Silent Depths: Part 6

Part 6: Navigating the Unexpected

Lewa sat in her living room, staring down at the positive pregnancy test. Her heart raced, and her mind was flooded with questions. She was 42, an age where the thought of having children hadn’t crossed her mind in years. What would Ethan think? They had never even talked about kids. Would he think she was too old to be a mother again? Would he be ready for something neither of them had expected?

But her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her daughter, Marianna, coming home from school. At 14, Marianna was already navigating the ups and downs of adolescence, and Lewa didn’t want to add to the chaos by letting her in on this secret—at least not yet. She quickly slipped the test into her bag, hoping to hide the evidence until she had time to process everything herself.

However, Marianna was sharper than Lewa gave her credit for. Later that evening, while rummaging through her mother’s bag for her headphones, she found the pregnancy test. Her eyes widened, and a huge grin spread across her face as she realized what it meant.

“Oh my God, Mom!” Marianna exclaimed, running into the living room. “You’re pregnant! This is so awesome! I’m going to have siblings like the triplets from Brave!”

Lewa froze, her face a mix of surprise and embarrassment. She hadn’t planned on anyone finding out yet, least of all her daughter. Marianna’s excitement, however, was impossible to ignore. She’d always dreamed of having siblings, often talking about the close bond between the three triplets in Brave, and now, the thought of finally having brothers or sisters was thrilling.

“Wait, how did you…?” Lewa began, but she didn’t need to ask. Marianna proudly held up the pregnancy test.

“I found it in your bag. This is amazing, Mom! Are you going to tell Ethan? Oh, he’s going to be so excited!”

Lewa couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s enthusiasm. Marianna had always been full of energy, and her positivity was infectious. But that didn’t erase Lewa’s own apprehensions. She had yet to talk to Ethan about the pregnancy, and though Marianna seemed convinced that everything would be fine, Lewa still feared what his reaction might be.

“Marianna,” Lewa began gently, “this is… a lot to take in. I haven’t told Ethan yet, and I don’t know how he’s going to feel about it.”

Marianna’s expression softened, but the excitement didn’t leave her eyes. “Mom, I know it’s a big deal. But Ethan loves you. He’ll be happy! And besides, he’ll have me to help him, right?”

Lewa smiled, touched by her daughter’s confidence. Marianna had always been supportive of her relationship with Ethan, and now she was ready to take on the role of an older sister with the same enthusiasm. Yet, Lewa couldn’t shake the nervousness that had been building inside her. She and Ethan had built something beautiful together, but this news could change everything.

Later that evening, Lewa decided to call Ethan, trying to keep her voice steady despite the knot of anxiety in her chest. But Ethan knew her too well. He could hear the tension, the way her words faltered ever so slightly. When he asked her if everything was okay, she brushed it off, saying she was just tired. But Ethan didn’t buy it. He knew when something was wrong.

“I’m fine, really,” she said, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears.

“I’ll be there in 20 minutes,” Ethan replied, not giving her a chance to argue.

Lewa’s heart skipped a beat as she stared at her phone. He was coming over. She hadn’t expected that, and now she had no idea how she was going to tell him. She began pacing the floor, her anxiety building with each passing minute. How could she explain this? Would he be upset? Would he think she was too old to be having another child?

Before she could calm her racing thoughts, there was a knock at the door. She froze for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening it.

Ethan stood there, concern etched across his face. He stepped inside, wrapping his arms around her in a gentle embrace, sensing her nervousness.

“Lewa, what’s going on?” he asked softly.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Marianna appeared from down the hall, clearly still bubbling with excitement. She couldn’t resist teasing him. “Hey, Ethan, how do you feel about becoming a—”

“Marianna!” Lewa interrupted sharply, her voice both firm and apologetic. “Please go to your room.”

Marianna looked between them, realizing this was a serious moment, and nodded, quickly retreating to her room, though still smiling to herself.

Now it was just the two of them. Lewa’s stomach churned as Ethan looked at her, his eyes full of patience and concern. She had to tell him now, but the words wouldn’t come. Her body felt frozen, her throat tight.

“I…” she began, but her voice wavered. She backed away from him, wrapping her arms around herself protectively. She could feel the pressure building in her chest, the overwhelming flood of emotions threatening to spill over.

Ethan took a step forward, his voice soft and gentle. “Lewa, whatever it is, we’ll get through it.”

But Lewa could feel her composure slipping. She shook her head, trying to fight back the tears that had begun to blur her vision. “I’m pregnant,” she finally whispered, the words spilling out as she backed further away from him, her hand coming up to her mouth as if to hold back a sob.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, her anxiety now fully taking hold. “I’m sorry,” she choked out, her voice breaking. “I know we never talked about this, and I’m 42, and I don’t know what you’re going to think, and… and…”

Ethan crossed the room in a few quick strides and gently took her hands in his. He looked into her tear-filled eyes, his expression calm and steady. “Lewa,” he said softly, “it’s okay.”

She shook her head again, more tears falling. “I don’t know if I’m ready… I don’t know if you’re ready. I’m scared, Ethan. What if you think I’m too old for this? What if it’s too much?”

Ethan pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as she let out the sobs she had been holding back. He stroked her hair, whispering reassurances. “You’re not too old. We’re not too old for this. We’ll figure this out together, okay? You don’t have to carry this fear alone.”

Lewa buried her face in his chest, her tears soaking his shirt, but for the first time that evening, she felt a sliver of relief. Ethan’s calm voice, his steady presence, began to quiet the storm raging inside her.

“You’re really okay with this?” she asked through her tears.

Ethan leaned back, looking at her with a soft smile. “I’m more than okay with this. I’m with you, Lewa. Always.”