No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 31

Lucy sat in the sterile doctor's office, her hands folded tightly in her lap. The walls felt too close, the air too still, as if the weight of what she had just been told was pressing down on everything. She could hardly believe the words—the confirmation. She was pregnant. It wasn't some mistake, some faulty test result. It was real.

Beside her, Henry sat quietly, his face unreadable, but Lucy could feel the steady presence of him, his calm demeanor like an anchor in the storm swirling around in her mind. She glanced over at him, wondering how he was taking it, but before she could ask, the doctor cleared her throat, drawing their attention.

"Lucy, Henry," the doctor began, her voice gentle but firm, "I know this is a lot to take in, and I want you both to understand the gravity of the situation. You're still teenagers, and raising a child is incredibly difficult, even for adults who are well-established. There's a lot to consider, including your future, your education, your financial stability. You need to ask yourselves if you're really prepared for this."

Lucy's heart pounded, her thoughts racing. She already knew how unprepared she felt, but then Henry's hand reached for hers, steadying her again. She looked over at him, seeing the calm resolve in his eyes, and something in her heart eased just a little.

The doctor leaned forward, her tone growing more serious. "There are options. I don't usually push this on anyone, but many teenagers in your position consider terminating the pregnancy. It's not an easy decision, but it's something to think about—giving yourselves time to figure out your lives before taking on such a heavy responsibility."

Lucy's stomach churned. She hadn't even thought about that. She had barely wrapped her mind around the fact that she was pregnant, and now she was being asked to think about not having the baby at all. Her fingers trembled, and she squeezed Henry's hand a little tighter, searching for words.

"We've already decided," Henry said, his voice steady but firm. "We're keeping the baby."

The doctor looked between them, surprised. "You've made up your mind already?"

Henry nodded. "Yes. We've been talking about our future for a while now. We're in a good position. I've got money coming in from my book sales, and we started a business together. Financially, we'll be fine. We're planning on moving in together, and we've already committed to making this work."

Lucy blinked at Henry, still in awe of how calmly he was handling everything. She hadn't even considered all the practicalities yet—how they would live, what they would need to do. But Henry was laying it all out, clear as day, like he'd already thought it all through.

The doctor's expression softened, but there was still a trace of concern. "I understand that you're feeling confident right now, but I want to make sure you've considered all the challenges ahead. It's not just about money or having a place to live. Parenting is an enormous responsibility. It's emotional, it's exhausting, and it can strain even the strongest relationships."

Henry turned to Lucy, his eyes locking with hers. "I know it's a lot," he said quietly, "but I care about you. And I care about this baby. We're in this together, Lucy. We can do this."

Lucy's throat tightened, her emotions swirling—fear, uncertainty, but also a strange, growing sense of hope. She had never imagined this would be her life, that she'd be sitting here, talking about having a child with Henry, of all people. But as she looked into his eyes, she realized something.

Henry was right. They had built something together—something solid. With his book and their restaurant, they had created the start of a life that, despite their age, would be stable. And more than that, Henry genuinely cared for her, in a way that she could feel in every word, every glance.

"We're having this baby," Lucy said, her voice trembling but resolute. "We'll figure it out. Together."

The doctor gave a small, understanding nod, though she still looked concerned. "Alright. If you're both committed to this, then my job is to support you. I'll make sure you get the resources and information you need to make this as smooth as possible."

As the doctor stood to leave, Henry leaned closer to Lucy, his voice soft and comforting. "We've got this, Lucy. You're not alone in this. I'm here, and I'll always be here."