The Wintumn Family

Chapter 1

"My love?" Winter began, drawing Autumn's attention from the series of pregnancy tests laid out in front of her, all displaying two pink lines, that they had both been staring at wordlessly for the past five minutes. "Do you want to keep it?"

Autumn's eyes flickered away from his and down to her lap, before returning to the tests again. She had no answer to that. Did she want a child at some point? Sure. But did she want one right now? Not so much. Despite their strong passion for one another, Autumn and Winter had only been together for a few months, and she struggled to believe she was ever worthy of his love. Her whole life had been a series of failed relationships: her father, her mother, her brother, and an endless string of past hook-ups and emotionless relationships in a fervent attempt to feel something, anything, again. Autumn still wasn't convinced that Winter wouldn't leave too, regardless of how many times he had shown her just how committed he was.

"I don't know." It was barely a whisper, hardly daring to part with her lips. "I thought we were careful." It was almost a question as her eyes reconnected with Winter's.

"We were," He nodded, contemplating. She gave a small nod in return, turning back to the tests, to which he followed suit. Silence reclaimed the room.

"Food poisoning." Winter announced suddenly. "The pill - it would've just come back up when you were sick." Autumn groaned. She knew he was right.

"That means-"

"Six weeks. I know."

"Oh my God." She leant back on the sofa, pushing her glasses onto the top of her head and bringing a hand to massage the bridge of her nose, her gaze never leaving the tests.

"It's entirely your choice, my darling. I will support you no matter what you decide to do." He comforted her, placing a hand onto the small of her back. She nodded, not taking her eyes off of the lines. How could this have happened? It was just her luck. She couldn't be a mother yet. She couldn't. She wouldn't be fit. It wouldn't be right. The timing was off. What if she ended up like her father? She couldn't repeat the generational trauma. She wasn't even over it herself, and she was 35. How could she bring a child into the world? She couldn't. She couldn't be a mother yet.

"I don't want it. Not yet." Her eyes met his again, and watched the flicker of disappointment, before he took a breath and nodded sharply.

"Okay, my love. If that's what you want to do, that's what we will do. I shall look into abortion clinics tomorrow morning." He was distraught. He had been ecstatic to find out that she was pregnant with his child. His mind had been racing with images of the three of them holding hands; of Autumn carrying a little boy around their house, soothing him as Winter cooked them dinner; of Autumn sat behind a little girl, braiding her loose curls; of blue eyes staring into his as he held his child for the first time; of him chasing a squealing little boy around the garden; of him holding a nervous little girl's hand as he walked her in to her first day of preschool; of his and Autumn's eyes meeting after watching their little one take their first steps; of Autumn being a wonderful mother; of him being an exceptional father; of them as a family, living the life many would consider 'mundane', but for him, the life that he had dreamed of every day of his life.

"Thank you," She whispered, standing up from the sofa and smoothing her top down over her hips. She pushed the pregnancy tests together, lifted them up, and dropped them into the small wicker bin beside the sofa he was sat on. There went any shred of hope he had of her changing her mind. She turned back to face him: "I'm going to bed, my love."

"I will meet you up there." He replied, looking back up at her. She gave a small nod, turned on her heel, and left the room. 

AN: Thank you for reading the first chapter! I wanted to delve more into the initial reactions of Autumn and Winter to the pregnancy so please bear with :)