“This is the most wonderful news, sweetheart,” her mother had said. “We’ll definitely be home when the baby comes, and I’ll come to Miami to help you.”

Lisa then told most of her friends, aware that many expectant women usually waited until after the first trimester before revealing their pregnancy, but she couldn’t bear not sharing her news. It was cathartic, as if she needed to disperse something positive to counter all the gut-wrenching trouble she and Jeff had been enduring.

For his part, Jeff was truly happy, genuinely content and relaxed. He was focused on her and more engaged with their life. They discussed a college fund, planned getting the nursery ready and started kicking around names. For the first time, Lisa felt that she had driven all of her doubts and fears back into the shadows.

Or was at least keeping them at bay.

Grating some Parmesan, she glanced at the guidebooks she’d ordered online for London, Dublin, Edinburgh and Paris. Their trip was only a few more weeks away.

Things really are getting better.

Lisa’s happiness had prompted her to invite the Dillards for dinner and to consider reaching out later in the week to their other neighbors, like the Mortimer sisters next door. She thought seriously of joining some of the Palm Mirage Creek community associations to feel more connected.

She was living in hope now.

She spread the remaining sauce over the top layer of lasagna, sprinkled it with mozzarella and put it in the oven, setting the timer for forty-five minutes. She expected the Dillards to arrive at any moment, when her phone rang.

“Hi, Lisa, this is Dr. Tanaka. How are you doing?”

“Just great.”

“Good. We got the lab results from your blood and urine tests. I went through your chart. Lisa, are you taking any prescribed medication that you forgot to tell us about?”

“I was on the pill.”

“No, we’ve got that. Anything else?”

“I sometimes take sleeping aids that I buy off the shelf.”

“Anything else?”

“No. Why?”

“Your tests show a concentration of JXQ-two-eighty-one.”

“JXQ… I’m sorry, what? I don’t understand.”

“It’s epotrienoprox. It’s a strong sedative.”

“No, I don’t take anything like that.”

“Okay, well, if you are, I want you to stop. It’s a powerful sedative, not good for you during pregnancy.”

“I don’t take anything, and honestly I feel just fine.”

A moment passed while the doctor contemplated Lisa’s answers. “All right,” she said. “I know the lab can, on occasion, get false positives. We’ll retest you next time you’re in. I just wanted you to know what we found.”

“Okay, thanks, Doctor.” Lisa hung up, stared at nothing and thought.

Jeff came into the kitchen and stole a cherry tomato from the vegetable platter Lisa had prepared. “Everything all right?” he asked.

“Yes, I think so,” she said as the doorbell rang.

The Dillards arrived.