The CEO’s New Baby

Chapter 3

Kayla stared in the round mirror of her bathroom, her eyes emptily looking in the hazel orbs staring back at her. Her fingers were a bit shaky, the anxiety rushed through her bloodstream. Ryan was still reading Emily a bedtime story, but Kayla expected him anytime soon. He had been away for a good half an hour, and usually, their daughter didn’t take longer to fall asleep, especially after such a long day.

She still didn’t know how she should tell him. She had first intended to make something romantic, but that would mean waiting longer until she could share the news. And she certainly could not do that. She already felt as if she was going to burst at any moment now.

Sighing, she gave up on any thought. No matter how much she thought about the right words or no matter how one she thought about the manner in which she should tell him, she knew she would end up doing something completely different. That is if she even managed to say anything, she was already wondering if the hormones would just get the best of her and would just make her collapse in a fit of laughter and tears.

From the corner of her eye, she could see the pink pregnancy test she had settled on the counter. The two lines were still bold, the brilliant red pigment almost blinding her. Her fingers reached for it, grabbing the sides gently, as if afraid that it would disappear. Holding it so gently was almost a mistake. The test was just about to drop and smash against the marble floor of the bathroom the second she heard to door of her bedroom open.

The time had come. She wasn’t nervous of what he would think or how he would react. She knew Ryan well enough by now to know that he would be as thrilled as her. But that did not make it easier. The entire subject was so fragile, so amazing yet so scary.

Indeed, she had been pregnant before, she had another child, but this entire thing was new, different. And it scared her. Maybe she was overreacting; in fact, she knew she was. But she blamed it on the hormones and mixed feelings. Aside from that, she hoped that once Ryan knew too, she would be able to sort all those thoughts out and just focus on the joy of having another child.

Taking in a deep breath, she moved to face the door, her other hand brushing over the pink silk pajamas she had slipped into. A smile crept onto her lips as she placed the test in the small back pocket of her pajama bottoms.

On the other side of the door, Ryan was taking off his shirt, throwing it lazily across the floor. Kayla could read how happy he was to be back in his bedroom. Exhaustion was written all over his face. She did not blame him. Their daughter was quite a handful. She had so much energy to give, and there was no way a grownup could keep up with her.

“It took me two stories to get her to sleep,” Ryan said, a tired laugh playing on his lips. “How does she do it?” he asked, turning to look at Kayla as he frowned.

“Well, I guess kids are just energetic.” She shrugged.

“Or she just resembles her mom,” Ryan whispered as he engulfed her in a tight embrace, his lips coming in contact with the side of her left cheek, right next to her earlobe.

Kayla smiled but said nothing in return. Instead, her hands rested on his chest, slowly pushing him away so she could gaze into his eyes. He immediately knew something was wrong. His eyebrows came to meet in a deep frown, his lips pouting as he shook his head.

He brushed his thumb over her face, his hand moving to slide over the braid resting on one shoulder. He did not need to mutter the words, his eyes were already silently asking her what was wrong. His eyes searched hers, the blue orbs mixing with the hazel pools before him.

“I’ve been trying to find the right words to bring this topic up. I’ve been meaning to make a sentimental speech, maybe bring up our past. But-” Her words were all over the place. She knew she was making no sense, and that she was confusing him even more. She could even feel a couple of tears pricking her eyes, blurring her vision a bit.

She smiled and sniffed as she reached for the test, her fingers fidgeting with the edges. Ryan was silent, his eyes following her moves. He had no clue what Kayla was trying to tell him, and her crying only made more adrenaline pump through his blood.

Eventually, he noticed the little plastic test in her hands, but it took him a couple of seconds to realize what it was.

“Is this?” Ryan’s hands trembled as he reached for the test, his entire body burning. He looked at Kayla through his lashes, afraid to even utter the words, too scared that it would all turn out to be a mere dream. Kayla laughed, tears rushing down her cheeks as she nodded.

“I took the test this morning. I guess we are going to have another baby.”

The colors and everything around Ryan vanished, he was on cloud nine. Everything around him was so much brighter, there was nothing but light around him, as if he was suddenly closer to the sun. His hands reached for her waist, twirling her around as a loud laugh vibrated through his chest. He kissed her cheeks, and eyes, and nose. He kissed her head and hands.

She had once again managed to make him the happiest man alive.

“Am I really gonna be a dad once again?” he asked.

Kayla laughed and nodded, brushing the moisture off of her cheeks. Before that moment, her pregnancy had been surreal, her body and mind had failed to acknowledge it at its full intensity. But now, having Ryan there with her, sharing the news and knowledge of the little angel inside her, made everything feel so real.

Ryan’s lips brushed against hers, the kiss was tender and slow, despite the fact that he was bursting with happiness inside.

“Emily is going to be thrilled,” Ryan whispered against her lips. He lowered his gaze to Kayla’s still flat tummy, his hands trailed down her arms and to the hem of her shirt, lifting it a bit so he could reveal her soft skin.

He kneeled down in front of her, his lips curling once again.

“Hello there, little one,” he whispered, his lips brushing against the warm surface of her skin. “Welcome to the family.”

Suddenly, Kayla’s vision blurred, her entire body suddenly felt worn out and heavy. Her feet were about to buckle under her own weight, had it not been for Ryan’s shoulders that were there for her support. She gulped and closed her eyes, trying to stop the room from spinning.

Ryan was on his feet immediately, his hands wrapping around her waist, trying to keep her from falling. “I’m fine,” she eventually said, her hands reaching for the bedside, seeking support. She did not look at Ryan as she sat down, her entire body was still trembling and trying to regain full control.

“Are you sure?” Ryan asked, his brows a furrowed.

“Yeah. My body is just getting used to this little nugget.” She smiled, trying to shrug the little incident off. Although, deep inside, she could feel there was something else to it.

Meredith and Tanya sat around the table going on and on about their little trip. You could see their excitement in their eyes. They had had the time of their lives, and on any other day, Kayla and Ryan would have been more than happy to focus on their story. They weren’t the kind to just zone out or black out the people around them, especially their family. But they were guilty of that this time around.

The sound of their mothers were an echo in the back of their heads, their voices mere murmurs. They were both lost in their own world, in worlds created by the same thought. They had to share the biggest news of the year. They were worried of how they should approach the subject. They had to do it in a delicate way, their daughter was young and they didn’t want to scare her off.