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I WAS PACKING UP MY things from the loft and moving them into the White House. I’d called Cristin and Katherine to come help, while Sebastian was on a trip out of state. He was supposed to come back the next day, and I wanted to plan a dinner for just the two of us.
“Where do you want this one?” Cristin asked, holding up a box of kitchen supplies.
“I need to get it ready for donation. I doubt I’ll need to take a lot with me.”
“Have you talked to Sebastian in Las Vegas?” Katherine questioned.
“We spoke two days ago, but I’ve been busy with work and packing.”
“Do you plan on still working while living at the White House?” Cristin questioned, taping up a box of plates.
“I told him I wasn’t quitting my job.” I lifted a small box of books from the table to put it on the floor. It knocked over my purse, and a pregnancy test spilled out.
“OH, MY GOD!” Cristin squealed and picked it up.
“Shush...”
“When are you taking it? Are you feeling nauseous ?” Cristin threw out questions.
“Will you calm down?”
“Sorry, but this is exciting.” Cristin clapped her hands in excitement and reached over to hug me.
I pulled away. “I haven't taken the test yet.”
“Your breasts look a little bigger lately, and I didn’t want to say anything,” Cristin blurted out and opened the box.
I snatched it out of her hands. “You're more excited than I am,” I said.
“This is huge, Laila. What if you are pregnant?” Katherine asked and grabbed the box out of my hands.
“Can you two calm down for a second, please?”
“Don’t you want to know?” Cristin asked.
“I was planning on taking the test when I finish moving in a few days.”
Cristin shook her head and placed her hands on her hips. “I can’t wait that long.”
“When did this become about you?” I questioned and took a seat on the couch.
“What are you worried about?” Katherine sat on the arm of the couch next to me and pulled my hair out of my face.
“We’ve never talked about kids. What if he doesn’t want any?”
“The only way to know is to take the test,” Cristin said, taking the box out of Kristin’s hands and opening it.
“You're just excited to be a godmother if I am.”
“Can you blame us?” Katherine bent over in laughter.
I grabbed it out of her hands and went to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought over the past couple of years with Sebastian. Was I ready for this type of responsibility? Was Sebastian? These were the questions flooding my mind as I put the box down on the counter and washed my face.
“Just do it,” I mumbled to myself. I blew out a breath and lifted the toilet lid. I pulled my pants down and peed on the stick. “Take a leap of faith,” I muttered to myself. I finished and wiped myself, then flushed the toilet. I placed the stick atop a piece of tissue and washed my hands, then sat on the counter to wait.
“Do you need anything?” Cristin called out.
“No.” I closed my eyes, inhaled, and exhaled. I stared at my watch as the time went by slowly, thinking that if I called Sebastian, he would drop everything and come home. Finally, I slid off the counter and stepped out of the bathroom.
“What happened?” Cristin asked.
“Nothing. I needed to take a second.” I sat on the edge of the bed.
“Well, I want to know now,” Cristin said and went inside the bathroom. It was silent for a few minutes, then she appeared at the door.
“So?” Katherine asked.
“Congratulations!” Cristin screamed and came over to hug me.
I opened and closed my mouth, speechless at what she’d just said.
“How do you feel?” she asked.
“I wonder if Sebastian is ready to put a nursery in the west wing,” I teased. I took the test out of her hand and admired the two blue lines.
*****
A WEEK LATER.
I had all of his favorite foods delivered and set the mood for his return. He was out of the country on a foreign trip, so I had to wait a week before I told him about the pregnancy. I knew the second it came out in public, everyone would make judgment calls, but the only opinion I cared about was Sebastian’s. I heard the key in the door, slipped the robe off my body, and stood next to the table wearing the new red slip lingerie.
“Claudette, tell Ambassador Lee, we will have a meeting with Italy tomorrow.”
I cleared my throat, and Sebastian stood frozen at the door.
“Claudette, let me call you back,” Sebastian says, as he dropped his bag on the floor, and ended the call.
He bit, down on his bottom lip and lifted a brow.
“What’s all this for?” Sebastian waved his hand around the room.
I sauntered over into his arms.
“Welcome home, Mr. President.”
“I like this type of greeting.” he ran a hand down my back and grabbed my ass.
“I have a surprise for you.”
“I love it so far.” Sebastian buried his head in the crook of my neck. I giggled and pulled back, gripped his hand, and walked him to the table, and motioned for him to take a seat.
“What’s with all my favorite foods?”
“Lift the lid.”
I had grilled chicken, mac, and cheese, greens, potatoes, salad, and cornbread. All the food was sitting, waiting to be devoured.
Sebastian grabbed the top of the silver food lid, and a long square black box sat underneath it.
“Baby, I don’t wear jewelry besides a watch,” Sebastian picked the box up and opened it with his eyes wide in surprise.
“I’m pregnant.”
“Are you for real?” he questioned.
“Yes. A little one is baking in the oven. I found out a week ago.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I didn’t want to interrupt your trip, plus I was still getting settled into my new normal.” I sat down on his lap, and he ran a hand around my waist to rub my stomach.
“So you’re having my baby?”
“I am. How do you feel about that?”
“Shocked, surprised, but more than anything, love.”
“Me too.”
“Are you sure about this? Once the public is aware, I’ll do my best to keep you protected at all times.”
“I know you will, but for tonight, let’s enjoy this moment, and tomorrow we can figure everything else out.” I started to get out of my seat, and he pulled me back and turned my head to plant a kiss on my lips. For the rest of the evening, we talked about what if we had a boy or girl and then called our parents to tell them the good news.