Hard to Find

Epilogue

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Epilogue

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Skylar's POV

A year later...

One word, eight letters—pregnant.

"Holy fuck," I say, gripping the wall beside me for support as vomit rushes up my throat like water in a pressure hose. However, I clamp my hand over my mouth before anything escapes.

"Breathe, Skylar," I tell myself, pacing back and forth in the bathroom. "This happens when two adults forget to buy condoms on vacation and shrug it off because you've had five mixed drinks and you can barely think."

My brain is spiraling out of control, and I'm not sure how to stop it. I thought we were careful enough, but it seems I placed too much faith in my little birth control pill, and now I'm here. Gazing down at my stomach, which barely protrudes, I scrunch my shirt to reveal my bare skin. I place both hands on my belly.

The action somehow eases some tension I have. "Hey little nugget," I whisper, and a smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. "I don't want you to think I'm not happy, I am. I just wasn't expecting such a surprise. Your mommy has trouble with adulting, and she didn't think you'd be joining us so soon."

I stare at myself in the mirror, suddenly feeling incredibly small in this big world. Although I knew this day would eventually come, I'm not sure if I'm quite ready for a child. I thought it would happen more methodically. Instead, I threw up once and had an urge to take a test.

"Sky! We're home," Jayden's voice echos through the apartment. Jayden... The thought of him causes tears to spring to my eyes. He is going to be ecstatic. He has slid the topic of children into our conversations whenever he can. I can't imagine his reaction now that he's going to have another one.

"Skylar?" A tiny voice followed by a soft knock sounds through the wooden door.

I vigorously wipe the tears away from my eyes and burry the pregnancy test under my sanitary products. "Just a minute, Ellie!" I shout.

After a long deep breath to help collect myself, I open the door to find Ellie patiently waiting with a milkshake in hand. "Are you okay?" she asks, staring at me with those beautiful blue eyes.

I kneel. "I'm okay. I just needed a moment to myself."

She nods understandingly, holding out a cup. "We got milkshakes. Jay wanted me to bring it to you."

"Did he now?" I beam, reaching for the drink and taking a long sip. She watches with beady eyes, waiting for me to tell her it's the most delicious thing I've ever had—which I do.

"Where is yours?" I ask.

"Downstairs," she says, so I extend my hand for her to hold. Her tiny fingers slip into my palm, and we head down to meet Jayden. Nerves bubble in my stomach like a chemistry experiment gone wrong. He's going to know something is off. That man can read me like a book, front to back.

The second my foot reaches the main floor, he narrows his eyes and mouths, "Are you okay?"

I nod and mouth back, "Stomach ache." And that seems to be enough for him to not press any further.

Jayden slinks his arm around my waist and kisses my temple. We watch Ellie dash into the living room where her dolls lay strewn across the floor. Her small strawberry milk-shake accompanying her.