Never Keeping Secrets

This gift had been all her idea. Callie didn't know anything about it, had given her no advice on the situation. Aside from Richard the doppelganger and her gynecologist, no one else knew that she was pregnant and four weeks along. It was a small glass bottle that was only about an inch in size. "I was married before." Ben nodded. "It was a marriage that while it wasn't abusive, it took so much from me. Energy, time, tolerance—my confidence. But we'd been together so long, I thought that it was okay, that's how I was supposed to be loved, sporadically and at will. He wanted me to succeed, but not if it was going to compromise what he wanted or his idea of what our family should look like. But he was… he was my best friend; we'd been friends for years. He was my first love, my first time, and the father of my child." Ben took her hand. "For our first anniversary, Tucker was… well, he was out of town and I…," she sighed. "I had a bunch of surgeries and cases to study, ass to kiss. By the time we got around to celebrating that first year, the magic of it all, the—the realization that we'd been sharing our lives for a year was gone. And it went like that for years." Ben kissed her hand. "Don't get me wrong, we had some good anniversaries. Ones that reinforced the idea that I'd picked the right man to spend my life with. But… nothing like this." Miranda felt another tear come down her face, Ben wiped it away. "So when I met you and you would do and say things that I'd never heard said to me before, I resisted. I ran from you because I didn't know how it was really supposed to be. But you were so damn persistent. You knew what I wanted and what I needed and that's why I'm excited to spend my life with you. You know me," Miranda smiled while touching his face. She brought him in for a kiss. "I don't want to be with anyone, but you. I love you. You are my husband. Someone I trust myself with and my child who adores you. You're… a second father to him." Ben moved closer to her. "You are my best friend. And being here with you, I know that you are the love of my life. And this first year has been amazing and I don't expect anything other than greatness for the next phase of our lives." Miranda saw tears in Ben's eyes and simultaneous tears fell down their faces. They kissed again and Ben stroked her side, making her smile.

He mouthed: Are you finished? She nodded. "Miranda, I don't know… how to respond. I feel like you are my true love. You being in my life has been nothing short of a blessing." They smiled at each other. "You and Tuck have been the perfect additions to my life. A life that I wouldn't want to live if you two aren't in it. You are my wife. Someone I trust with my heart."

"Great," she said wiping away the last of her tears. "So for your last thing." She handed him the gift from her sweaty palms.

Ben looked at it, twirling it in his fingers. "This is, um, cute, Miranda. 'Pull me'," Ben said reading the small ribbon tied to the cork on the bottle. "Pull the, uh, ribbon?" He asked. His eyebrows were raised. He was so cute when he was slow.

"Yes, baby. Pull the ribbon."

"Oh okay." He started to pull it and stopped. "You're sure this won't reveal that you really want a divorce that you actually hated me all this time."

She burst out laughing. "After everything I just said." Ben poked out his bottom lip. "Now I know you know that that isn't true," she said with a wide smile. "Just—If you don't open it. You'll never know, will you?" She asked challenging him.

"Fine. Just know that I love you. No matter what's in this little-tiny, crazy-tiny bottle."

Miranda nodded. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

He pulled on the ribbon and popped the cork off. He pulled the ribbon out of the bottle and read the message: "'We're having a baby," he said slowly. "Who's having a baby?" Miranda looked at him, but didn't speak. "Us?" She raised an eyebrow and gave him a half-smile. "We're having a baby!?" He asked excitedly. "We're having a baby!?" Ben beamed and grabbed her hands, pulling her in for a kiss. "You're pregnant?" Miranda nodded. "Oh my God! I'm going to be a dad… again." Miranda let the tears fall freely down her face. Seeing Ben's face and how joyful he was, she knew everything would be alright. "How… many weeks?"

"Only a month."

"You've known for a month?"

She shook her head. "But I did the math. I think that it was the day you guys came back from Portland."

"I remember that night," he said making her blush. "You were wild."

"Shut it, mister." They laughed.

Ben looked into her eyes. "I'm so—just happy."

"Yeah?"

"Of course."

"You're not mad?"

"Mad about the baby?" He asked confused.

She shrugged. "Or that I didn't tell you as soon as I found out."

"You told me when you were ready."

"You don't think a baby is too much? I might get a seat on the board—"

"You will get the seat, Miranda," he said kissing the palms of her hands.

"Ben, you're a 2nd year resident in a top surgical program. Our schedules are already hectic and a baby will… Ben, we might not ever sleep again." Miranda saw his face change from being perfectly happy to being pissed off. She bit her bottom lip.

Ben put his arms on her naked waist, softly moving his fingers along her curves. "Miranda, why in the world—I could never be mad about—" Ben was getting frustrated and he had to stop himself and regain his composure. He squeezed her waist. "Listen, you are the very best part of me, my better half. I was a good man before I met you, but I am a great man now. You push me. I'm in the surgical program because you want me to be my best self. You know how much being a surgeon means to me and you helped me get there. And a baby… our baby," he kissed her chin and then her forehead, sending chills through her body. "Will be the very best part of us." Ben touched her neck and pulled her in for a deep kiss. They made love again, wildly, pulling the sheets and covers off of the bed and knocking the pillows to the floor. Sweating, they fell back on the bed, breathless.

"When we crossed into that intersection and missed being in that accident, I wanted to tell you right then, but there were people to help. But all I could think about is that it could have all been gone. Everything," she said touching her stomach. Ben put his hands on top of hers.

They were quiet for a long time. "I guess we never talked about it before."

"What?" She asked with closed eyes.

"Abortion."

Miranda's eyes flew open. "You want an abortion?"

"No! No. I mean, I don't. I love our baby already, but I am pro-choice. So, whatever you decide."

"I can honestly say that I haven't thought of it since I've known."

"Even with our hectic schedules?"

"Even with our schedules. All I knew is that you would be there and I would there and that was enough."

Ben nodded. Miranda yawned. "Who else knows?"

She shook her. "Besides my doctor… No one."

"Really? Not even—"

"Callie?" He said yeah. "No, she doesn't know. And, actually, I lied. Richard knows."

"Richard? The Chief?" Ben asked turning to face her.

"No!" She said with a laugh. "His look alike. From tonight… well, last night."

"Why does he know? And why'd you tell him before you told me? Was that why he was being so damn nosy?"

"I didn't. Richard figured it out after I vomited at the scene and yeah and because he was drunk."

"Oh shit! No drinking, you threw up… I get it now," Ben said connecting the dots. "Damn. How could I have missed those?"

"Maybe if there hadn't been an accident, you could have put two and two together. You were great, by the way."

"Me? You were fantastic out there. I was so impressed and proud of my wife. Classic SuperShero." Miranda and Ben laughed. Miranda closed her eyes as Ben wrapped his arms around her. She put her head in his chest, inhaling him. She could smell the familiar mix of body wash and sweat from their lovemaking. It was so intoxicating. She loved him so much and she was excited that they were embarking on a new phase in their life.