I feel like my heart’s been broken again, but this time I know it’s my own damn fault.

I’m depressed for a week. I try and distract myself with work and I even start writing some code again, but nothing really helps. Olivia keeps hovering in my office, trying to give me new tasks to keep me distracted, but it’s just not the same.

I keep thinking about Emma, and Julie. She’s not coming into work, and Sven was pissed at first. He calmed down when I put him in charge of the project, although he wasn’t too happy when I refused to cancel it entirely. I know it doesn’t really work without Emma’s insight, but I’m not ready to give up on her completely. Besides, Olivia said we should keep that project open, so it was an easy decision.

It’s just like last time, all those years ago. I forgot about Kelly and that damn fucking engagement, but now it’s all back, and it’s worse. The world seems colorless.

I’m being a fucking baby.

One week after Emma stops coming to work, I try and get my shit together. It’s Monday and I’m burying my head in work. The Mark 2 is practically ready, and now it’s just a matter of giving it my final approval. I wanted to wait for Emma’s team to finish their algorithm, but I realize now that it’s not going to happen.

It’s time to accept that the Mark 2 is as good as it’s going to be and release it into the world. I know it’s going to change people’s lives, since it’s an improved and less expensive version. It’s more accessible, and I think it’s going to finally usher self-driving cars into the mainstream.

I just wish I had someone to share all this with.

My intercom buzzes. “Yes?”

“Olivia here for you,” Lucy says.

“Send her in.”

Olivia comes through the door a minute later, a strange smile on her lips. “Remember the other day when you were saying I never do any favors for you?”

I give her a strange look. “Uh, what?”

“Well, remember that, okay?”

“What are you talking about?”

She’s practically grinning and I get a really bad feeling. Olivia never smiles like this. “Just don’t forget who set this up,” she says, and my intercom buzzes again.

“Emma May here for you, David.”

I stare at Olivia. “What did you do?” I ask her.

Olivia just shakes her head, practically giddy with excitement, which is totally bizarre.

“Send her in,” I tell Lucy.

Emma comes into the room a minute later. Olivia slips away without another word, leaving Emma alone with me.

I stand up as she approaches. She’s wearing that cream blouse that I really like again and a park of dark slacks. She stops in front of my desk and takes a deep breath.

“David, I’m sorry.”

I blink, surprised. “You’re… sorry?”

“I’m sorry,” she says again. “There’s something you should know.”

“Emma, wait. I’m just happy you’re here.” I start to come around toward her, but she puts her hands up.

“No, please. Let me get this out, okay?”

“Okay,” I say, and slowly sit back down in my chair.

She sits in the chair across from me. “I’ve been lying to you, too,” she says finally.

“You have?” I’m at a total loss now.

“David, I can’t get pregnant.”

She lets that sink in and I stare at her, totally fucking confused. “Uh, Emma, I mean, you did already, right?”

“Yes,” she says, a little frustrated frown on her lips. “But Julie… well, the doctors told me that she was a one-in-a-million chance, and it would never happen again.”

I stare at her, blinking. “How? I mean, what?”

She takes another deep breath and lets it out. “I was lying from the start, David. Julie was a freak thing, and I can’t really have babies. It doesn’t matter that you got that procedure done… I couldn’t get pregnant anyway. And I knew it from the start.”

I stare at her, totally taken aback. It’s like a bombshell and I really didn’t see it coming.

I slowly shake my head, trying to understand, but it’s like I’m running in circles. “So you got pregnant,” I say slowly, “but you can’t get pregnant again?”

“Pretty much,” she says. “That first time was a miracle, basically. And I knew that entering into the contract.”

It suddenly clicks. “That’s why you wanted that clause… to get money, even if you never got pregnant.”

“Right,” she says, nodding. “I knew I wouldn’t get pregnant, so I had to find a way to still get money.”

“And I was too stupid to realize,” I say, laughing. “I just figured you were guarding against some unlikely thing or whatever.”

“Nope,” she says. “I was just making sure I’d get money, even though I was lying to you.”

I stare at her, and slowly I feel something in my chest. It bubbles up and I can’t control it. I start laughing, shaking my head.

“Holy shit,” I say. “This is insane.”

I start laughing harder, and now I really do feel like a crazy person. At first, Emma looks at me like I’m about to jump out the window, but slowly she starts laughing along.

God, it feels so fucking good to laugh with her like this. The whole situation is so fucking absurd, all because we couldn’t just talk to each other. I have to create this elaborate way to get close to her, and in the process we both lied about pretty much the same thing.

Slowly though, our laughter dies down. She’s smiling at me as I lean back and stretch a little.

“I’m really sorry that I got mad at you,” she says. “I was being a hypocrite.”

“It’s okay,” I say. “Honestly, it really is. I’m just glad we have this all out in the open.”

“I didn’t mean to string you along. I know… I know you really do want a family.”

I nod slowly, my smile fading. “I wasn’t lying about that,” I say.

“I know you weren’t.” She’s staring down at the floor, not saying anything, and my heart starts racing.

She slowly looks up at me again. “She’s yours, David. Julie’s your daughter.”

Those are the words I’ve been waiting for all this time. My heart’s racing and I can’t help but smile big. Julie’s my daughter, my perfect baby daughter. And on top of that, she was a miracle, the kind of baby that defies science completely. I don’t know how we did this, but we created a miracle together.

“Thank you,” I say softly. “I’ve been waiting to hear that.”

“What are you going to do now?” she asks.

“Nothing,” I say. “She’s your daughter, and I’m a total stranger to her. I just… I’d like to be a part of her life.”

“Okay,” she says, sighing. “We can do that.”

“Slowly,” I say quickly. “You don’t have to tell her anything at first. But eventually… I’d like her to know, if you’re okay with that.”

“I will be,” she says. “I won’t pretend like it doesn’t scare the hell out of me. She’s been my whole world for so long now, and you’re… well, you’re you.”

“What does that mean?”

“You’re rich and famous and handsome and smart and I’m terrified you’ll take her from me.”

I shake my head, although I can’t help but smile. “I promise, she’ll always be your daughter first and foremost, before anything else.”

“I know,” she says. “I’m just being stupid.”

“You’re not being stupid,” I say. “We just need to start being honest with each other.”

“You’re right,” she says.

“Good.” I take a breath and let it out, laughing again. I’m full of nervous energy and I don’t know how to release it all. “You’re coming back to work, right?”

“I hope so,” She says. “If it’s okay with you.”

“It’s okay with me,” I say. “We’re launching the Mark 2 in the next few weeks.”

“Really?” She perks up. “That’s amazing.”

“Your algorithm isn’t going to make it into the final model. But there are always updates.”

“Yeah,” she says, grinning at me. “Always updates.”

I watch her beautiful face for what feels like an hour although it’s maybe just a few seconds. She’s gorgeous and I feel so much happier than I ever have before. Julie’s my daughter, and Emma’s my… something, I don’t know what yet. I do know one thing, though.

I know I love this woman.

I get up from my chair and walk around my desk. She watches me as I approach. I crouch down in front of her and put my hand on her cheek and she leans into it, turning her head slightly.

“I missed you,” I say.

“I missed you too.”

I lean forward and kiss her, and for the first time since we started all of this, there’s nothing else behind it. This is just a kiss, free of any contracts or lies or half-truths. This is just a kiss because I want to kiss her, need to taste her, nothing beyond that.

We slowly break apart. “We should void that contract,” I say softly.

“Well, maybe not just yet.” Her eyes are bright and gleaming, and I feel something stir inside of me.

“You want me to take advantage of you one more time,” I say softly, moving toward her, lips against her ear.

“Yes, please, boss,” she whispers back.

I pull her out of her seat and push her up against my desk. She leans back and wraps her legs around my waist as we kiss, full and hungry and equal. I need her so badly that it almost fucking hurts, and there’s nothing in the world that can stop me now.