Something wasn’t right. I felt different. It didn’t feel like the damn flu, and dinner was amazing, like it always was, because Flynn did the cooking. So it wasn’t food poisoning, or he’d be sick too. I was pregnant. I just knew it.

After I showered, and stopped panicking, I let the reality of what it could be set in. I’d be keeping it - him, her, whatever. I wasn’t going to be put in the situation my parents were. Fuck, I needed to know. I got dressed, drove to the little drug store, and bought three pregnancy tests, then proceeded to the diner for coffee because I didn’t need to pee. And I wasn’t going all the way back to Flynn’s house to take these tests. I drank three cups of coffee, pretending I wasn’t about to have a meltdown.

After all that coffee, I had no problem going to the bathroom in the diner and peeing on all three sticks, waiting for the results. I tapped my foot incessantly, waiting for the minutes to go by, when finally it was time to check them. The first one was kind of pinkish, but the other two were digital, and said in capital letters PREGNANT. Shit. Shit. Shit. I put all the tests back in the boxes and threw them in my purse.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I turned sideways to see if I looked fat. I didn’t see a bump or anything, so maybe all that coffee tripped the tests up somehow. I knew I was just making shit up to avoid the inevitable; I was pregnant with my new, sort of boyfriend’s baby. Dropping my head in my hands, I turned sad at the thought of how upset he would be. Our summer fun would come to an end - more like a screeching halt. And I had school. I had to go back to teach. Oh the rumors those nasty teachers would spread about the knocked-up art teacher. Ugh.

I paid my bill and decided the next stop needed to be Doc’s. There weren’t a ton of doctors in town, and at least I knew her, sort of. She didn’t have anyone in the office when I arrived.

“Well, hi there, Jacinda, how are ya today?” she said cheerfully. “Oh dear, what’s wrong?” she asked, not waiting to hear how I was. Clearly the look on my face spoke volumes.

“Doc, I’ve got a situation.”

“Come on back, dear. Let’s talk.” She put her arm around me and led me to the same exam room I had been taken to the last time I was here. Once we were both seated, she said, “Ok, talk to me.”

I pulled the pregnancy tests out of my purse and set them on the exam table. “I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant.” I ran my hands through my hair frantically.

“Ok, well, the first thing we’ll do is a little blood test to see how far along you are, if you are in fact pregnant. I will say, those over the counter jobs are pretty accurate. But a blood test is best. So, let’s do that first, and then we’ll talk about what’s next, ok?” She gently patted my knee, and got up to get what she needed.

Once the blood test had confirmed that I was definitely pregnant, she asked me what I wanted to do.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

“Do you plan to keep it?” she asked me bluntly.

“Of course I do!” I exclaimed.

“Good, that’s wonderful. I have to ask, you know. Is it Flynn’s?” She held her hand up. “Never mind, that’s none of my business; you do not have to answer that.”

“It’s his.”

“Oh that is wonderful!” she exclaimed.

“It is?” I asked, confused again.

“Oh yes, dear. That man deserves a family of his own. This is such wonderful news. Have you told him yet?”

I shook my head.

“Ok, well run on home and do that. I’m writing you a prescription for prenatal vitamins. You can make an appointment for four weeks from now, and we’ll do an ultrasound then.”

I took my prescriptions back to the pharmacy where I had just bought pregnancy tests, which wasn’t at all awkward. Thankfully, the pharmacist didn’t even acknowledge what was running through my head; the new girl in town got knocked up. My head was spinning, and I needed to tell Flynn. I’d have to tell him when he came home for lunch, which was probably soon. But when I checked my watch, I found that it was already after three in the afternoon.

I dug through my purse and pulled out my phone, seeing that I had four missed calls from him. Shit, he probably came home and wondered what the hell happened to me. Once the pharmacist gave me my new drugs, I took off back to his house at top speed. When I pulled in, he was sitting on the porch, hunched over, elbows on his knees. He looked like he’d been worried, judging by the furrowed brow, which made me feel even worse.

As I got out of the car, he stood up. “I called you,” was all he said.

“I know you did. My phone was on silent, I’m so sorry.”

“I was worried about you, Jacinda. You were so sick this morning and then, when I came home, you were gone. No note, no text. You scared me.” He looked so upset.

I swallowed my fear and took in a deep breath. “I went to the doctor...” I started.

“Oh? You did? Are you ok?” His tone shifted to concern instead of hurt.

“Well, sort of.”

“What do you mean, ‘sort of’?”

“I... well... uh…” It was way harder to spit out than I expected.

“What’s wrong, Jacinda?” he demanded.

“I’m pregnant, Flynn.” I blurted it out, and waited for his upset to hit me like a tornado. But that’s not what happened at all. I’d braced myself for his panic, his fear, his anger, but what I saw was a smile. What started as his lips curling up slightly, became a beaming grin.

“Are you serious?” he asked, looking downright joyful.

“Yeah, I am. And I know it’s not expected, and I understand if you don’t --”

He interrupted me. “I do! This is the greatest news ever, Jacinda!”

“Really?” I felt tears brimming.

“Fuck yes, it is! I’m gonna be a dad! This is incredible! We’re gonna be the best parents ever!” He was laughing. Rushing to my side, he picked me up and spun me around. “Baby, this is incredible. We are the luckiest people in the world, don’t you see?”

“We are?” I was so confused by his response. I’d fallen in love with him weeks ago, but never told him. We were still so new; I didn’t want to ruin what we had.

“Yes! I love you! I was hooked on you when I saw that pile of snacks you bought at the convenience store the first time we met. I fell in love with you immediately. I can’t wait to raise this baby with you.”

I hugged him back, crying. “I love you too, Flynn. It wasn’t something I ever expected, but it happened. You really think we can do this?” I wiped the tears from my face.

“I know we can. Stay here with me and raise our family, baby.” He reached into his pocket, and dropped to his knee.

“What are you doing?” I clasped my hand over my mouth.

“My mom gave me this ring after my grandmother passed away. It was hers, and she was saving it for me, to give to the woman I was meant to marry. I’ve had it tucked away for years, and pulled it out awhile ago. I’ve been waiting for the right time to ask you. I know it seems soon, but what do we care? We do what we want.” He took my hand in his, still on one knee, and asked the question I never thought I’d hear. “Will you marry me?”

All I ever wanted was my family; it was who I was. And now I was going to have my very own. I could feel my dad smiling down on me. Even if it wasn’t all in the right order, we never did things by the book. I nodded my head and the tears fell as he slid the antique diamond on my finger.

He stood up, kissed me, and rested his hand on my belly.

“You’re everything I never knew I needed in my life, Jacinda. I can’t wait to take care of you for the rest of my life. I love you, and I’ll never tire of telling you just how much.”

“And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life showing you how lucky you make me feel, Flynn. Becoming Jacinda Healy is my fairy tale.”

The End…

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