Epilogue

Four Months Later

I'm standing on the front lawn of what used to be the Rushfields' house, but now it's our house.

Tyler and my brothers are all patting each other on the backs as my family prepares to leave. They came to help us move into our new home.

Mom and Dad stand near their car, parked behind Grayson's truck on the street, as if they're waiting for something.

Part of me always feels like I should know why people are behaving a certain way, but most of the time, I still can't figure them out. Maybe they want to leave at the same time as my brothers, or it could be that they want to make sure I'm happy in my new living situation.

How could I not be happy? I'm with Tyler and we bought a house together. I have the job of my dreams and I can work from home. If I think about it, I got everything I wanted.

I'm still thinking about the mathematical odds of having things line up the way they have when Tyler's handsome face blocks the midday sun. "Are you with me, Ariana?"

Shaking off the calculations, I'm full of joy at the sight of him smiling at me. "I'm here."

"Good." He goes to one knee on the grass.

Assuming his shoe must be untied, I wait for him to get up.

It's odd that my parents and brothers are standing near the cars. I'm not sure when Meghan arrived, but she's with my parents.

Tyler stares at me and, still on his knee, says, "Ariana Lane, I love you. I've loved you from the moment I first saw you barreling from your house, demanding that I turn your power back on." He lifts a black velvet box outstretched in both hands. "Will you make me even happier and marry me?" He opens the box lid to reveal a sparkling round diamond set inside a starburst of small sapphires.

It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I process his question, the ring, my family waiting for this moment.

In the gentlest whisper, Tyler says, "Love, it would be good if you would say something either positive or negative now."

My stomach flutters as if there are wings inside and my chest is tight. Inexplicable tears spring to my eyes. I dash them away. "I will marry you, Tyler."

Taking my hand, he slips the beautiful ring on my finger, then lifts me in a tight hug.

Cheers rise from my family who crowds us with hugs and congratulations.

The tears continue and I'm not certain why, but perhaps happiness of this magnitude cannot be contained or explained. I'll consider the idea that emotions, good or bad, must have some outlet. I push the concept aside to examine later, and enjoy this moment with my family. More emotion pours out of me as the realization that Tyler will be part of my family now too.

My stomach flutters again, and I start to do some other calculations. Maybe a trip to the pharmacy is in order.

It's late by the time everyone leaves us alone in our new home. I hold the little pink-capped stick with a window in the middle displaying a positive symbol. I sit next to Tyler on the couch.

"Are you alright?" He rubs my back from the nape of my neck down to just above my bottom.

"I'm pregnant." I'm sure there are words I should have put ahead of the declaration, but what they might be eludes me.

The rubbing stops and he sits up. "What?"

I show him the test stick. "These can be wrong, but I felt a flutter and then calculated my last menstrual cycle. I suppose I have been doing so many mathematical problems, I forgot to do the simple one. I haven't had a period in four months."

Under normal circumstances, I would have known to the day when each cycle would start and likely end. "It's interesting that a new boyfriend and job precluded the normal monthly calculation." I consider how the human brain works and its capacity for processing data.

Tyler cups my cheek. He's kneeling again, this time on the floor between our new coffee table and couch. "My love, I know there are a lot of things going through your magnificent mind. I love how you think and work things out in your head in ways I can never hope to fully understand."

My face warms. "Thank you." He's the perfect man for me.

Shaking his head he grins at me. "Are you happy that you're pregnant? Are you upset? As much as I love you, and that is immeasurable, I can't tell how you feel right now."

I run my hand over my abdomen. A new life is already well into forming inside my body. It's science and even more than that. This is something I never thought would be a part of my life. Numbers were the only thing I believed I would ever have. They were and are excellent companions and helped me through the complications of being part of a group of social animals. Now, I have a partner who loves me and soon a child who will make us a family of three. "I'm happy. I like the idea of a human who is half you and half me. Our child will be extremely smart and attractive." A random thought invades my joyful state. "Did you not want to have children?" A thread of panic edges from my gut to my chest and the ache is severe. I open my mouth to give him options for how we will best deal with his lack of desire for children if that's the case.

Tyler silences me with a long kiss. His tongue presses inside my mouth and slides erotically along mine. When he breaks the kiss, he's a little breathless. "I want to have babies with you. I want to raise children. The idea of our child growing inside you made me almost as happy as when you said you would marry me, Ariana."

"Many people wait a few years after marriage to have children. I'm sorry if that was what you wanted." I've heard people make apologies for things that are not their fault and it always seems to put the other person at ease.

Standing, he lifts me from the couch and carries me to the bedroom. There are boxes stacked everywhere, but he's careful to wind us around them. He lowers me to the bed as if I might break. "I'm happy. I don't care what other people do. Loving you and our family is my priority now and always."

A sense of relief followed by calm grows inside me. "I can calculate the date the baby will likely be born if you want."

He covers my body with his, keeping his weight on his arms. "How about we call your doctor on Monday and make an appointment."

"Alright." It's sensible to let a professional handle the calculations.

"Maybe you'll let me show you how much I worship you on the first night in our new home?" He brushes my hair from my forehead.

Lifting my hips to feel his arousal, I like the sound of this. "It would be satisfying to make that a habit."

His laugh makes my heart pound faster. "I love you, Ariana. You already make me happier than I deserve."

"I love you too. I didn't even know I wanted to be happy or in love until I met you." The tears start again and he thumbs them away, making my life a little better with every moment we're together.

Thank you for reading High Voltage Lane. I hope you loved reading Ariana and Tyler's story as much as I loved writing it.