Only his surrogate

Fourty five.

A few days later, I finally woke up feeling human again.

The flu had left me exhausted, but the fever was gone, my headache had eased, and I could breathe without feeling like my chest was being squeezed.

Most importantly, I could finally get out of bed without Leyton appearing beside me like a concerned nurse.

I smiled as I walked downstairs.

The house was quiet.

Sunlight poured through the huge kitchen windows, catching on the boxes we'd yet to unpack.

I opened one.

"Finally."

I pulled out a stack of plates.

One by one, I began putting them into the cupboards.

This was the part I'd been looking forward to.

Making the house ours.

Not just moving our belongings into it.

Actually living in it.

I was halfway through arranging the kitchen when I heard footsteps behind me.

"April."

I turned.

Leyton stood in the doorway wearing a suit.

He stared at the cupboard.

Then at me.

Then back at the cupboard.

"I thought we agreed you were taking it easy."

"I am."

"You're unpacking."

"Technically, yes."

He walked over.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"Really?"

I nodded.

"Really."

He studied my face for a moment before smiling.

"Good."

He kissed me.

Then he looked at the box.

"Need help?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

He rolled up his sleeves.

"Where do these go?"

I smiled.

And just like that, we unpacked the kitchen together.

⸻

By lunchtime, the house looked completely different.

The boxes were disappearing.

Pictures were going onto the walls.

Our wedding invitations sat neatly stacked on the dining table.

And the nursery was almost finished.

I stood in the doorway, staring inside.

Leyton came up behind me.

"Still can't believe it?"

I shook my head.

"No."

He wrapped an arm around me.

"Me neither."

I rested my hand over my bump.

"She's going to be here before we know it."

"Then we'd better finish that nursery."

I smiled.

"There's still plenty of time."

"Not according to my mother."

I laughed.

"What has she said now?"

"Apparently we need to have the baby room completely finished before the wedding."

"Why?"

"She says because otherwise we'll be too busy being newlyweds."

I looked at him.

"She's probably right."

He smiled.

"She's always right."

"Don't let her hear you say that."

"Never."

We laughed.

Then I felt a kick.

I grabbed his hand.

"Again."

He placed his palm against my stomach.

A tiny movement pressed against his hand.

His face softened.

"Hi, sweetheart."

I watched him.

"You talk to her every day."

"Of course."

"What do you tell her?"

He smiled.

"That she's already got the best mum in the world."

My eyes filled with tears.

"Leyton..."

He kissed my forehead.

"And that I'm going to love her more than I ever thought possible."

I leaned into him.

"I can't wait to meet her."

"Me neither."

We stood there for a while.

Our daughter kicking beneath his hand.

Our home surrounding us.

Our wedding only weeks away.

Everything we'd dreamed about was slowly becoming real.

Then his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen.

"Work?"

He nodded.

"I have to take this."

I smiled.

"Go."

He kissed me.

"I'll be back soon."

I watched him walk away.

And for the first time since we'd moved in, I didn't feel like a guest in this beautiful house.

I felt like I belonged.

This was our home.

Our family.

Our future.

And soon, I'd be walking down the aisle to the man who had changed my entire life.

I couldn't wait.