She told me in the kitchen, her fingers gripping the edge of the counter like it was the only thing anchoring her to the floor. I could tell something was wrong. Her mouth opened, then closed again. Her shoulders were tight, eyes wet. There was a tremble in her jaw that she didn’t try to hide.
“June?” I asked, setting my coffee down. “What is it? What happened?”
She looked at me like she wanted to speak but hadn’t decided how.
“I’m pregnant, Tony,” she said, her voice cracking halfway through.
For a second, everything went quiet. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even think.
Then I laughed. Or maybe cried. Honestly, it felt like both. I stepped forward and pulled her into my arms, and we sank together to the floor like our legs had forgotten how to work. She tucked her head beneath my chin, and I felt her exhale a breath she must’ve been holding for days.
“Are you okay?” I asked softly, brushing her hair back. “I mean… how do you feel?”
She nodded slowly, still curled into me.
“Terrified,” she whispered. “But also… good. Really good.”
“It’s all going to be okay, June,” I said, kissing her forehead. “We can do this, honey.”
