I don't know what attracted me to Gabe O'Mackey. Maybe it was his simple way of life. But whatever it was, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Only one thing stood in our way.
Jules.
Oh, she was nice enough—but sometimes, we just didn't see eye to eye—which wasn't that often. It wasn't that we didn't want to get along, but once in a while, one of us would end up saying the wrong thing.
One day, Gabe proposed that I move in, and I accepted. A little cuddle time in bed, one thing led to another, and we made love like there was no tomorrow. It was a few days later that I realized—
I rushed to the toilet just in time, for I was so sick.
"Patricia?" Gabe said, walking in at just that moment. "Are—are you all right?"
Staggering to my feet, I realized what had happened the other day. Tears filled my eyes, and I threw my arms around him and sobbed.
"Patricia?" Gabe asked again. "What's wrong?"
"Gabe," I said, as tears rolled down my cheeks, "you—you've been so sweet to me, and I never want to leave you—but I'm afraid I might have to."
"Why?" Gabe pressed on. "What happened?"
I looked at him, seeing the concerned look in his eyes, and I knew—I knew I had to spill the beans. "Gabe," I said, as I blinked away the tears, "I'm pregnant."
"Oh—" Gabe nodded. "It—it's going to be okay," he said, taking me in his arms. "You know we've been talking about marriage, anyway. Let's—let's go ahead and have a private ceremony here at home," he suggested, "before you're too far along. We don't even have to invite anybody—or tell them—until later."
"I love you, Gabe," I said, as my trembling lips met his, "and I didn't want to hurt you."
"Oh, Patricia," he said, holding me close, "you mean too much to me. I thought I'd never love again after Alexandra left, but you changed all that. It's going to be fine, really—after Jules goes to college, we'll make her room the nursery."