Better With You - Maddie Poppe and Caleb Hutchinson Series (Book 2)

Chapter 20

Maddie's POV

"Maddie.. you think you might be..." Gabby starts.

"Yeah," I say after a moment, "I thought maybe I was just stressed or something, but it's not just the sickness now.. I'm late," I sigh.

A smile spreads across Gabby's face, "Maddie, this is wonderful."

"Is it?" I ask, "He has a beautiful little baby already with Bella. The timing is just.."

"Exactly! The timing!" Gabby moves closer to me, "Maddie, this could be life's way of saying that you two should be together."

"Gabby, I don't want to come in between him and his daughter. I don't want to mess up the family that he already has."

"You won't," she sighs, "just go take the tests, I'll stay here."

"Okay," I sigh.

After I take them, I wrap a tissue around them before taking them back out to the living room, timer on my phone. I set them down on the table before sitting back down on the couch. I lean forward and my head back down in my hands.

"Hey," Gabby says, "it's gonna be okay."

The timer on my phone starts ringing and my breath stops. I look over at Gabby and she gives me a small nod. I let out a nervous breath before reaching over and picking up the first test.

I stare at it blankly, "oh."

"Well what does it say, Maddie?" Gabby asks.

"It says, uh.." I keep staring at the test.

"Maddie, tell me," she puts her hand over mine, "are you having Caleb's baby?"

Tears go down my cheeks as I look over at her, "it's positive," I whisper. I reach over and pick up the other test which also reads positive.

Gabby smiles at me, "Maddie, this is great! You're having a baby with Caleb."

"Yeah," I look back down at the tests.

"It's something you've always wanted," she beams.

"I know, but.." I start, "Do you think he'll be happy?"

"Are you serious? Of course he will be," she grins.

"But him and Bella are probably going to be married again soon. I mean, he has a family with her, Gabby."

"But he's going to have a family with you, too," she states.

"Yeah," I say, "I have to tell him. But not yet."

"Why not?" She asks.

"I want to go to the doctor first," I sigh.

"Okay," she says.

The Next Day

"I'm surprised how fast they got me in," I say.

Gabby smiles, "I'm happy for you."

"Thank you for coming with me," I smile back.

"Of course. And Maddie, this is a good thing."

I nod, "I know."

The door opens and the doctor comes back with a folder, "I have your results. The test came back positive."

I look at Gabby and smile, and she smiles back.

"Wow.." is all I can say.

"Before you leave, I want you to make your first appointment at the front desk," the doctor says.

"Okay, thank you," I say.

She nods before closing the door and leaving. Gabby grins at me, "Maddie, I'm so excited!"

"Me too," I admit. I smile down at my stomach before placing both hands on it, "mine and Caleb's baby," I whisper.

"He's going to be so happy," Gabby states.

"I hope so," I smile.

"He will be, I promise. You have to tell him soon," she says.

"I know," I sigh, "Maybe this weekend or something."

"How about tomorrow night when you see him?"

"I'll see him tomorrow?" I ask.

"Well, I mean, I'm sure you will. I'm sure he's coming to the fireworks."

I then remember that tomorrow is the Fourth of July.

"Oh, right," I nod, "Yeah, I guess I'll tell him then."

The Next Day (again, oof.)

I take one last look at myself in the mirror before leaving. While I'm in the elevator I text Gabby, 'I'm nervous.'

By the time I'm stepping out of the elevator she has texted me back, 'Don't be. He's going to be SO excited.'

I finally reach the bridge over the river (A/N: if anyone is confused, there's a river in Nashville right outside the city that's pretty popular.) I look around for a second before I see Gabby waving her arms over her head.

I walk over to her, "is Caleb here?"

She nods and smiles, "I think him and Cade are gone to get something to drink."

"Oh, okay," I smile nervously.

"Don't be tense," she says, "I promise everything is going to be okay."

"Thank you," I say.

"Oh, hey, Maddie," I hear a familiar southern accent say.

I turn around and look at him, "hi. Bella didn't come?"

"No. She's at home with Caroline. I told her she could hire a nanny but I don't think she wanted to leave her just yet."

I look back at Gabby and she winks at me. I rest my elbows on the edge of the railing on the bridge, and Caleb does the same standing beside me. I feel my heart beating fast and my breathing gets heavy, just like it always does when I'm nervous.

It's now later in the night, and the fireworks are beautiful. I look over at Caleb since I feel him staring at me. When I look at him he looks back up at the sky. I look over at Gabby and she smirks at me before grabbing Cade's arm and telling him she's ready to go.

"See y'all," Caleb says to them.

"Bye!" Gabby says cheerfully.

The fireworks have stopped now, and I feel like now is the right time. I let out a nervous, shaky breath before looking him in the eyes.

"Caleb, I need to tell you something," I say.

"Okay," he looks confused.

"I'm just going to come out and say it," I turn my body to face him and take both of his hands as a soft breeze blows.

"What's going on?" He asks.

"Caleb, I just need to tell you that," I say the last part as more fireworks shoot, "I'm pregnant."

He squints his eyes a little, "You're happy? I'm.. I'm glad. That's all I want is for you to be happy."

Ugh, he didn't understand me.

"No, Caleb, I'm-" I start, before I hear the fireworks again. I continue when the silence returns so he can hear me.

"What'd you say?" He asks.

"Caleb, I'm pregnant."