Morgan dropped a tray of cookies before they even made it to the cooling rack. Now what would she put out for a third option with afternoon tea? “Damn it!”

“There’s no five second rule in professional baking, I take it?” Kate asked from the entryway.

“Definitely not.”

“Don’t be so cranky. I’m just teasing.” Kate said as she knelt to clean up Morgan’s mess. “I came to see how you were today, but I think the answer is grouchy again.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She didn’t mean to be a bitch, it just came out sounding that way.

Kate ignored her barb and leaned toward the pass-through window to the storefront. Currently they were in the lull between breakfast and lunch. From where she stood, Morgan could see one of her employees, Lila, playing with Nathan and Abby in the kid’s corner. The bakery had become an instant hit with local moms when they realized they could bring their children and grab a snack for themselves while they played in the secure area filled with toys, many of which the crew had made themselves. Colorful blocks, a wooden train set, and beads strung onto painted wire kept kids entertained long enough for a coffee break, at least.

Morgan fingered the necklace Joe had given her. She loved that it rested between her breasts, close to her heart. Thinking of him always helped when she was having a rough day.

“Lila, would you mind keeping things under control for a half hour or so? I think Morgan needs a break.” Morgan’s super-capable assistant wouldn’t mind, and while her reflex was to argue, Morgan thought Kate might actually be right.

“No problem. I agree.” Lila turned to them and lowered her voice so no customers could overhear. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed something’s wrong lately. Take as long as you need if you two can sort it out.”

Morgan whipped her apron over her head and snapped, “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not,” Kate and Lila said in unison.

Neither woman argued further as Morgan stormed upstairs where they could talk in private. Kate chased after her. “What the hell is going on?” she wondered.

Morgan didn’t respond. Instead she paced across the living room and back a few times. She held out her necklace to Kate. “Do you see this?”

“Joe showed me yesterday. It’s beautiful.” She smiled. “I know how upset you were that you lost your lucky rock. So…why don’t you seem happy to have it back?”

“I am. But what the hell am I going to get him for Christmas?” She threw her hands in the air. “I haven’t even thought about it with the bakery and…everything…that’s been happening.”

“You know all he needs is you.” Kate put her hand on Morgan’s wrist, holding her in place. “Don’t stress over it. He wouldn’t want you to.”

“That’s true, but he’s so damn good at surprising me. Always in the sweetest ways.” Her eyes prickled as she fingered the pebble wrapped in gold.

“Mo, this isn’t like you. You’re not the kind of woman to freak out over a non-emergency or get overly emotional even about something as romantic as this. What’s really bugging you?” Kate peered at her, cutting through the bullshit.

“There’s something wrong with me.” Morgan melted onto the bench nearby.

“What?” Kate flew to her and perched beside her. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure.” As soon as she admitted it, the tears escaped her eyes and the fear she’d refused to voice for nearly two months choked her.

“Oh, honey.” Kate leaned her cheek on Morgan’s shoulder and rubbed her back. “You’re really worried, aren’t you? What haven’t you been telling me?”

“I don’t feel good.” Morgan lifted a shoulder. That was putting it mildly.

“How so?” Kate raised her head to stare directly at Morgan, her eyes narrowed almost to slits as she thwarted Morgan’s attempt at whitewashing.

“When Joe and I are together I’m uncomfortable. It kind of hurts.” She shifted on the bench. “We did it this morning, and even now I feel…not right.”

“Maybe you need a mini-vacation?” Kate chuckled. “That’s happened to me before. Two people can only fuck so much before they need a breather. Don’t worry, it’ll make it even better when you get it on again.”

Morgan shook her head. “No, we haven’t even been having sex that often. I’m not really into it right now.”

“Damn, you must be sick.” Kate tried to lighten the mood, but it only made tears flood Morgan’s eyes again. She sniffled, unable to control her damn emotions.

“Sorry, Mo.” Kate squeezed her hands. “You’re kind of freaking me out here. Do you know something you’re not sharing?”

“My mom. You know how she died of uterine cancer?” Morgan shivered. “I have a lot of the same symptoms she did. Haven’t had my period in two months, weird cramps, feeling rundown, hurts when we have sex, fullness in my abdomen. Something’s not right and I think it’s bad. Really bad.”

“And this has been going on for months?” Kate looked like she couldn’t decide if she should hug Morgan or hit her.

Morgan studied the floor. “I know. I should have said something sooner, but…I’m afraid. What if something happens to me and I leave Joe alone? Nathan—”

She began to sob uncontrollably, clutching the pebble she’d missed dearly these past few agonizing weeks.

Kate let her vent, and rocked her until her panic subsided. That’s when she heard her best friend saying softly, “If anything ever took you from us, we would be crushed. But we’d be there for Joe and Nathan. You know that, right? We’d do anything for them to make their lives as full and happy as possible.”

It was the only thing keeping her sane, really. Morgan did know that. Because that’s how she’d felt after Dave’s accident.

“Can I ask a stupid question?” Kate drew Morgan’s attention to her.

Morgan shrugged. There wasn’t anything she minded her friend knowing now that her secret was out. Somehow, as much as she’d dreaded it, speaking her fears aloud had helped her face the possibility. If they were dealing with something life-threatening, she would fight it as best she could so that she could stay here, with the people who made her so damn happy.

No more hiding.

“Have you taken a pregnancy test?” Kate’s question blew Morgan’s mind.

“What? Of course not.” Morgan shook her head. “I haven’t had unprotected sex with any of the guys except Joe. And you know that’s not possible…”

“Condoms aren’t perfect,” Kate argued.

“That’s true.” But they were so careful and had never had one break, so the thought had never even occurred to her.

“I just think before you leap to the worst possible scenario, you should at least consider the obvious answer.”

Somehow that was even more frightening. If Morgan let herself get her hopes up for a moment, she’d have to face the crushing disappointment she’d endured for nearly two years before they found out—through rigorous medical tests that couldn’t be wrong—that Joe wasn’t able to father a child.

The blood rushed from her face and she grew dizzy.

Her body was acting so damn weird. It was kind of like when she had Nathan. She remembered how she’d nearly passed out in the dress shop at the mall and how she’d found out she was finally going to have a baby later at the hospital, after Dave had his accident.

It had been one of the best and worst days of her life. It brought back so many emotions, she struggled to keep a grip on them. “No, Kate, don’t say that. Don’t put that in my mind.”

“You’d rather think you’re growing a tumor than a baby?” Kate cursed. “That’s fucked up, Morgan.”

Well, shit. When she put it that way, it did seem backwards. “I guess it’s just that I know he’d like another baby more than just about anything and…well…we can’t.”

“Not by yourselves, anyway.” They both grinned, and maybe blushed a little, as they remember how she’d gotten pregnant the first time—with a lot of help from their friends. “But who cares? I’m sure the crew would be more than willing to have a do-over. Nathan and Abby would love another mini-crew mate to play with. If that’s what you guys want, let’s do it. If you’re healthy and haven’t already done it yourself.”

“Don’t say that!” Morgan put her hand over Kate’s gaping mouth to keep her from jinxing it. She’d hardly even been able to think it, never mind utter the ridiculous and impossible thought out loud.

Mmmrph mmrph mmmrph. Kate kept talking anyway. She licked Morgan’s hand.

“Gross!” Morgan pulled her fingers away and wiped them on her pants. “I should have figured you wouldn’t shut up.”

“Do your boobs hurt?”

She nodded.

“Are you tired all the time?”

She barely suppressed a yawn even as she nodded again.

“Feel sick?”

She thought about the cake she’d had to stop baking earlier. The sight of the raw eggs had nearly sent her bolting for the bathroom.

“And I already know you’re grumpy and irrational.” Kate ticked off another item on her fingers. “You are taking a test. Right now.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea—” She seriously had PTSD when it came to those things.

“It is.” Kate hugged her then. “We’ll get through this. Happy or sad. Okay?”

Morgan squeezed her pebble and nodded.

“Great.” Kate whipped her phone from her pocket and punched in a number. In a few seconds she was barking orders. Though she was smaller than Morgan, she was impossible to resist when she set her mind on something. “Devon, grab Kayla. Stop somewhere and buy a box of pregnancy tests, then get over here. We have a one-line-or-two-line situation.”

And just like that, the lady crew swung into action.

Morgan had never been so happy to have their support. Though sometimes she took it for granted, she would never forget again that she had them to lean on through all of life’s ups and downs.

“No matter what it says, we’re here for you.” Kate shook Morgan’s shoulders, making her feel a kind of queasy. “If it’s negative, I’m going to drive you to the doctor myself. We’ll figure this out. And once you’re in the clear, we’ll have another baby-making day with the whole crew. You know what they say…the more the merrier, am I right?”

Morgan sniffled and wiped tears from her cheeks. Everything was going to be okay.

She felt as sure of it now as she’d felt certain she was doomed earlier.

Funny how friends could do that.

“Thank you,” she said to Kate.

“Anytime.”