The Pregnancy Test
1201 Words
It was a Tuesday. Normal day.
Ava was in the bathroom. 7 AM. Damien was downstairs in a suit.
She was late. 3 weeks late.
She told herself it was stress. The board. The move. Everything.
But her hands were shaking when she bought the test yesterday. Hid it in her bag.
She peed on the stick. Set it down. Stared at the wall.
2 minutes.
Her phone buzzed. Damien: `Coffee’s getting cold, Mrs. Cole.`
Ava didn’t answer.
She looked down.
2 pink lines.
Her knees gave out. She sat on the floor.
“Damien,” she whispered. To no one.
---
Damien came upstairs 5 minutes later. No answer from her.
“Ava?”
He opened the bathroom door.
Ava was on the floor. Back to the wall. Holding something.
He saw it. The test.
He froze. Suit. Tie. CEO mask. Gone.
“Ava... is that—”
Ava looked up. Eyes wet. Scared. “I’m pregnant.”
The words hung in the air.
Damien didn’t move for 3 seconds. Then he dropped to his knees. Right there on the bathroom floor.
In his 5,000 cedi suit.
He took the test from her hand. Stared at it. 2 lines.
Then he looked at her. Really looked.
“Are you okay?” he asked first. Not about the baby. About her.
Ava nodded. Crying now. “I don’t know. We didn’t plan this. The contract said—”
“Forget the contract,” Damien said. Hard. “Forget everything.”
He cupped her face. Thumbs wiping tears. “Are you scared?”
“Yes,” Ava whispered.
“Me too,” Damien said. Honest. “I’ve run companies. I’ve faced boards. I’m terrified right now.”
Ava laughed through tears. “Why?”
“Because I can’t control this,” he said. “I can’t protect you from being scared. I can’t protect him. Or her.”
He put his hand on her stomach. Flat. Nothing there yet.
“But I can promise you this,” he said. Voice steady now. “We’re keeping it. Both of you. Always.”
Ava broke. She sobbed into his chest.
Damien held her. Tight. Rocking her. “I’ve got you. I’ve got us.”
---
They didn’t go to work that day.
They sat in bed. All day.
Damien called Dr. Abena. Private. Discreet.
Appointment tomorrow.
Mrs. Clarke brought them food. Saw Ava’s face. Saw Damien’s hand on her stomach.
She cried. Then smiled. “I’ll start knitting,” she said. And left them alone.
That night, Damien couldn’t sleep.
Ava was curled into him. Hand on her stomach.
“Damien?” she whispered.
“Mm?”
“What if I’m a bad mom?”
Damien kissed her forehead. “Then I’ll be a bad dad with you. We’ll figure it out.”
He paused. “Ava... thank you.”
“For what?”
“For choosing me. For giving me this.”
Ava smiled in the dark. “For real?”
“For real,” Damien said. “No contract. No end date. Just us. And our baby.”
---
Next morning, the test was on his bedside table.
Damien looked at it while shaving.
He picked it up. Put it in his suit pocket. Next to his heart.
He walked into the kitchen. Ava was making tea.
He came behind her. Arms around her. Hand on her stomach.
“Morning, Mrs. Cole,” he said in her ear.
“Morning, Mr. Cole,” she said. Hand over his.
“Morning, little one,” he whispered.
Ava’s eyes filled again. But she was smiling.
Outside, Accra was loud. Traffic. Noise. Life.
Inside, it was quiet.
Just the 3 of them now.
Ava pulled the blanket closer.
She looked down at her stomach and laughed softly.
"Three," she said.
The word felt heavy. And light. And real.
He reached for her hand.
No words this time. Just fingers laced together.
Outside, Accra kept moving.
Horns. Voices. The city breathing.
But in that room, time stopped.
For the first time in a long time, she wasn’t afraid.
She was just here.
With him.
With them.
The test was done.
The fear was done.
Now came the living.
She closed her eyes and let it sink in.
The room was quiet.
The city was loud.
But her heart was steady.
This was it.
No more waiting.
No more wondering.
Just three.
Just beginning.
Just them.
She opened her eyes again.
He was still there. Watching her.
He brushed a thumb over her knuckles.
"Scared?" he asked.
She thought about it.
Then she shook her head.
"Not anymore," she said.
"Not with you. Not with us."
He smiled. Small. Real.
Like the weight had left his chest too.
Outside, a horn blared.
A trotro passed. Accra didn’t care.
But inside, everything had changed.
The fear was gone.
The silence was soft now.
She placed both hands on her stomach.
"Okay, little one," she whispered.
"We’re here. We’re ready."
He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
No more tests.
No more hiding.
Just the three of them.
Starting now.
Starting together.
She exhaled. Long. Slow.
Like she’d been holding her breath for months.
He sat beside her on the bed.
Shoulder to shoulder.
"So," he said. "What now?"
She looked at him. Really looked.
"No more running," she said.
"No more pretending we’re alone."
He nodded slowly.
"Then we face it," he said.
"Doctors. Names. A room. A plan."
She smiled. Tired, but real.
"And rest," she added.
"So much rest."
He chuckled.
"And food. You’re eating for three now."
She rolled her eyes, but she was laughing.
"For three," she said.
The word didn’t scare her anymore.
The light shifted again.
Accra outside, loud and alive.
But in here?
It was quiet.
It was safe.
He pulled her close.
Forehead to forehead.
Breath to breath.
"We’ve got this," he whispered.
"All of it. Together."
She closed her eyes.
And let it all go.
The fear. The waiting. The what-ifs.
When she opened them again, he was still there.
Steady. Solid. Hers.
"Book 1 is done," she said.
Her voice was soft, but sure.
He nodded.
"Book 2 starts now."
She placed a hand on her stomach.
"With you. With me. With us."
He kissed her palm.
"Always," he said.
Outside, Accra kept moving.
Inside, theywere still.
No noise. No rush.
Just breathing. Just being.
She leaned into him.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Book 1 is closed," he said.
"Now we live Book 2."
She smiled against his chest.
"Together," she whispered.
The room was warm.
The city was loud.
But they were home.
Three.
Always three.
From now on.
The light faded.
Night came to Accra.
But inside, they didn’t move.
They just held on.
Book 1 ended.
Book 2 began.
They breathed.
Together.
For the first time, without fear.
The city hummed.
They were home.
Book 1 done.
They stayed still.
Hand in hand.
Book 2 starts.
No fear.
No running.
Just three.
Together now.
Always three.
They smiled.
Quiet. Safe.
Home.
Peace at last.
Book 1 ends here.
The end.
Done.
Finished.
Over.
Closed.
THE END OF BOOK 1
OKXX1 Thank you
- Writer
