Stella sat in the lobby of the doctor's office, waiting for her name to be called. After telling Gabby that she believed she could be pregnant, she just wasn't sure. Gabby went and brought four pregnancy tests. That night they took all four tests, and of course, just like Stella feared, all four tests revealed she was pregnant. Gabby was thrilled, but Stella was still in denial. This wasn't such a joyful occasion for her. She loves kids, and maybe one day she would want another one, but this was too soon—way too soon—and the beginning of her and Kelly's relationship. Now just wasn't the right time for a baby.

It's been two weeks since she took those tests—two weeks she's been carrying around the secret, a secret she is still in denial about. She told Gabby that pregnancy tests aren't always acute, and she needed to have an actual doctor confirm it. Even though she knew deep down she was pregnant, she was having the same symptoms she had when she got pregnant with Haley. She's just not sure how far along she is. Her phone rings again; of course, it's Kelly again. She knew once he got to shift and heard she had called out, he was going to be concerned.

She texted him and told him she woke up sick. She wasn't the type to miss shift, but this was the only day her doctor was available, plus Gabby was threatening to tell Casey if she didn't stop going on calls. She was afraid something was going to happen to the baby. So, she figured it was best to get it confirmed and then talk to Casey about stepping away from firefighting for a while. She knew once Kelly found out he wasn't going to let her run into any more fires anyway.

This was her fault—well, actually Kelly's fault. Neither one thought about protection, and in Kelly's defense, he probably thought she was on birth control. Which her dumbass should have been, and she has been kicking herself for not thinking about it sooner. After she had Haley, she got back on birth control, but after Grant died, she continued taking it for a while afterward. But then one day she just stopped; she didn't see the point of taking it; she had no intentions of dating or meeting anyone; and having sex was far from her mind. Even after meeting Kelly and having sexual feelings again, birth control never crossed her mind.

"Stella Kidd!" The nurse yelled. Stella took a deep breath before standing up...

A few hours later, after leaving the doctor's office and driving around town to clear her head, Stella walked into the house, surprised to see Gabby sitting on the floor in the living room, surrounded by baby clothes. "What are you doing?"

"I was going through some baby clothes that Cindy gave me."

Stella kneeled, picking up an outfit. "Aww, this rainbow dress is beautiful; Haley used to have something like this with a matching hand band."

" I have enough baby clothes to last a lifetime. What am I going to do with all these clothes?"

"Well, you can donate some or keep them for your next baby."

"Next baby? Are you kidding me? Pregnancy has not been my friend; I'm not sure if I want to do the whole pregnancy thing again."

Stella laughed. "Well, you can always give them to me just in case I have a girl. She said it in a teasing tone as she tried to pretend, she was happy.

"So, the doctor confirmed it; now you're not in denial anymore."

"He did confirm it; I'm officially pregnant—6 weeks to be exact." She says this as she continues to look through the baby's clothes.

Gabby smiled. " Yay! Are babies going to be close in age? I mean, mine would be a few months older, but they can grow up together."

Stella gave her a half-smile. "You didn't tell Casey, did you?"

"No, I told him you were up all night, probably with food poisoning. Are you happy about this pregnancy? " She asked because her face indicated something was wrong.

Stella shrugs." I always thought about having more kids. I didn't want Haley to be an only child, but Grant only wanted one. So, I figured one was enough. I never thought I was going to end up a widow, or I guess I'm not a widow now since I was never married." She laughed. "Anyway, never mind that trainwreck of a situation." She shook her head. "I never thought I was going to meet anyone new and have a sex life again."

"Do you not want the baby?"

"Yes, I want it; I'm not talking about abortion. I'm just not sure how to tell Kelly or the girls; the girls are just now getting used to us dating." She bit her lip. "Having Kelly's baby wasn't something I planned on or even something I thought about. Maybe if we had been together for a few years and this happened, I would be okay with it. But it's too soon; adding a baby will just complicate things."

Gabby sighed and touched Stella's knee. " I think you are overthinking the whole situation. I understand that this was unplanned and comes as a big surprise. But it's a baby; babies are a blessing, and I can promise you that the girls are going to be thrilled; they wanted a little brother or sister. And so will Kelly."

"You think so; you don't think he's going to say it's too soon."

Gabby laughed. "Stella, that man has already told you he's in love with you; he wanted you to move with him the night you told the girls about you two, so I'm pretty sure he's going to be more thrilled than the girls."

Stella let her words sink in." I guess I'll find out tomorrow. " She replied, as she thought about how to tell him. And how to tell the girls.

It was like Gabby read her mind. "Talk to Kelly first, then you two can decide on how to tell the girls because I think it should come from both of you together, but I honestly think the girls will be excited just like Aunt Gabby is."

Stella smiled. "Maybe I won't feel so anxious and scared once I talk to Kelly; he has a way to reassure me everything will be okay. " She tells her before standing up, " I need to go bake some cookies; Haley's been waiting for me to make my peanut butter marshmallow cookies. I figured I'd have them done before they got home from school. "

Gabby smiled big. "Since you're in a baking mood, how about making your triple-layer cheesecake for your favorite pregnant girl and your unborn goddaughter?" She begs her with her begging eyes.

Stella laughed, "Anything for my favorite pregnant girl and favorite goddaughter."

" Yay!" Gabby replied as she clapped her hands together. "But first, can you please help my pregnant ass off this floor? It's easy to get down but a bitch to get back up." Gabby said, causing Stella to laugh out loud...

The next morning, Stella drove to Kelly's house after dropping the girls off at school. He wasn't home from shift yet, so she decided to wait for him on his front steps. She talked to him last night after putting the girls to bed and told him she was feeling better and that they needed to talk. She could hear the hesitancy in his voice. We need to talk is never a good line to say when you're in a relationship. She assured him they were good; she just needed to talk to him about something important.

She smiled as she watched him pull in and get out of the car. He gave her a little smile as he walked towards her. "You know, sitting on my front steps waiting on me doesn't give me the reassurance that we are good. It tells me I messed up somewhere, and now you want away from me." He joked, but deep down he'd been worried since she said those words; something was up, and he was scared of what that something was.

"You didn't fuck up." She tells him as he sits beside her. She pecks his lips. "We fucked up?"

He looks at her confusedly. "What do you mean?"

"You and I got so lost in each other that we didn't think straight; it was my fault a little more than yours."

"What are you talking about? Why weren't we thinking straight? And what's your fault?"

Stella sighed. "When we decide to have sex, we forget something."

His eyes furrowed up. "What did we forget? " He was so confused.

" Protection." She replies, giving him a knowing look.

"Protection of what?" He was so confused. Stella gave him a serious look. Then it dawned on him. "Oh, that protection."

" Yep."

"Stella, I promise I'm clean; I don't have any STDs; You know I don't sleep around, so I didn't give you anything. I promise."

Stella sighed, "Well, you did give me something, the doctor confirmed it yesterday." The confusion mixed with worry on his face made Stella feel bad for torturing him this way instead of just flat-out telling him.

The color drained from his face quickly." I..." was all he could get out as he thought about what she was telling him.

"You gave me a baby."

"A baby?" His tone was squeaky, and the confusion on his face was still there as he stared at her.

"I'm pregnant; well, we're pregnant." She tells him. She can see the relief washing over him as a huge grin appears on his handsome face.

"We're having a baby?" He questioned.

" Yeah."

"That's awesome!" He exclaimed.

" What?" She was surprised by his reaction.

"You're having my baby. " He exclaimed again. He stood up and pulled her up. Hugging her and swinging her around. He places her back on the ground. "We're having a baby." He kisses her softly and tenderly. "I'm so happy." He tells her as the kiss breaks. It was then that he noticed the look upon her face, " And apparently, I'm the only one happy about it." The excitement he had just minutes ago melts away.

Stella shrugs. "Don't you think it's too soon? We have only known each other for what, 3 months? After two months and a half of dating, the girls are just now getting used to us being a couple. I'm still trying to be comfortable enough when you kiss me or hold my hand in front of Haley, and now that we are having a baby, it seems so fast, so rushed."

Kelly thought about what she was saying. "I mean, it's sooner than I thought...

"Sooner than you thought? " Stella interrupted him. "You thought about us having a baby?"

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah, kind of..."

" Wow!"

" Stella, I know you heard me the night of the girl's party when I said I was in love with you. I didn't say that just because my ex was standing in front of me with her new husband; I said it because that's how I feel. I'm in love with you, Stella, and I know it might seem soon, but I can't help the way I feel; I want everything with you one day. The marriage, a baby or two—I want to adopt Haley too if she wants me to, and if it's okay with you."

"Kelly," Stella began, but her words got caught in her throat. She never thought he was considering marrying her or their future kids and adopting Haley; this man seemed too good to be true.

" Stella, I'm not pressuring you into saying you love me; I know it's soon, and sometimes love takes time for different people to feel it. I just couldn't hold on to how I felt anymore. And I'm happy about the baby. I believe everything happens for a reason; the universe wants us to have this baby at this time in our lives. And the universe is never wrong". He smirked at her.

She shakes her head and asks, "What am I going to do with you?"

He pulls her close. "Hopefully, you lock me down and make an honest man out of me."

"Maybe one day, if you're lucky." She laughs, then kisses him.

"I am an extremely lucky man." He whispered against her lips before kissing her again...

Later that evening. Kelly walked into the kitchen, smiling as he saw Stella pulling the lasagna out of the oven." It smells good."

"You know what I just realized?" Stella said as she turned the oven off and turned towards Kelly.

"What's that, babe? He asked as he grabbed the salad bowl.

"I was just calculating in my head when I got pregnant. And if my calculations are right, the doctor said I was 6 weeks pregnant, which means I got pregnant the first night we had sex. How ridiculous is that?"

"It's not ridiculous; it only takes one time to get pregnant." He tells her as he places the bowl on the table. "My little swimmers weren't playing around." He winks at her.

She shakes her head as she puts the plates down. He wraps his arm around her waist. And kisses her. She tossed her head back as he kissed her neck, and she felt her knees get weak. "Kelly, that's how we got into this predicament."

"I can't help it, you're just so sexy; I can't keep my hands to myself or my lips." He said this as he went back to kissing her neck.

"Kelly, the girls are outside; they can run in here any minute." As soon as the words left Stella's mouth, Madison ran inside. Kelly jumped back, and Stella laughed. "Madison, tell Haley to come in and then go wash your hands for dinner."

"Yes, ma'am," Madison yelled before running back out the door.

Stella pecked his lips. "Behave, and we can make out for a bit before I leave." She teased before walking back to the stove.

Kelly just nods, and he sets the table. As they sat down, Stella noticed Kelly seemed a little distracted. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

She was going to interrogate him more, but the girls ran into the dining room. "Did my mom call yet? Madison said as she sat down.

"No, sweetheart, she will probably call before you go to bed," Kelly told her.

Since the party, Kelly and Christina have been getting along great, and Madison loves having two moms, two dads, and a baby brother.

Stella cleared her throat. "Girls, we wanted to talk to you about something."

"Did we do something?" Madison asked.

"No, honey," Stella told her. "We have some news we want to share with you girls..."

"You're getting married! Haley yelled excitedly.

"Haley Marie, don't yell at the table; use your inside voice, please," Stella told her. " And no...

"Are you guys getting married?" Madison said excitedly, interrupting Stella.

"No, girls, we are not getting married," Kelly said. Looking at both girls. At least not yet. He smiled at Stella.

Stella shook her head. "So, one day you're getting married?" Haley said hopefully.

"One day you're going to marry Stella, Daddy?"

"Yes, one da...

" Enough," Stella said in a stern tone, interrupting Kelly. "We are not getting married anytime soon. What we want to talk to you guys about has nothing to do with us getting married." She glared at Kelly, who just shrugged.

Haley took a bite of her food. "So, what did you want to talk to us about, mama?"

"Haley, do not talk with food in your mouth; use your manners, young lady."

"Sorry, Mama."

Stella took a deep breath. "Look, you girls know that we have been dating."

"You mean you and Daddy are boyfriend and girlfriend? We know that?"

"Yes, that's what I mean." She paused, giving Kelly another glare, who was smiling at her like an idiot. "We've got something that might surprise you both; it sure surprised me."

Kelly could tell Stella was having a hard time telling them, so he decided to take over. "Your mom and I..." Kelly said, looking at Haley, then turned to Madison. "Stella and I are having a baby."

"Oh my God!" Madison screamed. " Seriously?"

"Mama, do you have a baby in your tummy like Aunt Gabby? Haley asked as she stood up.

Stella gave Kelly a thankful look. "Yes, baby."

"Can I touch it?

"Of course."

Haley and Madison went to the end of the table, where Stella was sitting. Stella watched as Haley touched her stomach. "I'm not showing like Aunt Gabby is, yet, girls; it's going to be a while before that happens."

"This is cool."

Madison touched her stomach. "That's my sister in there."

"That's my brother in there," Haley told her.

"I don't want a brother. I've got one already; I want a sister."

"I want a brother."

"Girls, whatever God has blessed us with, we are all going to love him or her. No fighting." Stella tells them.

"Stella's right, a baby is a blessing as long as he or she is healthy; it doesn't matter the gender."

"Where's the baby going to sleep?" Madison asked.

"In mama's tummy, duh, like Aunt Gabby," Haley answered like it was the obvious answer.

Madison rolled her eyes, "I mean when the baby comes out of Stella's belly, where is he or she going to sleep?"

Kelly looked at Stella, whose eyes widened at Madison's question. "At Aunt Gabby's and Uncle Matt's house with me and Mama, right Mama?" Haley said as she sat back down.

"Right, baby," Stella replied.

"So, the baby will have two rooms like me," Madison said.

Kelly gave her a curious look. "You don't have two rooms Babygirl."

"I will when Mommy and Mike move to Chicago." She tells him. as she continues to eat.

Stella and Kelly both looked at her confusedly. "Honey, your mom, and Mike are not moving to Chicago."

"Yes, they are, Daddy, Mommy told me so."

"When did she say this?"

"On the phone last night, she said she wants to spend more time with me, so she and Mike are moving here." Kelly and Stella shared a concerned look. "She said they are going to buy a big house so I can have my own room when I visit."

Stella watches as the color drains from Kelly's face. "That's nice, sweetheart; it will be really good for you to be able to spend more time with your mom and brother. " Stella said, noticing Kelly was lost in his thoughts.

The rest of the dinner was spent with the girls deciding what to name their new brother or sister. Stella laughed at some of the very unique names the girls came up with, but she noticed Kelly was awfully quiet. After dessert, Stella told the girls to go play upstairs while they cleaned up. As she was clearing the table, she asked " Are you okay?"

Kelly was rinsing the dishes off. "Yeah, why?"

"You've been very quiet."

"Just thinking."

"A penny for your thoughts?"

He sighed. "It's just that when Madison asked about where the baby was going to sleep, you were pretty quick to agree with Haley about Matt's and Gabby's."

"That's where I live, Kelly. " She was surprised that's what was bothering him and not the whole Christina and Mike moving to Chicago thing.

"It's my baby too, Stella; I just feel the baby should be here with me and...

"So I'm just supposed to let my baby live with you because you're the father?" She said she was interrupting him.

He turned to look at her. "I was implying that you should live here with the baby."

"Oh!"

"I don't understand why you won't move in with me."

"Kelly, it's too soon."

"Stella, we are having a baby; screw what's too soon." He tells her as she looks down at the floor. "The girls can share a room, and the baby will have its own room. Hell, if the girls want their own room, we could add a room on, Casey worked construction he could probably do it for us for cheap. " He jokes.

"Are you serious?" She asked him, looking up at him.

"Yes, Stella, you practically live here now. You and Haley are always here, which I love. You drop Haley off at school and you come here; we spend the whole day together here; you go grocery shopping with me; and you redecorated my kitchen and dining room. You give my house the female touch that Gabby claimed was missing. We cook dinner together every night; we have dinner like a family every night unless we're on shift." He paused. "We send the girls off to play while we clean up the kitchen, and then we spend time outside with the girls or watching a movie with them, helping them with homework. It's like we've got a routine going for the four of us. But every night at eight, you and Haley leave, and it sucks... You do everything here but sleep here; I just don't understand why."

"Haley won't... " She started but he cut her off.

"Stella, please don't use the girls as an excuse. Madison asks me every day, why don't you and Haley live with us?"

" I know; Haley asks me to." She walks over to him." I've never been the type to just jump into things without really thinking things through. But then you happened." She wrapped her arms around his neck." I mean, I made Grant wait a year and a half before I slept with him; you had me in your bed in less than a month of knowing you." she teased.

"It's my irresistible charm." He jokes.

"You are definitely irresistible and hard to say no to."

Kelly smiled. "So, what does this mean?" His eyes were filled with hope.

Stella sighed, playful. "I guess since you knocked me up, the right thing to do would be to move in with you." She said in a playful tone.

"You're moving in here?" Madison's voice interrupted the couple's moment.

"Umm.". Stella turns to look at her. "Yeah, if you're okay with that? Stella tells her.

"That is awesome. I love it." Madison hollered. "I've got to tell Haley..." she said before running out of the room.

Kelly laughed. "Well, we got Madison's approval." He laughed. As he pulls her to him.

"If you're going to kiss me, you should do it fast before Haley comes running... Kelly captured her lips before she could finish her sentence. But as Stella predicted, Haley came running into the kitchen a few seconds later.

"Mama, are we moving into Kelly's house?" She asked excitedly.

Stella turned around to face her daughter. "I was thinking about it if you're okay with it."

"I like it here; I like Aunt Gabby's house too, but I like it here better."

"Well, as long as you're happy, I'm happy. So yes, we are going to live here with Kelly and Madison."

"Yeah, can I call Aunt Gabby and tell her?"

"Of course, my phone is in the living room."

"Can I call mommy?"

"Yeah," Kelly said as both girls took off running.

Stella laughed as Kelly wrapped her up in his arms again. I love you."

Stella bit her lip. "Kelly, you know I care deeply for you, but..." she trailed off

"Stella, you don't have to say it back." He tells her in an honest tone. "You will tell me when you're ready. I don't want you to say it because you think you have to; I want you to say it because you mean it." He kisses her forehead.

Stella smiled, " You know if you want to talk about Christina and Mike moving here, I'm a good listener. And do not tell me it doesn't bother you. Kelly, I saw your face when she told you."

Kelly sighed. " It does bother me, but I honestly don't think it's going to happen."

" You don't?"

" I just don't see Christina moving back here after all these years, and with Mike's career, I don't think they will just pick up in move here. "

" True," Stella said as she rested her head against his forehead. Hoping he was right because she knew his world would be turned upside down if they moved here.

A few nights later, after spending the day moving Stella's and Haley's stuff in and rearranging Madison's bedroom, Stella and Kelly cuddled on the couch while the girls picked out a movie to watch.

"What about that one?" Madison said as she clicked on a movie.

"No, we saw that already," Haley told her.

"But I love it; it's so funny."

"Girls quit fighting; Are were going to randomly pick a movie," Stella told them as the doorbell rang.

"The pizza is here," Madison said as she took off for the door.

"Don't open that door unless you're paying for it. " Kelly joked as he got up off the couch.

" Mommy!" Madison yelled as Kelly opened the door.

"Hey, baby," Christina said as she hugged Madison. "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Sorry to just drop by, but we were in the area," Mike said as he walked in, holding his son.

"You just happened to be in the area when you lived in Maryland?" Kelly asked confusedly.

Christina laughed. "We flew in last night; we had a meeting with a realtor."

"A realtor?" Kelly repeated it as Stella came up from behind him.

"Hey Christina and Mike," Stella said as she joined the conversation.

"How are you, Stella?"

"I'm good; how are you guys?" she said, giving Kelly a concerned look.

"We're good; we will be even better if we get the house we just saw."

Stella's eyes widened. "You're buying a house here in Chicago? " She asked as she looked over at Kelly, who looked like someone had just punched him in the stomach.

"Yes, we are. I'm sorry I thought Madison told you."

"She did mention something a couple of nights ago at the dinner table, actually, but to be honest, we thought she was making it up," Kelly said as he grabbed Stella's hand.

"No, she wasn't making it up, Kelly. I wanted to tell you about it, but it was one of those spontaneous moments; we just talked about it last week, and now we're doing it."

"We are spontaneous people." Mike chimed in, laughing.

Stella laughs, and Kelly just smiles; she knows he's giving them his fake smile. The doorbell rang again. "I will get that, while you guys go into the living room and make yourself comfortable."

"Come on, Mommy and Mike. " Madison said, grabbing her mom's hand as she walked her to the other room.

Kelly sighed. "I've got that bad feeling again, Stella."

" Kelly...

"No, she's up to something; I can feel it." He said he was cutting her off. His tone was so serious and fearful.

Stella kissed his cheek quickly and then answered the door. She walked back over to where Kelly was standing, "Just breathe. I think there are logical reasons for them wanting to move here. Let's hear them out first." She tells him as she carries the pizza to the living room. "You guys are welcome to join us."

"Thank you, but we just ate. " Christina tells her. "Actually, we were hoping to talk to you and Kelly in private, but if now's a bad time, we can wait."

Kelly's appetite disappeared, and he was now certain she was here for something more than just moving to Chicago. Stella looked at Kelly, who looked like he saw a ghost. "No, now is a good time; just give me a minute. " Stella took the pizza to the kitchen. "Girls, come with me."

"Mama we're hungry."

"I know, baby, Haley grabbed two plates, and Madison grabbed two sprites. We are going upstairs. You guys can eat upstairs."

"We aren't allowed to eat upstairs," Madison told her.

"Well, I am bending that rule for tonight only."

" Cool."

They walked up to Stella and Kelly's bedroom. "You guys can eat in here and watch a movie; no fighting over what movie either. And do not make a mess; I want you girls to stay up here till Kelly or I call you; the grownups need to talk privately."

"Okay, mama."

"Yes, Stella."

Stella walked back downstairs and felt like she was having a bad vibe now. Kelly is right. Christina wants something, but the question is, What? "Okay, the girls are upstairs watching TV." Stella sat down next to Kelly and grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly. "So, what did you guys want to talk about?"

Christina glanced at her husband. " Kelly, I want to start by saying thank you for reaching out to me and allowing me to get to know my daughter. Honestly, if you never reached out, I would have missed out on getting to know her. I thought about her constantly over the years, but I could never get the courage to reach out."

"You don't have to explain; like I said, the past is the past; we need to focus on the future," Kelly told her.

Christina smiled and said, "This past month has been wonderful. Getting to know Madison has meant everything to me. I've missed so much of her life that I don't want to miss another moment. That's why we want to move here."

"I think that's a wonderful idea; you and Madison deserve to know each other," Stella said that was how she truly felt, but something told her there was more to this sudden visit.

"I agree; all I ever wanted was for Madison to get a chance to know you. She's really happy, and that makes me happy." Kelly spoke from the heart; he was happy for Madison, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to regret reaching out to Christina.

"You did an amazing job, Kelly; she's a pretty amazing little girl."

"Well, I had help from my mom, Gabby, and Matt; they played a huge role in making her the amazing girl she is."

Christina gave him a small smile. And just like Stella and Kelly feared, Christina wanted something—something that was going to destroy Kelly. "Christina and I have been talking, and we think..." Mike began giving Christina a go-ahead look.

Stella watched the exchange between the couple; her stomach was in knots. Kelly was nervously waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Like I said, Kelly, you did an amazing job with our daughter, and I feel now it's my turn."

Kelly's furrowed his eyes. "What does that mean?"

Stella bit her lip. She had a pretty good idea of where this conversation was going. She tightened her grip on Kelly's hand.

"I want Madison to live with Mike and me."

"She told us about having a room at your house; she's excited about having two rooms." Kelly glanced at Stella and noticed she was biting her lip, something she does when she's worried or thinking. "I have no problem with her staying with you guys once in a while."

Christina cleared her throat. " Kelly, I want Madison to live with me permanently. I want custody of her, full custody. And if I have to, I'll fight you for her."