Back at home the sky was a peaceful grey and the air left behind from the setting sun was cool, but not unpleasantly so.

Little glimmers of light flickered across the kitchen wall, glinting against the surfaces as a car here and there moved slowly past the house, and inside the room smelled of slow cooking stew and potatoes that were roasting a golden yellow behind the glass of the oven, the saucepans on top giving a constant gentle bubbling hum.

Connie leant her head back against the wing of the arm chair nestled into the corner of the kitchen, her feet tucked up under her, a cup of ginger tea between her two hands.

She was staring, staring at nothing but the white curl of steam from her mug that was smudging everything else into the nothing.

The sound of a key in the door was the only noise to break the moment. She glanced up towards the kitchen door, catching the glimpse of the front door opening and closing, and the sound of Max's feet brushing against the doormat before he appeared, unzipping his coat.

He stepped from the dimness of the hallway into the lit kitchen, his cheeks were flushed from the cold, his blue eyes glittering brightly.

"I've got the test."

He said, shrugging off his coat and folding it over the back of a chair before pushing his hands into one of the pockets.

"How many did you get?"

She asked, uncurling, setting her mug down on the little side table nearest to her. He set the white cardboard packet down on the table.

"One packet of two?"

He paused as he bent down to untie his shoes and slip them off, scrunching his sock-clad feet against the cool tiled floor.

"Why, how many were you planning on doing?"

He raised his eyes to look at her across the room. She looked peaceful, snug...glowing.

"Two is fine."

She said, easing herself out of the chair as though it took great effort to leave it's comfort.

"Nervous?"

Her face was pale as she made her way over to him, wrapped her arms about his neck and cuddled into him, grateful for his strength and solidity.

"Mmm."

She sighed into him, inhaling the smell of him, filling herself full of him and smiling against the rise and fall of his chest.

She felt safe for the first time in so long, despite the flutter of nervousness within her chest and the very pit of her stomach.

"Are you going to do it now?"

His voice vibrated in his chest and his breath tickled the hair at her ear.

"No time like the present..."

She said slowly, drawing herself back from him with a sigh and glancing to the white box on the table.

"Do you want me to the bathroom with you?"

"No. Yes!"

She said both so quickly that she may as well have said them both at the same time.

"Which one of your answers would you like me to take?"

He stroked a hair from her face as she glanced down between them, smiling softly.

"Not while I..."

She waved a hand.

"Just...oh come on."

She picked up the pregnancy tests before she could think again and gestured with a nod of her head to downstairs cloakroom.

She faced him, his back to the open door, the toilet behind her.

Her hands trembled as she opened the packet, the rustling of wrappers overly loud in the small room. She pushed the packaging into the bin and handed him the tests whilst she sat stiffly on the toilet.

He passed back the test and averted his eyes, staring blindly at the radiator whilst she did it.

He looked at the pale sage green of the wall, the paint in the pores of the plaster, the white ceramic of the light switch, the oak of the door frame sullied with thick swirling knots.

"Done."

She clipped the end back onto the white stick and held it out for him, waiting whilst he inhaled sharply, breaking his stare and taking it from her, looking down at it whilst she readjusted her clothes, flushed the toilet and washed her hands before turning back to him, looking at him again with those wide eyes and lips that hesitated to speak.

Without a word he flipped it over so that she could see the result.

"It's positive."

He said quietly when she didn't say anything.

She looked from the test to him and back down again, smoothing her still damp hands on her skirt.

"Oh God, I'm too old!"

She exclaimed so suddenly that it made him laugh out loud before he could stop himself.

"Whatever is Grace going to say?!"

She left the room as she was speaking, murmuring under her breath things that he didn't quite catch.

"Connie?"

He followed her into the sitting room. She was pulling off her top over her head, discarding it onto the chair by the wardrobe. She unzipped her skirt at the back and let it fall to the floor so that she stood in nothing but her underwear.

"What're you doing?"

He spoke loudly, interrupting her thoughts as she reached behind herself to undo her bra.

She stopped, looked down at herself and let her hands fall to her sides.

"I don't know?"

She looked down at herself, and then all in one motion reached out again for the top and skirt.

"Connie."

He caught her hand as she moved, holding her steady.

"I'm as freaked out as you are!"

"Are you?"

She looked up at him, the hazel of her eyes almost yellow-green under the light.

"Yes. I'm just not taking all of my clothes off for no reason."

She attempted a laugh.

"Come here."

He drew her in, holding her, hugging her tight, kissing her hair and running his fingers over her back.

"Here, put this on, we'll go downstairs, I'll cook you dinner and we'll talk this through, OK?"

His voice was quiet but firm, as though he knew exactly what to do to make everything perfect.

"Ok."

She whispered.

-.-

I'd love to hear what people think about Connie being pregnant? Are you pleased? Or would you rather she wasn't?

A girl or a boy?!

:) xxx