That night, your hands were trembling when you hit send. You stared at the three pregnancy tests for a long time before finally sending the photo to Shaka.

“Om…”

Just that one word—short, but you knew how big the meaning was. Shaka’s reply came fast, even though he usually took forever to respond.

“Good.”

Only one word. Your chest tightened immediately. You didn’t even know what he meant by it.

“Don’t abort it.” “I’m coming home now.”

You froze. Your eyes burned. You couldn’t tell if it was fear, relief, or heartbreak—everything mixed together until you couldn’t distinguish which feeling was strongest.

You reread his messages over and over. Shaka always seemed cold, distant, too mature for you. He wasn’t the type to panic, not the type to show emotion through words. But “I’m coming home now” felt different. It felt rushed. It felt like… he was afraid of losing you.

You clutched your phone.

“Are you really coming home?” you finally typed.

Double tick. Blue.

“Yes. Don’t go anywhere.”

For the first time, you actually felt protected.

Your relationship had always been a thin line between secrecy and reality. You were dating a man much older, more experienced, and often confusing in his behavior—sometimes too distant, sometimes too gentle. You never knew when to trust him or when to step back.

But that night… For the first time, you heard the voice of a grown man who was truly ready to take responsibility.

Rain fell softly outside as your hand rested on your stomach without you realizing it.

You didn’t know what would happen next. Would he make you official? Would he truly stay?

But one thing made you breathe a little easier—his final message:

“I’m on my way. You belong to me. And I’ll handle everything.”