Chapter 22

Twenty-Two

Elena

One Month Later

The waiting room was quiet, the soft murmur of the television in the corner the only sound breaking the stillness. I sat between Cory and Jake, their presence grounding me and easing my nerves. Since Cory had moved in almost a month ago, we picked Jake up from school early, and his excitement had been bubbling over ever since. No matter how much I tried to settle him, he kept bouncing in his seat, his enthusiasm impossible to contain.

“When do we get to see the baby?” Jake asked for the third time, leaning forward to peer toward the exam room doors as if willing them to open.

“Soon, Buddy,” Cory said, his hand resting on my knee in a gesture of calm solidarity. “These things take a little time.”

I smiled, grateful for his steadying presence. It was hard not to get swept up in Jake’s enthusiasm. This was a moment I’d dreamed of sharing—seeing my baby for the first time with my little family by my side.

The nurse called my name, and we all stood up. Jake immediately reached for Cory’s hand, and my heart swelled at the sight. Together, we followed the nurse into the cozy exam room.

“Alright, let’s get you comfortable,” the technician said, her cheerful tone immediately putting me at ease. I settled onto the table and took a deep breath. The familiar crinkle of the paper beneath me always stirred anxiety.

Jake hopped onto the stool beside Cory, his legs swinging as he watched the technician set up the machine. “Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?” he asked no one in particular.

“We won’t know that for a while yet,” I said with a laugh. “Right now, we’re just excited to see the baby and hear the heartbeat.”

The technician smiled as she dimmed the lights slightly. “Alright, let’s take a look,” she said, spreading the cool gel across my belly. Jake leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity, as the monitor flickered to life.

“There!” she said, pointing to the screen. “There’s your little one.”

Jake gasped, his hands gripping the edge of the stool. “That’s it? That’s my baby brother or sister?”

“That’s it,” Cory said, his voice thick with emotion. He reached for my hand, squeezing it gently as we both stared at the tiny figure moving on the screen.

I blinked back tears, a bit overwhelmed. “Look,” I whispered. “Our baby is moving so much already.”

The technician chuckled. “Looks like you’ve got an active one. Everything looks perfect so far.” She moved the wand slightly, capturing more angles. “And here’s the heartbeat.”

The steady, rhythmic sound filled the room, and Jake’s face lit up. “That’s the baby’s heart? It sounds so fast!”

“That’s normal,” the technician reassured him. “Babies’ hearts beat a lot faster than ours.”

She paused, glancing at us. “So, do you have names picked out yet?”

Cory and I exchanged a glance, both of us shaking our heads. “Not yet,” I said.

Jake, of course, didn’t hesitate. “If it’s a girl, Chloe. If it’s a boy, Ben. Easy!”

The technician laughed. “Well, those are great options. You’re ahead of the game.”

Cory ruffled Jake’s hair as Jake grinned up at him. “We’ll have to give those some serious thought, huh?”

The technician continued taking measurements, and her tone was light and conversational. “You’re right on track at nine weeks,” she said, satisfied with her work. “Everything looks good. I’ll print some pictures for you to take home.”

As the printer whirred, Jake leaned toward Cory. “Can I hold the pictures? Please?”

Cory grinned. “Of course, Bud. Just make sure you don’t crumple them.”

Jake nodded earnestly as the technician handed him the prints, his hands careful as if he were holding something precious.

“You’re all set,” she said, helping me sit up. “Congratulations again.”

“Thank you,” I said, feeling the words fall short of expressing the joy I felt.

We walked back out to the car, Jake still buzzing with excitement. As we reached the truck, he tugged on Cory’s sleeve.

“Can we get our Christmas tree now?” he asked, his face glowing. “We saw the baby, so we should celebrate!”

Cory glanced at me with a sideways smile. “What do you think, Elena? Up for some Christmas cheer?”

I laughed, the sound light and free. “Why not? Today’s already been perfect.”

Jake let out a whoop, climbing into the SUV with a grin that could light up the world.

The tree lot was alive with activity, a cheerful chaos of families laughing, children darting between the rows, and couples debating over which tree was the best. The crisp winter air carried the sharp, earthy scent of pine mixed with the faint sweetness of hot cocoa from a vendor near the entrance.

Jake bolted ahead with wide eyes as he took in the towering rows of evergreens. “Come on!” he called, waving us forward. “We have to find the perfect one!”

Cory chuckled beside me, slipping his gloved hand into mine. “He’s on a mission.”

“Of course he is,” I said with a smile. “This is serious business for him.”

We followed Jake as he zigzagged through the lot, stopping every few steps to inspect a tree before shaking his head dramatically and moving on. “Not tall enough. Not fluffy enough. Too crooked,” he muttered under his breath, his determination making me laugh.

Finally, he came to a stop in front of a tall, full fir near the back of the lot. His face lit up as he turned to us, throwing his arms wide. “This one! It’s perfect!”

Cory crouched down beside him, giving the tree an appraising look. “Hmm, let’s see. It’s tall, fluffy, and not crooked. I think you’re right, Bud. What do you think, Elena?”

I stepped closer, running my hand over the soft needles. “I think it’s perfect too. Nice job, guys.”

Jake beamed, puffing out his chest with pride. “I knew it. The baby’s gonna love it.”

Cory grinned, patting Jake’s shoulder. “You’re picking this tree for the baby, huh?”

“Yep,” Jake said confidently. “It’s the baby’s first Christmas, so it has to be extra special.”

My heart swelled at his words, and I felt Cory’s hand find mine again, giving it a gentle squeeze. Moments like this made everything feel so right, so perfectly aligned.

After paying for the tree, Cory hoisted it onto his shoulder, effortlessly carrying it to the truck as Jake trotted beside him, chatting nonstop about where the star should go and how to make the lights look “just right.”

The ride home was filled with Jake’s excited chatter, his plans for decorating the tree spilling out faster than I could keep up. By the time Cory pulled into the driveway, I was already picturing the tree in the corner of the living room, its twinkling lights filling the house with the joy of Christmas.

Jake jumped out of the SUV as soon as it stopped, racing to the door. “I’ll get the lights!” he called over his shoulder.

Cory laughed as he slid the tree out. “You’d think he’s been waiting his whole life for this moment.”

“He probably has,” I said, grabbing a box of ornaments from the garage. “And honestly, I’m not far behind him.”

We carried everything inside, the smell of pine filling the house as Cory set the tree in its stand. Jake had already unearthed the lights from their storage bin, untangling them with the focus of someone on a mission.

As I watched the two of them together, my heart felt so full it might burst. This was what I’d always hoped for—Jake surrounded by love and a family of his own. And now, with the baby on the way, it seemed more like a dream.

The living room shimmered like a starlit sky, illuminated by the delicate twinkle of the holiday lights cascading from the ceiling like a waterfall of color. Jake danced from one end of the room to the other, carrying ornaments like priceless treasures. His excitement filled every corner of the house, and I couldn’t stop smiling as I hung the ornaments he handed me.

“This one has to go here,” Jake announced, pointing to a spot near the top of the tree as he handed me a glittery red ball. “It’ll catch the light perfectly!”

“Excellent choice,” Cory said from his spot on the floor, organizing hooks for the remaining ornaments. He glanced up at me, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “We’ve got ourselves a little interior designer in the making.”

I laughed, carefully placing the ornament where Jake had directed. “He takes Christmas very seriously.”

“It’s because this one has to be perfect,” Jake said matter-of-factly. “The baby needs to remember their first Christmas, even if they’re still inside.”

The sweetness of his words stopped me in my tracks. Cory caught my eye, a soft smile gracing his features. “He’s got a point,” he said.

We worked together as a team, stringing garlands and placing ornaments until the tree looked like something out of a holiday movie. Jake’s pièce de résistance was the star, which he proudly held up as Cory lifted him onto his shoulders to place it at the top.

“Perfect,” Jake declared, admiring his work from his perch on Cory’s shoulders.

Cory set him down gently, brushing his hands off on his jeans. “Alright, let’s plug it in and see how it looks.”

Jake raced to the outlet, and as soon as the lights came to life, he let out a loud cheer. The tree glimmered with soft white lights, its ornaments catching the glow in a way that made the whole room feel magical.

As I stood back to admire it, Cory moved closer, his hand slipping into his pocket. I didn’t notice at first, too caught up admiring the tree until he stepped in front of me and dropped to one knee.

My breath caught as he pulled out a small black box, his expression warm and steady. Jake froze mid-bounce, his eyes wide as he realized what was happening.

“Elena,” Cory began, his voice filled with joy. “The past months have been the best of my life. You’ve given me a second chance—not just with you, but with Jake and this new little one. You’ve made me realize what it means to feel complete, and I don’t ever want to let that go. Will you marry me?”

I blinked, tears welling in my eyes as I stared down at him. For a moment, I couldn’t find the words, overwhelmed by the love and sincerity in his voice.

Jake, ever the impatient one, piped up. “Well? Are you gonna say yes, Mom?”

That broke the spell, and I laughed through my tears. “Yes,” I said, nodding emphatically. “Of course, yes.”

Cory slipped the ring onto my finger, and as he stood, I threw my arms around him, feeling the world melt away.

Jake clapped his hands together, his excitement bubbling over. “Does this mean we’re having a Christmas wedding?”

Cory laughed, glancing down at me. “I don’t know. What do you think?”

I wiped a tear from my cheek, smiling up at him. “I’ve always dreamed of a Christmas wedding.”

Cory tilted his head. “You told me that once! Remember back in high school? When we were talking about fantasies and stuff.”

I chuckled, kissing his cheek. “I do remember. But the truth is, I don’t want to wait too long. I’ve never been the type to wear a wedding dress with a baby bump. Call me old-fashioned.”

Cory grinned, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Then a Christmas wedding it is.”

Later that evening, after the tree was fully decorated and the room was aglow with Christmas lights, we settled in with hot cocoa and cookies. Jake’s energy finally began to wane, and after a little coaxing, he headed to bed, already planning how to tell everyone at school about the baby and the wedding.

As the house grew quiet, Cory and I sat on the couch, his arm draped around me as I leaned into him. The tree sparkled softly in the corner, and the weight of the day’s joy settled over us.

“This feels perfect,” I murmured, my hand resting over his heart.

“It is perfect,” he said softly. “You, Jake, the baby—everything about this life we’re building feels exactly right.”

I closed my eyes, savoring the peace of this time in our lives. “I love you, Cory.”

“I love you too, Elena,” he whispered, pulling me closer as the future stretched out before us, brighter than I’d ever imagined.