opens up.

He helps me slide the ring on my finger and I start laughing, laughing with pure joy.

Dan’s hugging me, and now we’re kissing. We break apart and we both fall into joyous laughter.

“There’s another little surprise,” I say. “This time from me. I just can’t wait to tell you…”

“What is it?”

“I’m pregnant!” I say.

“You’re pregnant!” His face is lit up with joy.

“I’m pregnant!” I say again.

We embrace again.

“I love you so much, Chloe,” says Dan.

“I love you too, Dan,” I say. “So, so much.”

“I can’t wait to tell Scout!”

THE END