LOVE THY ENEMY - REECE WALSH.

𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑹𝑻𝒀

"Baby, I think I have a serious shopping problem." Tatiana called out to Reece who was sitting on the couch in the living room watching TV.

She sat her bags down on the kitchen counter as she smiled at him. "Sorry I'm late, love. Hope you didn't miss me too much."

Reece turned his head towards the sound of Tatiana's voice, his expression a mixture of worry and disappointment.

He watched as she set her bags down on the counter and flashed him a smile, her cheerful demeanor in sharp contrast to his current mood.

He cleared his throat, his voice a little colder than usual. "Actually, there's something we need to talk about," he said, getting up from the couch and approaching her in the kitchen.

Tatiana's smile faded a bit as she noticed the serious tone in Reece's voice. She could sense that something was off and her heart began to race, wondering what it was that needed to be discussed.

"Uh, okay," she replied, her voice a little nervous and uncertain. "What's up, babe?"

Reece reached into his pocket, his hand withdrawing the positive pregnancy test that he had found Leila playing with earlier. He held it up for Tatiana to see, his expression stern, and his voice laced with a hint of anger.

"Care to explain this, Tatiana?" he asked, his words straightforward and sharp.

Tatiana's eyes widened in shock as she spotted the pregnancy test in Reece's hand. She hadn't anticipated him finding it like this. Her mind raced, trying to come up with something to say, but nothing came to mind.

As Reece spoke, his stern tone and use of her name, rather than the affectionate nicknames he usually called her, sent a pang of unease through her. She could sense his anger and frustration, and it made her even more nervous.

She swallowed hard, her throat suddenly feeling dry. "What makes you think that's mine..?" She let out a playful laugh.

Reece's eyes hardened as Tatiana attempted to play off the situation with a joke, his anger and disappointment only increasing. He wasn't in the mood for games, and her attempt to brush it off only fueled his growing frustration.

"Cut the bullshit, Tatiana," he said, his voice low and demanding. "You think I'm stupid? Leila found this in the bathroom, and she thought it was a magic wand. Don't play dumb. Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Tatiana swallowed hard again, her heart racing in her chest. She could feel the anger and disappointment radiating off Reece, and she knew she couldn't keep dodging his questions any longer.

"I... I was going to tell you," she finally confessed, her voice small and shaky. "I just... I didn't know how to bring it up. I needed time to process it myself first, and I—"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at him, silently pleading for his understanding. "I wanted to make sure that I was actually pregnant before telling you.."

Reece's expression softened slightly as Tatiana confessed, but his anger and disappointment still lingered. He wanted to be understanding, but the fact that she had kept something so significant hidden from him hurt.

"You should have told me right away," he replied, his voice a mixture of anger and hurt. "You should have trusted me enough to not keep secrets, especially something this big. And you waited... When did you even find out?"

"It... it was this morning," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I took the test this morning, but I... I had a suspicion for a while. I just wasn't sure, and I didn't want to get your hopes up over another negative test."

Reece's anger and frustration slowly began to fade as Tatiana explained her reasons for keeping the secret. He understood her hesitation and worry after the previous disappointment, but he wished she had trusted him enough to share her suspicions from the beginning.

He took a deep breath, his expression softening a little more as the news sank in and a flicker of happiness began to appear in his eyes.

"So, you're actually pregnant then?" he asked, a hint of joy in his voice, trying to suppress his excitement for the moment.

Tatiana nodded slowly, her own expression a mix of nervousness and hope as she noticed Reece's anger giving way to a hint of joy. She knew he was trying to process his feelings, and seeing his excitement made her heart flutter.

"I still need to go to my GP and confirm it for sure... We need to make an appointment as soon as possible."

Reece's heart leapt as Tatiana confirmed that she needed to see the GP to make it official, but the happiness and relief he felt outweighed any lingering anger and frustration. He smiled softly, still adjusting to the reality of the situation.

"Yeah, we should book in as soon as possible," he agreed. "We can't wait any longer, you need to be checked out and make sure everything's fine. Plus, I can't wait to start preparing for this baby already."

He took a step closer towards her, his voice lowering a little. "I'm excited, you know. Really excited."

Tatiana's heart fluttered as Reece expressed his excitement and happiness. She could see the genuine joy in his eyes, and it filled her with a sense of relief. She had been worried about how he would react, but his response was better than she could have hoped for.

The mention of preparing for the baby brought a smile to her face, and she looked up at him with tenderness in her eyes. "Me too, baby," she replied gently. "I can't believe it's finally happened."

Reece reached out and placed his hand gently on Tatiana's belly, his palm resting against the still flat surface. A wave of emotions washed over him - excitement, disbelief, and a deep sense of joy.

"We're going to be parents," he murmured, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and tenderness. "I can't wait to feel our baby growing inside you, to see your belly round with our child. It's going to be an incredible journey, Tati."

The tender words he spoke and his hand on her belly caused Tatiana to shiver with anticipation. She could feel the excitement and happiness radiating off of him, and it only heightened her own emotions. But a part of her couldn't help but tease him, even in the midst of the heartfelt moment.

"Oh no, is this going to develop into another one of your weird kinks, seeing me pregnant?" She said playfully, a smirk on her lips.

Reece chuckled at Tatiana's playful tease, a smirk forming on his own lips as he responded. He leaned in closer, his hand still resting on her belly, his voice low and full of amusement.

"You know me too well, baby. It's only a matter of time before I turn it into something for my own personal enjoyment. Can you blame me though? You, round and pregnant with my child, it's a pretty hot sight to imagine."

Tatiana's smirk grew as Reece played along with her teasing. She loved this side of him, the way he could joke around even in serious moments. She placed a hand on top of his, still resting on her belly.

"Oh, I don't blame you at all, babe," she replied, her voice sultry. "I know you can't resist me, and add a pregnancy to the mix? Well, I understand the appeal." She gave a lighthearted laugh.

Reece's thoughts wandered to the disappointing rugby season and all the wins that had slipped through his fingers. It had been a tough year, but now looking at Tatiana and their unborn child, he couldn't help but find himself smiling.

In a way, this pregnancy felt like a silver lining, a much-needed win after a string of losses.

With his hand still on her belly, he squeezed gently and leaned in closer to her. "I can't wait to begin this journey with you, my love."