Chapter 140: The Next Step

**Chapter 140: The Next Step**

ELLIE

*The next step?* I knew he was referring to the pregnancy, but all I could think about at that moment was the smell of pancakes hitting me.

“Breakfast?” I teased. “Because I definitely need to finish these pancakes.”

Smiling, he nodded, then seemed to drift off into his own thoughts.

“Shit… my parents are going to freak out,” he blurted suddenly, revealing where his thoughts had gone. “And Ben… I can’t wait to see his face.” A different kind of smile spread across his lips—almost devilish.

“Seriously? You’re already thinking about using this to mess with your brother?” I asked, incredulous.

“What? I’m going to be a dad first. That totally makes up for all the jokes and lectures I’ve had to endure about dying alone all these years.”

“Oh my God!” I rolled my eyes, turning back to my pancake, trying not to laugh. “You men never really grow up, do you?”

“Now we seriously need to set a date for the wedding,” he changed the subject, sitting down beside me.

“What, don’t want a bride walking down the aisle with a big belly?” I teased as he served himself.

“Now that you made me picture it, that’s actually a really tempting idea… but you’ve already made me wait long enough. And I want to do things the right way.”

“The right way?” I raised an eyebrow, staring at his profile.

“Yeah, wedding first, then sex, and only then kids,” he teased, trying to sound serious.

“You’re an idiot.” I couldn’t hold back a laugh, catching his gaze.

“It’s good to see you smiling after all those tears… But I was serious about the wedding. So start thinking.” He returned his attention to his plate, and I did the same.

“Okay, and when exactly are you thinking?”

“Next month.”

“What?”

“You said after Anna’s baby was born — well, your deadline’s up, Brown.”

“But that’s so soon… and there’s so much to plan…”

“Great, now you’ll have something else to focus on besides…” He paused, looking at my belly.

“Say it,” I teased, amused.

“Baby,” he sighed. “Yeah, that still sounds weird as hell.”

“Yeah, I think it’s going to take us a while to get used to it,” I agreed with a smile.

“Yeah, but don’t try to change the subject. If you want, we can pick a date together.”

“Alright, but don’t think I’m going to plan everything by myself.”

“No problem. Actually, if you want, I can plan it all and you just have to show up,” he teased, and I was pretty sure he’d actually do it if I agreed.

“No, I think we’d better do it together.”

“Yeah, like the…” He glanced at my belly again.

“Baby,” I finished, laughing.

“That.”

When we finished breakfast, I offered to put the dishes in the dishwasher, and he just kept sitting there, watching me.

“You said your parents are going to freak out—I can’t even imagine my parents’ reaction…” I said, letting my thoughts spill out as I turned on the dishwasher. “Maybe they’ll cry like when I told them we were engaged,” I added, turning to face him with a smile sparked by the memory.

“Oh my God… Anna is going to freak. And our kids…”

“Will be practically the same age,” he finished.

I nodded, trying to absorb the idea and almost getting emotional again. As much as I’d already rationalized that this was really happening, I still had to wrap my head around everything it would mean.

“You’re thinking about Anna, but have you imagined when Zoe finds out?” he said, his eyes eager, clearly waiting to see my reaction.

The thought made me instantly uneasy—almost haunted.

“Oh God… Why does that feel so terrifying?”

“She’s going to be a great aunt,” he said, clearly amused.

“Yeah, I guess she will, in her own way,” I sighed, deciding to worry about that when the time came.

Walking around the counter, I moved closer, allowing him to hug me.

“You asked what the next step is, and here we are, thinking about all this stuff… but we’re still not completely sure.” I lifted my head from his chest to look him in the eyes. “For that, we need to see a doctor.”

“Then that’s the next step.”

“Yeah.”

“Great, let’s go now.”

“Now? On a Sunday?”

“Why not? Maybe Anna’s doctor could see us.”

“That’s actually a good idea.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go,” he said, getting off the stool and leading me to the bedroom.

✽

Ethan was focused on the traffic ahead, driving us home. We’d just left Anna’s doctor’s office. Maybe knowing I could trust him made me feel calmer and less anxious.

Or maybe I’d cried myself out earlier and didn’t have any anxiety left, because all I felt when we got the results was relief.

Four weeks. I’d already been pregnant for four weeks and didn’t have the slightest idea. Not a single noticeable symptom. It was unbelievable.

“I’m almost sure it had something to do with that vomiting at Zara’s birthday,” I said, watching the streets pass by through the car window, remembering how much I’d drunk that night. “That definitely must’ve messed with the birth control.”

“Always thinking like a scientist. How about turning your brain off for a bit?” he suggested.

“Are you doing that? Or are you just pulling the old ‘do as I say, not as I do’ thing?” I teased, eyeing his perfect profile.

“Honestly, I’m more worried about you,” he admitted, eyes never leaving the street.

“I’m fine,” I said, trying to reassure him.

He nodded, choosing not to push it.

“Hungry?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Don’t start. Hearing all those lectures about healthy eating, vitamins, and blah blah blah was enough. I already have you for that.”

“You bet you do,” he said with a smile.

“So, now what? What’s the step that comes after the next step?” I asked, laughing.

“I don’t know… telling everyone?”

“Yeah, we need to figure out how we’re going to do that. Maybe a dinner?”

“Aren’t you going to tell your parents first?”

“No, not yet. I think I’ll need some time to prepare.”

He nodded.

“Then Anna?”

“She’ll kill me if I don’t tell her soon. But she’s already got a lot on her plate. And she’s probably wondering why I haven’t knocked on her door since she got out of the hospital earlier.”

“Maybe we could stop by later, if you want,” he suggested, a bit too eager to please.

“No. Honestly, I just want to stay home with you. Maybe enjoy this rain and watch a movie.”

“Sounds perfect to me.”

“That’s it? No dirty jokes?” I asked, surprised by his politeness.

Then his lips curled into a mischievous grin.

“To be honest, I was just thinking… it’s been a while since we used that couch.”

“I knew it!” I laughed.

“What? Now more than ever, I need to enjoy it while I still have you all to myself.”

“Yeah, you’re not exactly the sharing type. I can’t wait to see how you’ll handle that,” I teased.