Winter in Spruceworth | Spruceworth 4.3 (Short Story)

3. Destiny

3. Destiny

       As I watched my three children run around the living room, I couldn't help but have a small smile on my face, though part of my was feeling heartbroken. I had no idea what I was going to do about this.

       The front door opened and my husband walked in, carrying a tray of milkshakes. After six years of owning the 50's diner, I would have thought we would have gotten tired of having milkshakes all the time. That, apparently, wasn't the case.

       "Dad!" Anastasia said, running over to Dan and wrapping her arms around him. "Did you bring a milkshake for me?"

       "Of course I did," Dan said, handing Anastasia her chocolate milkshake. "Did you really think I'd bring milkshakes home for all my children and not you?"

       Ace immediately frowned. "Aw, so I don't get one?"

       "What makes you think that?" Dan asked.

       "You said all your children," Ace said. "I'm technically not your child."

       Dan rolled his eyes and handed Ace his milkshake. "You're my stepson, Ace. That still counts."

       After Dan gave Harry his milkshake, he sat down on the couch beside me. "Are you okay?" he asked in a quiet voice.

       "Yeah," I said. "Yeah, of course. What makes you think otherwise?"

       "We've been together for six years, Destiny," Dan said. "I can tell when something's bothering you, and it's not like you've been acting like this only today. You've been different for the past couple days, and I want to know what's going on."

       I sighed, and didn't say anything mainly because our children were in the room. Dan must have known them being in the room was why I wasn't saying anything, because he asked Anastasia if she could take Ace to the playroom because he and I had to talk.

       "How come Harry gets to stay?" Anastasia asked.

       "He's two, and he can't eavesdrop," Dan said. "Now go, please, before I take your milkshakes away."

       Taking any food or drink away from Anastasia was a huge threat to her, so she quickly led Ace into the playroom so she wouldn't lose her milkshake.

       "So, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Dan asked. I didn't reply. I just looked down. "Des, come on. I'm your husband. You know you can trust me with anything, and I really don't like seeing you like this."

       "Dan, I..." I had to take a deep breath before saying it. "I'm pregnant again."

       "You are?" Dan asked and I nodded, so Dan pulled me into a hug.

       I loved kids a whole lot, and I've always wanted a big family, but I didn't no if I could deal with it this time. I wanted Harry to be our last kid, and Dan and I were also so careful.

       I guess you could never be too careful.

       "I don't know what to do, Dan," I said. "Of course I want to keep it, but... I don't know if I can go through this again."

       "Destiny, it will be okay," Dan said. "Just because it happened once, it doesn't mean it will happen again. Besides, miscarriages, unfortunately, are common. They're not rare."

       "A miscarriage is one thing," I said. "But... I still had to give birth to her. We had to bury her right after. If that happens again..."

       "It won't," Dan said. 

       "You can't be too certain," I said. "Anything can happen."