February 14th, 2023; 9:28PM

Instead of spending their Valentine's Day at a romantic dinner for two, Chris and Denise spent it sat on the floor of their bathroom with a pregnancy test stick in-between them. They were impatiently waiting for the two minute timer on Denise's phone to go off, to see if she was pregnant after fifty-four days of non-stop attempts to conceive. It was strange how easily she had gotten pregnant when they weren't trying, yet now when they were- things were taking an unfortunate amount of time. They realized fifty-four days was nothing compared to the couples who had to spend years trying, but every time they remembered how young and fertile Denise was- it spurred on their irrational impatience. In fact, they had plans to FaceTime Dr. McCullough for some medical advice if the test came back negative today.

Bing bing bing, bing bing bing, bing bing bing.

Both flinched at the sound of the alarm as it went off. Chris grabbed Denise's phone and turned it off, a quiet breath released as he rested it back onto the floor. He looked over at Denise, nervously chewing his bottom lip as she picked the stick up. With her hand wrapped around the results, Denise looked over at Chris. "I don't know if I want to look," she admitted then swallowed the lump in her throat. "What if I'm not pregnant again, Chris?"

"Then we'll keep trying," he answered with a reassuring smile. "It's not the end of the world, Denise. We've only been at it for less than two months, these things take time." He reasoned despite how upset and disappointed he knew he was going to be if she wasn't pregnant again. "C'mon," he beckoned his head at the test grasped in her hand, "let's just bite the bullet and look at the results." She daintily chewed on her fingernails as she stared at the test, unable to turn it over and reveal the results. "Sweetheart," he wrapped a comforting arm around her. "If we're meant to have a second child, we'll have a second child."

"Okay," she nodded then turned her hand over. Hesitantly, she loosened her fingers and unveiled the test stick. Both leaned in to peer at the little screen, lips parting when they saw the two blue lines. Denise felt her heart skip a beat and she stuttered breathlessly, "is that- that is- are we?" She turned to Chris when he grabbed the stick to get a closer look. Her shaky hand flew to her mouth as she let out a nervous, but excited chuckle, "I don't believe it." Tears welled in her eyes when she saw a big smile form on Chris' lips. "I'm pregnant!" She cheered as she got to her feet, bouncing excitedly. "We're having another baby!"

It took Chris a moment, but he, too, rose to his feet cheering. "You're pregnant!" He swept her into his arms, lifting her off the ground as he hugged her tightly. "We're having another baby!" Denise laughed as she wrapped her arms tight around her husband's neck. Her grin was so wide, it was starting to hurt her face. It finally happened, she was officially pregnant with their second child. "Oh my God, baby. I am so happy right now," Chris murmured into the crook of her neck when he buried his face in her hair. "So, so happy."

"Me too." She started to cry, out of pure joy. "We're having another baby," she repeated their findings, hugging onto him as tightly as humanly possible. "I can't believe it's finally happened, I was so worried it was going to be negative again," she admitted and he chuckled, tightening his arms around her as he pressed a kiss onto her cheek.

Minutes must've passed as they remained encircled in each others' arms, reveling in the moment, too consumed to let go. It didn't seem that long ago that they'd started trying to conceive, yet it felt like they'd waited an eternity to get the news they'd just received. They couldn't wait to tell everyone, to let their parents know that another grandchild was on the way. Since Jack turned two, this seemed to be the news that everyone had been waiting for. The question "when are you having another child?" finally had an answer.

"This is crazy," Denise pulled away first, chuckling. "Are we crazy?" She rhetorically quizzed before Chris could comment on her first statement. "I mean-" she pressed her fingertips against her temples as she began to pace. "Jack's starting preschool in two weeks. There are some great offers waiting for you. And I have a script I want to finish. Like- what are we doing? Can we handle having another baby right now?" Her breaths started to fall out of its regular pace. "Oh my God, I feel- I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack. Oh God, Chris," she gaped for air, a hand pressed against her chest, "help me."

"Okay, baby. Hey," he chuckled, "stop." He caught her by the arms, turning her to face him. "We can handle this, we're a great team. And yes, there are some great offers waiting for me, but- there is," he placed a hand over her abdomen, smiling, "a wonderful baby inside of you waiting for me too. I'm sorry, Hollywood, but my family is more important than some role in a movie. We can do this," he assured her. "Stop worrying, okay?"

"If I stop worrying, I don't think I'd be the girl you fell in-love with." She joked and he chuckled, pinching her chin before dropping his arms to his side. "Now should we go and tell Jack he's going to get a new baby brother or sister in nine months? I feel like that's news he's going to be happy with, he seemed very upset when he heard Alex was getting a new baby brother. Apparently he's been pouting to your mom about it? And when she asked him what he wanted for his birthday this year, he said a baby."

"Yeah, I heard that. It's funny how he doesn't say these things to us, but to other people behind our backs. He's a bit of a snake, isn't he?" He joked and she giggled, nodding. "As much as I want to share the news with our adorable little boy, do you really want to wake him and risk having to deal with him being up all night?"

"Right," she chuckled, "no. You've got a point, we can tell him tomorrow. Tonight, we shall celebrate ourselves." She said and he nodded, taking her hand after she scooped her phone off the floor. "It's still Valentine's Day, y'know." She reminded him as they exited their ensuite. "We've got mini red velvet cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries in the fridge," she stated in a suggestive tone. "Will you join me, my sweet Valentine?"

"Of course, darling," he laced his fingers with hers, smiling.

Hand in hand, they made their way to their kitchen downstairs. They grabbed the box of mini cupcakes and the tray of chocolate covered strawberries; Chris, a beer, and Denise, a glass of sparkling water before settling in their living room, on the couch, in front of the electric fireplace. The quiet flames flickered behind the glass, setting the romantic, low-key mood they wanted for their night. Chris flipped the box of mini cupcakes open, grabbing himself a cupcake while Denise grabbed herself a chocolate covered strawberry. They took their first bites in silence, humming happily as they savored their treats. Wiping their hands with a tissue, they leaned into a cuddle. Denise rested her head against Chris' chest as he wrapped an arm around her, pressing his lips to her hair.

"I still can't believe we're having another baby," Chris whispered into Denise's hair. "It feels like yesterday we were still living in Los Angeles, just coming home from the hospital with Jack." He said and felt her nod in agreement. "And now he's about to go to preschool, we're living in Boston, and you're pregnant with our second child. It's crazy, I can't believe how time has flown. I mean- I'm turning forty-two this year, that's...I am getting old," he chuckled when he heard her giggle. "I am very fortunate that my wife likes her older men."

"You are very fortunate indeed," she teased and he chuckled again. "Can I just-" She pulled away from him to meet his gaze. "I'm turning twenty-six this year," she stated as a matter-of-fact and he nodded in acknowledgment, puzzled by where she was going with her train of thought. "I've always said that twenty-six was the golden age, y'know- I had to have everything worked out by that age, that was- that was the goal for me."

"I don't know why you put so much pressure on yourself, age is just a number." His brows furrowed slightly. "It doesn't matter if you haven't achieved everything you've set out to achieve, you're twenty-six. That golden age thing is- ridiculous, honestly. You're so young, you've got the rest of your life to do the things you want to do. And if you ask me, I think you've done plenty already. I don't know why you're-"

"Chris," she cut him off, giggling. "I'm not disappointed with what I've done. I agree with you, I've done plenty already." He seemed taken aback by her statement, which was understandable as he knew her very well. Denise smiled and continued, "I am happy with all that I've achieved in my almost twenty-six years. I am proud of myself because I do have everything sorted, at least- everything that matters most to me. I am going into my twenty-sixth year of life, feeling like a legitimate adult. I'm married to the love of my life, I'm a mom, I've written and directed a movie...I didn't say all that to berate myself, I said it so I could thank you."

"Why would thank me?"

"Ugh," she groaned with a brief look of annoyance and he chuckled. He had asked, but truth was he already knew why. "Stop being so modest, it is really sickening." She playfully scolded and he smiled apologetically. "Obviously my life wouldn't be what it is if it hadn't been for you, you are the reason I am able to meet my own expectations by twenty-six."

"I'm not trying to be modest here, but I think you're underestimating yourself. With your ambition and tenacity, there is no way you would've strayed far from the path, even without me in your life. Perhaps you would've been a year or two behind, but I believe you would've attained your goal." He took her hand in his, squeezing lightly. "You are a force to be reckoned with, Denise."

"I won't disagree with that," she smiled and he tittered. "But I can assure you I would not have attained my goal. When I made that goal- I was a naïve sixteen year old. I thought I'd meet the love of my life by eighteen, start planning my wedding by twenty-one, have my dream job by twenty-three, and have my first child by twenty-six."

"Well, you weren't that far off. You did all you expected yourself to do, plus-minus a year or two. You met me at nineteen, started planning our wedding and had our first child at twenty-two, and debuted your first movie at twenty-four." He listed all her achievements, unaware he'd added himself in the equation, proving her point; she smiled. "I know a second child is not exactly on that list of to-achieve, but you will be having our second child at twenty-six."

"I met you at nineteen, started planning our wedding and had our first child at twenty-two." She repeated with emphasis on the part he played. "And though you said my first movie, I wouldn't have gotten the offer if I hadn't met you." She continued and his lips quirked into a small smile. "Those goals would've been far-fetched, absurd, and unobtainable if I hadn't found you. You were the piece of the puzzle that had everything else fall into place, Chris. That is not my opinion, it is a fact. So stop fighting me on it and just let me say thank you because you make my life better with every passing day. And no," she chuckled, "that is not another opinion."

"If you feel the need to thank me then I definitely feel the need to thank you too, 'cause I wouldn't be where I am either if I hadn't met you. I wouldn't be a husband, or a father right now. I wouldn't be cuddled up on a couch with my beautiful wife, celebrating her second pregnancy on Valentine's Day. I'd be the pathetic, lonely forty-one year old drinking alone at a bar," he said with a rueful smile. "But, I'm not." Joy swept across his face as he met her gaze. "I'm here, with the life I've always wanted, next to the girl I've always dreamed of. So thank you, Denise. Believe me, I've gained more out of this fortunate pairing that you ever will."

"Debatable," she disagreed with a shake of her head and a smile so wide it reached her eyes. He chuckled, recognizing his own response when she'd said "I am the one who lucked out in this relationship" back in Los Angeles. He leaned forward, catching her elbow in his hand to pull her towards him. "Chris," she fell forward, giggling, catching herself by pressing both hands against his chest. "You should really be more gentle with me, I am pregnant after all." Their smiles grew wide as she said that, the news was one they were extremely happy with.

"Or perhaps I should take advantage of the early stages of your pregnancy and be a little rough until I have no choice but to be gentle." He smirked and she laughed. "Oh, baby," he gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, smiling. "I wish I could tell you how much I truly love you, I don't think there are enough words in the human language for that conversation." His heart raced as she slowly leaned in, pressing her lips tenderly against his earlobe. With a quiet breath, she whispered.

"I guess you'll just have to show me instead."