Under His Care by Kelly Favor

really so sure. She took the open box from him and started for the bathroom. “I’ll just be a minute.”
    “I want to wait for the results together,” he told her.
    “Okay. Okay, relax,” she called back, but her heart was beating quickly as she went into the bathroom and read the instructions over twice.
    Come on, Kennedy. You’ve understood advanced mathematics that ninety nine point nine percent of the population could never even remotely fathom—you should be able to handle a pregnancy test.
    But it was nerve wracking just the same, and she didn’t want to do anything that might give an inaccurate result.
    And as she peed, and then afterwards set the pregnancy test stick on the bathroom sink, Kennedy realized that she had changed from hoping that she wasn’t pregnant—to actually beginning to hope that she was pregnant.
    The change set her mind spinning and her heart beating even faster still.
    She exited the bathroom to find Easton waiting right outside the door, his expression calm but happy. “So,” he said, grabbing her hand tightly, “you did the first part. And now we just wait a couple of minutes, right?”
    “Yeah,” she said, licking her lips. “This is so weird.”
    He looked at her. “Maybe it’s not so weird. I mean, this happens every day. It’s how we all got here in the first place.”
    “True.” Kennedy looked into his eyes, allowing herself to finally admit that he did care as much as he said.
    Easton caressed her cheek softly. “God, you’re beautiful.”
    She smiled. “Please tell me this is real and you’re not going to change back.”
    “This is real and I’m not going to change back, Kennedy. I’m here to stay if you’ll have me.” And then he got down on one knee and produced the ring box yet again, holding it up for her.
    Kennedy tentatively opened it. The diamond ring gleaming up at her was exquisite, gorgeous, and she loved it instantly. “It’s perfect,” she said, smiling, her eyes shining with happy tears.
    “Just like you,” Easton said. “Will you marry me, Kennedy?”
    She nodded, barely able to contain her emotion. “Of course I will.” And then Easton took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger, and it fit perfectly somehow.
    He got up and hugged and kissed her again. “No matter what happens right now,” he said, “I do want to have a baby with you.”
    “I do too,” she said, shocked that they were actually saying these things to each other.
    They both started laughing, and as they held each other, their laughter built, like an inside joke only the two of them understood, and maybe not even they could full appreciate everything that made it so funny, yet so touching and wonderful all at once.
    All Kennedy knew was that she’d finally come home—finally found her true family—and that there was nothing else more to ask for in life.
    When enough time had passed, Easton gave her a look. “Should we go in now?” he said.
    Kennedy took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes.”
    They held hands tightly and then opened the bathroom door. It swung slowly open, and they both stared down at the sink.

    ***

    Three weeks later, it was a gorgeous and surprisingly warm day, and Easton had taken her for a walk in Central Park.
    It was one of those New York days that seemed magical, like the world had become the backdrop for Kennedy’s own personal Hollywood romance, and they’d dropped her and Easton into the set and let them free to wander.
    A light breeze blew her hair as they walked together, stopping to pet a cute and friendly dog.
    “Hey, look,” Easton said, pointing up ahead. There was a slight man of Asian descent drawing a caricature of a little boy.
    “That’s a great drawing,” she said, surprised at how much it looked like the boy who was sitting on a stool, posing as the artist sketched him. His parents stood by, talking and laughing as the artist worked and the boy fidgeted.
    Eventually, the artist completed his work and gave