Lunch with Lucy was supposed to be your break from thinking too much. It was supposed to be one normal hour in a whirlwind life… but the moment you sat down across from her at the tiny café two blocks from the Baxter Building, you already felt the words clawing at your throat.
Lucy didn’t even look up from her menu before raising an eyebrow. “Okay. What’s wrong? And don’t say nothing. You only chew your straw when you’re spiraling.”
You froze with the straw halfway to your mouth and groaned. “You know me too well.”
She leaned forward. “Spill.”
You swallowed, heartbeat thundering. Just say it. “I… bought a pregnancy test.”
Lucy went wide-eyed, then immediately reached across the table taking your hand. “Hey—hey. That doesn’t automatically mean—”
“It was positive.”
Silence. Loud, ringing silence.
Her eyes softened, and the part of you that expected judgment, panic, or disappointment was caught off guard when Lucy actually grinned through an emotional gasp. “Oh my god. You’re pregnant?”
You nodded, and her excitement immediately faded into concern as she took in your expression. “But you’re terrified.”
You laughed weakly. “That obvious?”
“You’re my best friend,” she said, squeezing your hand. “You can’t hide anything from me.”
You stared down at your untouched sandwich, your stomach twisting. “I’m not scared of the baby. I’m scared of Sue and Reed.”
Lucy frowned. “What? Why on earth would they—”
“Because Sue has been trying to have a baby for years,” you cut in quietly. “And I just… did. Accidentally. We weren’t even trying. And now I’m pregnant with the baby she has wanted more than anything.”
Lucy’s face softened with a sad understanding. “Oh… honey.”
You blinked fast, trying to stop tears from forming. “What if this hurts her? What if she thinks I stole something from her without meaning to? What if Reed blames himself? Or what if they think I trapped them? And—god—what if they don’t want me anymore because of it?”
Your voice cracked, and Lucy squeezed your hand again, fiercely protective. “You listen to me. Those two love you. I see it every time they come to pick you up from work. Reed literally looks like a teenager with a crush, and Sue can’t take her eyes off you. They adore you. They wanted you in their relationship. You didn’t force your way in.”
You wiped the corner of your eye. “Yeah, but being in a relationship is different than bringing a whole kid into it. That’s… permanent.”
Lucy took a deep breath. “So is love.”
You swallowed hard.
Then she lowered her voice, not judging—just curious. “Have you thought about… what you want? Forget Sue and Reed for a second. Do you want this baby?”
You didn’t answer right away. You stared at your plate, not really seeing it, thinking about the last few months—late-night movie nights in Reed and Sue’s penthouse, Reed cooking pancakes in the morning because Sue always burned them, the way they both squeezed onto the couch on either side of you like you were the center of gravity, the way Sue kissed your forehead when you were stressed, the way Reed traced circles on your hip when he thought you were asleep.
You thought about their laughter. The way they made you feel safe. The way they made you feel family.
And then… the unexplainable warmth you felt when you imagined holding a baby who was part of that love.
Your voice came out tiny, but sure. “I want it.”
Lucy let out the softest laugh—a happy one. “Then that’s the part you hold on to. The fear is real, but so is the love.”
You leaned back, taking a shaky breath. “I’m going to have to tell them eventually.”
“When you’re ready,” she said. “Not before.”
She paused. “But you won’t be able to hide morning sickness forever.”
You snorted. “I know. Thank god Reed is always buried in the lab and Sue is constantly on missions lately. If anyone can hide a pregnancy for a while, it’s the chubby secretary who wears oversized sweaters all the time.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “You’re curvy, not chubby. And honestly, one of them is going to notice before long. They’re geniuses.”
“Smart people miss obvious thing