“That’s the last thing. You ready for this?” He stands there, arms open and ready to take me into his home, his life, and all I can think is that I’m about to rock the foundation of his world. What if he doesn’t want me? What if he doesn’t want us?

I break out into a sob, clapping my hands over my face. I know without looking that his smiles falls from his face and with one step his arms are around me.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, cupping my chin in his hands and pulling my eyes up to him.

I’ve loved all the eye contact so much, but now I can’t bear it. I don’t want to see his face when I break the news.

“I messed up,” I cry, fat tears falling onto the hardwood floor.

“What are you talking about?” His face has gone pale, and I figure he must think I’m talking about the Hugo threat, so I’m quick with the news.

“I’m pregnant.” Those words are like stones in my mouth, heavy and awkward, but it doesn’t feel any better once they’re out. Now they’re just holding down the room so that neither of us can breathe.

His face freezes in an open-mouth gape. Long moments go by while I wait for him to react. All I can think is that I’ve just ruined what should be a happy day. I should have waited and not tainted this moment with something too heavy to process.

Then, I’m crushed against his body, and he’s hugging me tighter than I’ve ever felt him hug me before. His chest is moving so fast, the pounding behind his ribcage reverberates against my body. It’s like I can hear the thoughts in his head.

I’m going to be a father.

Murph has told me enough about his childhood to know that this isn’t necessarily a good thought to have. I’m so terrified that he’ll completely shut down and we’ll go back to the way things were before.

Then he pulls me back and kisses me so hard it almost hurts. I touch his face, hoping I can feel the expression that I can’t see. What I find is something wet against my fingers. Seeping into the thickness of his beard are his...tears.

“Murph,” I mumble against his mouth. “Say something.”

When he pulls back, he shocks me with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on his face.

“Say something? I can’t even think straight. Savannah...I’m speechless.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “Good speechless?” I stammer.

“Fuck, yes.” Then he laughs too and we’re hugging again.