Surprise

James

The house is quiet, with the sound of rain pattering on the window. I just got back from the gym and am now making myself some eggs. I cook in silence, still exhausted from my workout this morning. I love working out with Warner, but he pushes me hard. I won't say I mind, it is just taking some adjusting as I get older. Suddenly, the door burst open. I startle and then relax seeing that it's just Kenji.

"Are you making eggs? Bro is that the only thing you know how to make?" Kenji says. I roll my eyes.

"Yes, this is the only thing I know how to make for your information." I retort.

"Well throw in a couple more, I'm starving. I can make some rice if you want."

"You literally have your own house with your own kitchen with your own groceries," I say. I say this every morning because Kenji comes here every morning for breakfast. Sometimes he's here for all three meals.

"Hey is Warner back from the gym yet?" Kenji asks as I crack more eggs into the pan.

"Yea, he's been home for about thirty minutes or so. Juliette is probably up as well. They have to meet with some people around nine so," I trail off. Warner was acting weird this morning. Like he was out of it. I'm surprised him and Juliette haven't come downstairs yet.

We work in silence for about five more minutes. As Kenji grabs the plates to start dishing up the breakfast we made, a glass shatters upstairs.

We both look at each other for a couple seconds. After staring at each other, I whisper "do you think they're okay?"

"You guys alright?" Kenji tells up the stairs. No response.

Kenji stares at me and starts to slowly walk up the stairs. I follow him until we get to Juliette and Warner's bedroom. They aren't in the bedroom, but the bathroom door is cracked with the light on.

"You guys okay in there?" Kenji says. When they don't answer, Kenji throws me a confused look. I shrug my shoulders, but I can't keep the worried thoughts from creeping into my mind.

"Okay I'm going to come in, please be decent," Kenji says.

As he slowly opens the door, I see Warner and Juliette staring at something on the counter. Juliette has a hand covering her mouth and the other hand on her stomach. Warner is standing there, staring blankly at the counter. He shows no emotion except for a crinkle between his eyebrows, like he's trying to make sense of something.

I glance over to the counter to see what they're staring at.

A pregnancy test.

I quickly look back at the two, completely shocked. How? Juliette can't have children. Her and Warner had to accept the fact that her parents had basically ruined that dream for them. How? I can't stop the thoughts from running through my head. There is no way that is a positive pregnancy test. No way. But the way they're reacting tells me I'm wrong.

Nobody has moved for minutes. The glass container that they kept their soap in is completely broken on the floor, and nobody has even glanced at it. I take a look at Kenji and he is staring at Juliette's stomach in complete shock.

All of the sudden, Juliette chokes on a sob. Then, she glances at us. She walks to the door and shuts it completely.

Kenji and I stand there. Until he says, "We should probably go downstairs and eat."

"Yea," I say quietly. Him and I walk silently down the stairs. We eat in silence. He leaves in silence. I sit there at the table alone. How did this happen? Is this a dream? I can't even imagine how Warner and Juliette are feeling.

Aaron

Ella shuts the door to our bathroom. Kenji and James disappear behind the closed door. She slowly slides down the door, face in her hands, until she hits the bottom. I stare at the test for a couple more seconds before I also slide down the wall to join her on the floor. We both sit there for a while staring at nothing, too shocked to say anything.

"Aaron," Juliette whispers at me, tears forming in her eyes,

"Come here," I say to her. Suddenly, the thought of not being able to hold her is excruciating. She crawls into my lap, her head buried into my neck. She wraps her arms around me as I put one hand on her back and the other in her hair. I hold her as she cries. As she cries, I can't stop the tears from running down my own face as shock runs through me. We hold each other for what feels like forever.

We always knew she probably could never get pregnant. We've never been careful and determined that if it happens, it happens. But if not, at least we would always have each other. The early years of our marriage, we discussed kids. But every negative test slowly made us stop believing. The last few years, the thought of kids completely left my mind. I knew I would always have Ella, and that would forever be enough for me. More than enough for me. But now, I can't stop the feeling of happiness from slowly creeping up my body.

I am suddenly hit with all of Ella's emotions. Happiness, shock, confusion, joy, and something else I can't decipher.

After minutes of us holding each other, she slowly looks at her, her eyes glassy.

"I'm pregnant," her voice breaks as more tears run down her face. "I'm pregnant Aaron."

I can't stop more tears from running down my face. This dream we have had for so long that we thought was impossible, finally coming true.

"I can't believe it," I say, my own voice cracking. I slowly bring our lips together in a slow kiss. "Whatever you want or need love, I'm here for you. What do you need?"

"I- I don't know," she answers honestly. "I'll need to visit the girls soon, to make sure I'm okay, but" a smile starts to creep on her face. She starts to laugh as she cries. I feel her overwhelming joy and it's contagious. I start to laugh and tug her into a tight hug.

"You're pregnant Ella," I whisper. "I love you so much. You are the most amazing person ever. I just- I just can't believe this. We're going to have a baby."

She laughs as she takes my face into her hands and kisses me hard. As I kiss her back, I can't stop the feelings of happiness that I pour into the kiss. I want her to know how much this means to me. That I'm going to do everything I can for her and how I will provide for her, for each and every one of her needs. She is my sole reason for living and now, now I have one more. She has given me everything.

We sit there for a while, just being together is enough for us in this moment.

"We should probably go and find James and Kenji," she says eventually. "We need to keep this on the low for a while until well we know everything."

"Yes, of course love."

As we stand, she throws herself around me. I hug her with all my power and kiss her neck.

"I love you, Aaron"

"I love you, sweetheart. Forever."