“How was LA?”

We’re sitting around with Rylan and Trevor. They just got back from their trip to LA and I’m dying to hear about how it went. I got a few texts from Ry about their sister’s new boyfriend.

“Man, LA can be exhausting after a while. How we grew up there and remained normal I’ll never know. You should see Cally’s new boyfriend.” Trevor rolls his eyes. “He likes to meditate before dawn and eats from his organic garden because he eats vegan. Get this, he lives in a tent in mom and dad’s backyard! I tried scaring him out of there but Cally threw a hissy fit. The douchebag even has her showering twice a week to conserve water.”

“You’re lying. Nothing would make little miss geromophobe shower twice a week!” Grant says in disbelief.

“I shit you not. Her hair was greasier than a Walmart parking lot.”

I run to the kitchen after asking everyone what they want to drink. Carefully placing all four drinks in my arms is tricky, but I get it done and head back to the guys.

“Agnes know your plans?” That stops me outside the room and perks my ears up.

“Not yet, but I’m very confident she’ll say yes.”

“I don’t know Grant, you know how she is with money. And this isn’t a little thing like shoes or a car.”

A car? What the hell are they talking about?

“Plans for what?” I question walking around the corner.

“Fuck me.” Grant mumbles to himself.

“Plans?” I ask again.

“We’ll talk about it later Aggie.”

After narrowing my eyes, I take a seat on the couch.

Dinner is the best I’ve had in a while. I’ve missed Ry and Trev since they left a little over a week ago. I’m still trying to figure them out though. They always leave me baffled with how they talk about women they’ve been with. Maybe it’s the fact that I read too many romance books, but I’m thinking they’re talking about the same women half the time in their stories. Every time they joke around about a girl they usually imply they’ve each been with her. “Remember tiffany? She could give Jenna Jameson a run for her money.” “How could I forget her? She had her tongue pierced!”

Whenever they talk like this I usually slyly look towards Grant in confusion and he winks at me. That’s not an answer buddy! After all these months, I’m dying to know what their deal is!

“We ran into Michelle when we were there.”

“Don’t care.” Grant barely acknowledges.

“Well, you should have seen how funny it was. She was walking down the street with Randy arm and arm and a baby strapped to her chest. She had a giant stain of baby puke on her white jumpsuit and it looked like she hadn’t showered in a month. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. She’s lucky that sorry sack took her back otherwise she’d be up shit creek.” Trevor tells us.

Grant looks at his brother. “She’s not a bad person, she just made bad choices. I don’t wish her any ill will especially that baby. I honestly hope she turns her life around and is the best mother she can be.”

“Touchy, touchy. No problem, her name is now wiped from my memory.”

A little while later Grant walks his brothers to the door after they both kiss my cheek goodbye. Once he sits next to me on the couch I pounce. “What’s the verdict?”

“I don’t know why you think my parents would say something bad about you. When you meet them they’ll love you like I do. You have to relax. From the sounds of it, my sister’s boyfriend is the topic of the conversation in the Donovan family.”

“Stop, are you sure they didn’t say anything to them about me?” I was sure they’d have some smack talk from their parents about me. Maybe they really are nice people? There’s an epiphany on the rise about not all parents being assholes like mine when grant busts through my thoughts.

“The running joke in the family is that I’m five years older than you. It’s five years for crying out loud, not twenty!”

“You’re such a cradle robber.” I laugh.

“Ugh. Ry’s one to talk. His ex-girlfriend was fresh out of high school a few years back.”

“Gross, what’s the appeal?”

“Not a fucking clue. I love a real woman.”

“I’m wise beyond my years so the five years cancels out.”

“You represent your name like a true Agnes.” He chuckles.

I sit up and face him with my legs crossed under my butt remembering what I heard earlier. “What are these plans? Out with it!”

He looks confused until I clarify reminding him about what I heard earlier.

“I’ve been meeting with a realtor.”

“Finally scouting locations for the next restaurant in the city?”

“Not exactly.” He looks nervous.

“Okayyyy. Then why?”

“I wanted to talk to you about moving.”

“But… I just moved in.”

“You didn’t just move in. That was two months ago. But, how about we move out… together? To a bigger house.”

“You don’t want to live in the city anymore?”

“I love the city but it isn’t exactly great for…uh…” He rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “Raising kids.”

I get light headed and put my head between my legs. “When the fuck did I become pregnant?” I whisper to myself.

Grant laughs. “I’m not saying you are… although it’s been a long ass time since you’ve had your period.”

Crap. Think Agnes. Four… six… eight. Damn, I am way past due for my period. How the hell does he know my body better than me?

“You’re a creep you know that?”

“I’m also a creep that picked up a pregnancy test.”

My heart starts beating because this is insane. Never in my life have I had to take a pregnancy test. It must be stress or something, I’ve been on the pill for months now.

“There’s no way. I take my birth control religiously. It has to be something else!” My voice is getting high pitched and I know I’m starting to sound hysterical.

“You had to take those antibiotics a month ago. Remember, for that sinus infection?”

“Yes, but why would that matter?”

“Honestly Aggie, you call yourself a nerd and you didn’t research taking an antibiotic while on the pill?”

“Obviously I’m a fraud.” I cover my face with my hands ready to be schooled.

“It says to use a condom while on antibiotics because it cancels it out.”

“Well why didn’t you wear a fucking condom?”

He remains silent but smiles at me. “Maybe it was my master plan baby.”

“This isn’t a joking matter Grant! I could be pregnant!”

“I’m kidding. I didn’t read about it until I suspected you were pregnant. And we’ll deal with it. I won’t be upset if it reads positive. I’m 29, I’d like a kid before I’m 30.”

“That’s next week pal. These things don’t work like that!”

I get off the couch in seek of the little box that has the potential to change my life. The pharmacy bags on the table next to the door and screams at me like a beacon.

When I storm by the living room I make sure to glare at Grant even though this isn’t really his fault. I should have been more responsible even though it wouldn’t have killed him to share the information with me.

I’m in the bathroom reading the directions when there’s a knock.

“I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Open the door Aggie, I’m not missing this.”

“You’re not watching me pee on this thing Grant! No freaking way!”

There’s a louder knock.

“I’ll open the door when I’m done! Jeesh.”

It says that your first urine of the day is the best to use, but I figure I’ll do one now and one in the morning. Just in case. Grant bought the economy size box of tests so I have plenty to work with.

Once the deed is done and I have the stick safely sitting on the box, I open the door and Grant comes barreling inside with me.

“Did I miss it?”

“God you’re impatient. No, it’ll be another two minutes.”

“Well in that case…” He pushes me up against the bathroom door and slams his mouth to mine. His tongue licks the seam begging for entrance and I’m more than happy to oblige. Our tongues are at war and his hand starts working its way down my body when the alarm on my phone goes off.

“Let’s just finish this up and we’ll take a little peekski when we’re done.”

“It’s okay to be nervous Aggie.”

“I’m freaking the hell out! I might have a tiny human in me right now. How does that not freak you out?”

“Because I want this. The love of my life, the house, the dog… and the baby.”

“I’m allergic to dogs.”

“Then we’ll get a cat or a bird or something.”

“Okay… let’s do this.”

I find myself excited. If I’m pregnant I’ll be shocked don’t get me wrong. But is a baby so bad? Do I wish I had more time with just me and Grant? Of course. But a baby… a little baby that was made from its mommy and daddy’s love. It brings tears to my eyes.

“Ready?” He looks intently into my eyes. My hearts racing like a mother effer and I can barely hear over the sound of the blood rushing through my ears.

“You do it, I can’t look.” I urge him on.

He turns towards the test and examines it. Then he picks up the directions and studies those. When he turns back to me his face is serious and my stomach sinks. Until a giant smile lights up his face telling me without the words that I am in fact pregnant.

“Holy shit.” I drop to the ground and put my head in my hands. This is a lot to take in.

“Baby, are you okay with this? I know it wasn’t planned…”

I shush him by putting a finger over his mouth. “Everything is perfect. Just give me a minute to freak out.”

He encases my face with his hands and kisses all over my face. Then he turns me into a sobbing mess when he places me on my feet and kneels before me. His heads at stomach level and he lifts my shirt before planting a single kiss to the center of my belly.

“I promise to love you every day of your life.”

“Oh my god.” I sniffle and snort while sobbing. “Is this for real? This can’t be real life!”

He stands up. “Believe it baby. It’s me and you.”

“And junior here.” I laugh.

“Can’t name a little girl junior baby.”

And just like that my world shifts again.