Valencia!

Thirteen

“How are you feeling today, honey?” Mrs. Sydney asked as she bustled about the kitchen. She had gone back to the pack for a brief time . . . but decided to come back almost immediately after and neither Valen nor Ty minded. “Are you as excited as I am to find out if we’ve got a little boy wolf or she-wolf?” Valencia laughed, the sound bright and genuine. “I’m really excited. And Ty has the day off, so we’ll all get to go together.”

Mrs. Sydney grinned, reaching over to rub Valencia’s arm affectionately. “I told him to stop working doubles, but you know how he is . . . stubborn as a tree root. He’s obsessed with racking up paid time off for when the baby comes.”

“I know,” Valencia said, rolling her eyes affectionately. “I keep telling him to take it easy.” “He gets it from his father.” Mrs. Sydney’s expression softened. “Oh, how I miss that man.” Before the moment could turn melancholy, Ty wandered in from the hallway, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Good morning, Mom. Good morning, my beautiful Valen. How’s our little pup doing today?” he asked as he passed by, ruffling her hair gently and patting her baby bump. “Our pup is being on their best behavior today,” Valencia replied with a smirk. “I haven’t felt sick in days.”

“I was just about to wake you,” she added, eyes brightening. “Don’t forget, today’s the appointment!” “I could never forget,” he mumbled, voice still thick with sleep. He made a beeline for the stack of pancakes on the counter, reaching for the top plate, only to be intercepted by his mother’s swift hand.

“Excuse you!” Mrs. Sydney exclaimed, smacking his hand with a dish towel. “We haven’t eaten yet, you mooch.” Ty grinned, shameless. “I didn’t know!” “You always know,” Valencia teased as he pulled out three plates and began dishing them up. “How many do you want, Valen?” “Just one,” she said.

Naturally, he put three on her plate and doused them in honey. “I said one,” she reminded him, raising an eyebrow. “The other two are for the baby,” he said with a mischievous wink. She rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth tugged upward despite herself. He was ridiculous, but in the best way.

Soon, the three of them sat down to eat. The apartment was filled with laughter and the smells of syrup and butter. It felt . . . normal. Like a family. Later that morning, they arrived at the clinic. Valencia’s stomach churned. Not from nerves exactly, but from the surreal feeling of everything becoming real so quickly. Just weeks ago, she had been a college freshman trying to settle into a new life. Now, she was about to find out the gender of her child.

“You must be dad?” The nurse asked as they entered the exam room. Ty grinned. “Yep, I’m dad.” Mrs. Sydney beamed with pride, standing to the side as Valencia was helped onto the examination table. The nurse applied the gel to her stomach and pressed the wand down gently. Static fuzz filled the monitor for a moment, then gave way to black-and-white waves.

“Here’s your little one,” the nurse said warmly. Ty instinctively reached for Valencia’s hand, squeezing it gently. “And . . .” the nurse continued, angling the wand just so. “Right here . . . you see that? You’re going to have a little boy.”

Mrs. Sydney gasped softly, her hands clasping together in front of her mouth before she let out a squeal of joy. “A little boy!” she cried, tears springing to her eyes. Ty looked stunned for a moment, then pulled his mother into a hug with his free arm. “Did you hear that, Valen? A boy!” Valencia blinked against the emotion threatening to rise. “If you start crying,” she warned, “you’re going to make me cry.”

“I’m sorry,” Mrs. Sydney said, wiping her eyes. “I just can’t help it. I’m so happy.” The nurse printed out the ultrasound photos and handed them to Valencia before wheeling the machine out of the room. Mrs. Sydney was already pulling out her phone. “I’m going to call my sister!” she said, rushing into the hallway.

Valencia was wiping the cool gel off her belly when Ty leaned closer. “My mom acts like it’s her grandbaby,” he whispered with a grin. “It might as well be,” she said, smiling at him. “She’s done more than enough already.” “This is the first appointment I’ve actually been able to come to,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s kind of underwhelming.” She sat up and pulled her shirt back down, chuckling softly. “Still glad you came though?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Really glad.” She looked at him for a long moment. “Thank you, Ty. For everything.” He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her in. “So . . . about that dinner tonight,” he whispered into her hair. Valencia laughed. “I don’t know. I might be too busy stuffing my face with honey pancakes.”

He tickled her gently, making her squirm and giggle until she fell into his arms again. For the first time in months, the weight of her new life didn’t feel like it was pressing her under. It felt manageable. Maybe even a little bit wonderful. And for the first time since hearing she was pregnant, Valencia felt something close to peace.

As they left the clinic, Valencia clutched the ultrasound photos like a lifeline, holding them close to her chest while Ty guided her by the elbow through the lobby. Mrs. Sydney was still beaming, practically floating beside them as she gushed about nursery themes, knitted baby booties, and organizing a gender reveal brunch with “just a few close friends” which Valencia knew meant half her family and their pups.

The sun had come out during their appointment, casting everything in soft golden light. Valencia tilted her head up toward the sky for a moment as they reached the car, letting the warmth wash over her. “Kind of perfect, huh?” Ty said quietly as he opened the passenger door for her. She paused. “Yeah,” she said softly, sliding into the seat. “Kind of perfect.”

The drive home was peaceful. Mrs. Sydney hummed along to a playlist of classic soul hits, her hand reaching back every so often to squeeze Valencia’s knee. Ty held the wheel with one hand and rubbed the back of his neck with the other, stealing little glances at Valencia every time they hit a red light. She caught him once and laughed, then leaned her head on his shoulder, just for a moment.

When they got back to the apartment, Valencia headed straight for her room. She placed the ultrasound photos inside a wooden keepsake box on her nightstand. Then, without thinking, she pulled open the drawer below it.

Inside, hidden beneath some folded socks, was a photograph of her and Maximus, taken at graduation months ago. They were smiling, both of them. Looking young and carefree. A pang settled deep in her chest. She reached out and gently shut the drawer. Some truths weren’t ready to be told. Not yet.

But her little boy? He was real. He was hers. And no matter what happened next, whether she ever spoke Maximus’s name aloud again or not, she was going to give her son a life full of love, laughter, and light.

Outside her room, she heard Ty and his mom arguing playfully over what color onesies to order in bulk. Valencia smiled to herself and rested a hand on her belly. They’d figure it out. One day at a time.