MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter One Hundred Thirteen: The News
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The morning came quiet and gray.
Care woke before the sun. Her stomach was churning. Her head was spinning. She had been sick for three days. She had told no one. She had hidden it. She had hoped it would pass.
It did not pass.
She slipped out of bed. Cole was still sleeping, his face soft, his arm reaching for her even in sleep. She stood in the bathroom, her hands on the sink, her face pale. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were tired. Her skin was pale. Her hands were shaking.
She opened the cabinet. She pulled out the small box. She had bought it yesterday. She had hidden it behind the bandages. Behind the medicines. Behind the supplies.
She took the test.
The minutes passed. She sat on the edge of the tub, her hands in her lap, her heart pounding. She looked at the small stick. Two lines.
Pregnant.
Care stared at the test. Her hands were shaking. Her face was wet. She was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. She and Cole. A baby. Their baby.
She heard movement in the bedroom. Cole was awake. He was looking for her. "Care?"
She stood up. She opened the door. He was standing in the doorway, his hair messy, his eyes sleepy, his face soft.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "You've been sick for days. You've been—"
She kissed him. Her hands were in his hair. His arms went around her. He kissed her back. He pulled back. His face was confused. His eyes were worried.
"Care. What's wrong?"
She took his hand. She placed it on her stomach. Her stomach was flat. Her stomach was empty. Her stomach was not empty anymore.
"I'm pregnant," Care said.
Cole's face went white. His hands went still. His eyes went wide. "What?"
She smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "I'm pregnant. We're going to have a baby."
Cole's face was wet. His hands were shaking. He pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "A baby. We're going to have a baby."
She held him. "We're going to have a baby."
---
The news spread fast.
Care walked to the kitchen. Cole was beside her. His hand was in hers. His face was still wet. His eyes were still bright. Percy was at the counter, making breakfast, his voice loud. Honey was beside him, her face calm, her eyes sharp.
Percy looked up. He saw Care's face. He saw Cole's face. He saw their hands. "What happened?"
Care smiled. "I'm pregnant."
Percy dropped the spatula. It clattered on the floor. His mouth was open. His eyes were wide. "You're pregnant?"
Care nodded. "I'm pregnant."
Percy ran to her. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "You're pregnant! You're going to have a baby! We're going to have a baby in the house!"
Honey walked to them. Her face was calm. Her eyes were bright. "Congratulations."
Care pulled back. She looked at Honey. "Thank you."
Honey hugged her. "I'm so happy for you."
---
Keiran ran into the kitchen. His face was bright. His voice was loud. "WHAT'S HAPPENING?"
Percy grabbed his shoulders. "Care is pregnant!"
Keiran's eyes went wide. "A BABY?"
Care nodded. "A baby."
Keiran ran to her. He hugged her. His arms were tight. His face was bright. "I'm going to be a cousin again!"
Keigan walked into the kitchen. His arms were crossed. His face was cold. He looked at Care. "You're pregnant?"
Care nodded. "I'm pregnant."
Keigan's face didn't change. His eyes did. "Congratulations."
Keiran pulled his brother's arm. "We're going to be cousins again!"
Keigan looked at his brother. "We're going to be cousins again."
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Lyra was in her corner. Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the kitchen. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers.
"Care is pregnant," Alex said.
Lyra watched her sister. At the woman who had saved her. At the woman who had healed her. At the woman who was going to have a baby. "She's going to be a mother."
Alex pulled her close. "She's going to be a mother."
Lyra almost smiled. Almost. "She's going to be a good mother."
---
Aries was at the table. Ella was beside them. Their hands were intertwined. Their faces were soft.
"Care is pregnant," Aries said.
Ella smiled. "Care is pregnant."
Aries looked at Ella. Their eyes were soft. Their hearts were full. "Someday."
Ella kissed their cheek. "Someday."
---
Jay walked into the kitchen. Keifer was behind her. Her face was calm. Her eyes were on Care. "You're pregnant?"
Care nodded. "I'm pregnant."
Jay walked to her. She pulled her close. Her arms were around her sister. "I'm so happy for you."
Care held her. "Thank you."
Jay pulled back. Her face was wet. "We're going to have babies the same age."
Care laughed. "They're going to be cousins."
Jay pulled her close again. "They're going to be best friends."
---
Keifer walked to Cole. His hand was on Cole's shoulder. His face was soft. "Congratulations."
Cole's face was wet. "Thank you."
Keifer pulled him close. His arms were around his friend. "You're going to be a father."
Cole held him. "I'm going to be a father."
---
The morning passed. The house was chaos. Percy was on the phone, ordering baby supplies. Honey was beside him, her face calm, her eyes sharp. Keiran was running through the halls, his voice loud, his face bright. Keigan was following him, his arms crossed, his face cold.
Aries was at the table, making a list. Ella was beside them, her hand in theirs. Lyra was in her corner, watching. Alex was beside her.
Jay was in the nursery with the twins. Aurora was building a tower. Alexander was watching. She stacked the blocks. He watched. She stacked higher. He watched. She reached for the top block. The tower wobbled. It fell. Aurora looked at the blocks. She looked at her brother. She started again.
Jay watched her children. Her face was soft. Her eyes were bright. "You're going to have a cousin."
Aurora looked at her mother. Her eyes were dark. Her face was serious. "Cousin?"
Jay smiled. "Cousin."
Alexander looked at his mother. His face was serious. His eyes were calm. He touched her face. Small. Warm. Alive. He was saying he understood. He was saying he was ready. He was saying he was home.
Jay kissed his forehead. "I love you too."
---
Care sat on the steps of the garden. Cole was beside her. His hand was in hers. The sun was warm. The flowers were blooming. The roses were red.
"You're thinking," Cole said.
She looked at him. "I'm always thinking."
He kissed her hand. "What are you thinking about?"
She looked at the garden. At the flowers. At the roses. At the life they had built. "I'm thinking about the baby. About the future. About the family."
He pulled her close. "The baby is going to be loved."
She leaned against him. "The baby is going to be chaos."
He laughed. "The baby is going to be perfect."
She kissed him. "The baby is going to be ours."
---
Percy walked into the garden. Honey was behind him. He was carrying a book. "Baby names!"
Care looked at him. "Baby names?"
Percy sat on the steps. He opened the book. "I've been making a list."
Honey sat beside him. "He's been making a list for weeks."
Percy's face was bright. "For a girl: Aurora. For a boy: Alexander."
Care raised an eyebrow. "Those are already taken."
Percy nodded. "For a girl: Lyra. For a boy: Keifer."
Care looked at Cole. Cole looked at Care. "We'll think about it."
Percy grinned. "Take your time. I have more."
---
Lyra walked into the garden. Alex was behind her. She looked at Percy. "You're naming their baby?"
Percy nodded. "I'm helping."
Lyra sat on the steps. "Name the baby after me."
Percy's eyes went wide. "You want a baby named after you?"
Lyra's face was blank. "It's a good name."
Care smiled. "It's a great name."
Cole kissed her hand. "It's a great name."
---
The sun was setting when the family gathered in the living room.
Care sat on the sofa. Cole was beside her. His hand was in hers. Her hand was on her stomach. Her stomach was flat. Her stomach was not empty. Her stomach was growing. Her stomach was life.
Jay sat beside her. Keifer was behind her. The twins were on the floor. Aurora was building a tower. Alexander was watching.
"You're going to be a mother," Jay said.
Care looked at her sister. "I'm going to be a mother."
Jay pulled her close. "You're going to be the best mother."
Care held her. "You're the best mother."
Jay pulled back. Her face was wet. "We're both mothers."
Care laughed. "We're both mothers."
---
The night was quiet. The house was still. Care lay in Cole's arms. Her head was on his chest. His heart was beating beneath her ear. Her hand was on her stomach. Her stomach was flat. Her stomach was not empty.
"You're thinking," Cole said.
She looked at him. "I'm thinking about the baby."
He kissed her hair. "What about the baby?"
She looked at the window. At the moon. At the stars. At the life they had built. "I'm thinking about the first kick. The first cry. The first smile. The first word."
He pulled her closer. "The first everything."
She smiled. "The first everything."
He put his hand on her stomach. "I love you."
She put her hand on his. "I love you too."
---
The door creaked. Small footsteps. Soft breathing. Care looked up. Aurora stood in the doorway. She was holding her elephant. She was not going to sleep alone. Behind her, Alexander crawled into the room. He was holding his bear. He was not going to let his sister have all the attention.
"Aunt Care," Aurora said.
Care's heart melted. "Yes?"
Aurora climbed onto the bed. She crawled to Care. She touched her stomach. Small. Warm. Alive. "Baby?"
Care's eyes were wet. "Baby."
Aurora kissed Care's stomach. Small. Soft. Sweet. "Baby."
Alexander climbed onto the bed. He crawled beside his sister. He touched Care's stomach. Small. Warm. Alive. "Baby."
Care pulled them close. Her arms were around them. Her face was wet. "You're going to be the best cousins."
Aurora hugged her. "Best."
Alexander touched her face. "Best."
---
Jay stood in the doorway. Keifer was behind her. His hand was on her back. Their children were on Care's bed. Their children were hugging their aunt. Their children were loving their cousin before the baby was even born.
"They're perfect," Jay said.
Keifer kissed her hair. "They're perfect."
Jay leaned against him. "Care is going to be a mother."
Keifer pulled her close. "Care is going to be a great mother."
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END OF CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN