Arryn sat in her car, unable to move. Pregnant. She was due on February 18th. Maybe it'll come on Valentine's. There'd been such excitement in the doctor's voice, Arryn couldn't help but feel it too.

As it turned out, women often bled when the egg attached to the uterus wall and mistook it for their period. Then there was the undying thirst she'd had for weeks. It all made sense once the doctor explained that sometimes thirst was the first symptom. Crazy. She finished her water and ran her hand across her belly. A baby. My baby. Rhys' baby. Tears came in torrents, and this time, there was no doubt why. Joy bubbled in her chest, and she couldn't remember when she'd ever felt so—happy.

She unscrewed the lid on her water bottle and took a long slow drink. Her stomach churned. There were people to tell, and sharing the news made her anxious. Who first? Not Mother. Arryn wanted her at the bottom of the list. She didn't want Mom putting a damper on the euphoria. Darcy? No. Save her for last. Mom moved up a notch.

She couldn't wait to see Papi and Abuelito's faces light up. They'd be thrilled. She wanted to tell them, but not today. She could save the news until the next food delivery. What would they want to be called? There was plenty of time to choose a name. She had other pressing matters.

A crib. Car seat. High chair. She'd have to make a list. Pulling herself together, she drove down the street to Baby Bella Boutique and found a parking space nearby. She jumped out of the car and walked into the shop with a bounce in her step.

Every female in the place looked to be in a different stage of pregnancy. Surprised by the number of men in the store, and how happy they acted, she wondered if Rhys would be attentive. She shook the notion away before it sullied her mood.

A young blue-eyed woman approached. "Shopping for a gift or yourself?"

Arryn smiled. "Myself. It's my first, and I don't have a clue where to start."

She nodded sympathetically. "I can help you. We have a list of everything you'll need during the first twelve months. Do you plan to bottle or breastfeed?"

Arryn's eyes went wide. In her mind, she'd not gotten past dressing and rocking the baby. "Uh—breastfeed, I guess."

The girl wheeled around, headed toward the counter, and spoke over her shoulder. "Let me get you the list that includes a pump and nursing bras."

Arryn followed, her gaze flitting past pink ruffles and bonnets. She stopped short at a display of plush animals and picked up a teddy bear so soft she wanted to bury her face in it. The bunny she'd had as a child came to mind, and how she'd wagged it everywhere until it became so tattered and worn, her mother took it away. She'd cried for days, but Mom had said Kindergartners were too old for stuffed toys. A week later, Papi bought her a new one, but it never felt the same.

Funny. She'd not thought of that in years. She replaced the bear and picked up a caramel-colored rabbit with floppy ears, big brown eyes, and a pink bow. She hugged it to her chest and imagined her baby loving it as much as she'd loved Cinnabun. She looked at the tag. Ms. Pretzels. That was a good name. Her kid could make up their own name later on if they wanted.

Taking it to the register, she laid the animal on the counter. "I want this for sure."

"Okay. Here's the list. Some of the items you won't need right away, but you'll need a car seat for the trip home from the hospital. Everything is marked according to when you should purchase. I won't bother you while you browse, but let me know if you have questions."

"Thank you."

A display of maternity tee-shirts caught her eye. Sliding them along the rack, she read the captions. Eating for two. Watch out, I kick. Bake at 98.6 for 40 weeks. They were all so cute, and a perfect way to announce her condition.

She spent the next hour looking and touching lush blankets, frilly dresses, baseball caps, tub toys, and all sorts of lotions and potions that smelled downright edible. She soaked it all in, loving every single minute.

Back in the car, she took the furry animal out of the bag and hugged her close again. Soft fuzz tickled her chin. Closing her eyes, she imagined a curly top, sleepy-eyed toddler clutching it tightly.

February was a long way off, and she was barely pregnant. That made her laugh out loud. She wasn't barely pregnant. She was all in. But before sharing the news, maybe it was a good idea to wait until the second trimester. As much as she hated considering it, something could go wrong. Almost half of all pregnancies ended in miscarriage.

Arryn rubbed the bandage where they'd taken blood. So many things to consider, it made her head spin.

No. She shouldn't broadcast the news and get everyone excited until she was sure everything would be fine. There were tests to rule things out. They all carried a slight risk, but the benefits outweighed the danger.

But she wanted to tell someone, so that left Yennefer. Arryn started the car and shifted into drive. Ten minutes later, she parked on the opposite side of the street and watched Rio exit from the shop's alley door. Then she thought of the forest art on Rhys' arm, and her heart kicked up a notch. She could add him to the list. Hi, Rhys. Remember me? Elia? Well, guess what? My name isn't Elia. I don't work or live in Orlando—and you're going to be a daddy! Yeah, he'd love that. Of all the women he'd probably been with, he knocks up the crazy liar.

She picked up a quarter from the loose change rattling around in the cupholder. Heads I tell him. Tails I don't. She gave it a toss and let it land on the shopping bag. Okay, best two out of three. Another short lob. Crap. Once more will decide. Again. She cast her eyes toward heaven as if she'd get some Divine intervention, then stared down at the coin once more. Dammit. Best three out of five. Two more tosses. This was a stupid idea.

Getting out of the car, she strolled to the front entrance. When the door swung wide, a bell tinkled. Her friend came from the back, smoothing her hair in place.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Yennefer asked.

"Better question is, what have you been doing? I saw him leave. Something going on with him?"

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Nothing serious. Back to you. Why are you here? Wait. That didn't come out right."

Arryn held up her hand. "You're right. I don't come by unless I need something."

"Well then, name your poison. Tarot reading. Horoscope." She walked to the end of a counter and ran fingers along the shelves. "Incense? Essential oils? Healing stone? Tibetan Singing bowl?"

"I've got something to tell you, but first, I need the ladies' room." Bathroom visits had increased in number, but Arryn wouldn't complain. Peeing was nothing compared to puking. She disappeared down the hall, and when she returned, she looked at her friend. "What I'm about to say can't be repeated to anyone."

"Even Darcy?"

"Especially Darcy."

"Oooh. What is it? You didn't catch Shaw cheating, did you?" She threw her hands in the air. "If you did, I'll whack off his willy and hang it from a tree." She pantomimed a chopping board.

Arryn grabbed her shoulders. "No. It isn't about her. It's about me. I'm pregnant."

Her eyes widened. "Holy shit! Are you sure?"

"I just came from the doctor. I'm due in February."

Yennefer took her by the hand and pulled her to a stool behind the counter. "Are you okay?"

Arryn hung her head and spent the next few minutes filling Yennefer in on the egg attaching and how she'd misinterpreted the period. When she finished, she wiped a tear away and rested her arm on the counter. "Do you think I should tell Rhys? I mean, when I thought I wasn't pregnant, I'd decided to see him again. I planned to show up at his office, confess everything, and hope he'd forgive me. But now that I am, I don't know. He deserves to know, but I really did the stupidest, most bone-headed thing in my life. I don't want him to think I'm some crazy bitch and try and get full custody."

Yennefer opened a drawer and took out a deck. "Let me do a reading. The outcome may guide you in the right direction."

Arryn let her attention wander to the cards, reminding herself how crazy it would be to rely on them. But what the hell? They were as dependable as flipping a coin. God, the baby hormones must already be making her irrational. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to see him. Kiss him. Have him lay his hand on her belly. Beam with joy. "Let's do it." She followed Yennefer to a nearby table and sat.

Yennefer shuffled, then riffled, followed by three more hand overhand shuffles, and divided the deck into three stacks, and Arryn pointed to the middle.

"Page of Swords Reversed. As you can see, this is a single figure passing over rugged land, holding up a sword. He's looking around as if an unexpected enemy might appear, and he's unprepared."

A lump formed in her throat. She fixed her eyes on the picture, then at Yennefer. "Does that mean I'll be seen as the enemy?"

"Not necessarily. It shows muddled thoughts. I need to turn the other two before we get a clear picture. Here we go. Ten of Pentacles. This is better. You see a man, woman, and child beneath an archway giving entrance to a house. That could be you, Rhys, and the baby. It signifies family."

Arryn brightened. "So it means there's a chance we could be a family?"

Yennefer presented the last card, and her face drew tight.

"What? Tell me. It can't be good, but just say it."

"Five of Pentacles Reversed."

"Oh, no. It's a woman walking away from a man. She doesn't look happy, and neither does he. It's bad, isn't it?"

"It usually means material trouble, but it can also refer to love, lovers, husbands, wives, or friends." Yennefer leaned forward with body language that said, this isn't good. "I'm sorry. According to this, those alternatives can't be harmonized. But keep in mind, the cards aren't always a hundred percent right."

Arryn's head hurt. There was no need to fight it. First, the coin toss said no, now the reading had the same outcome. "No, they confirm what I've known all along. As much as I want the three of us together, he'll never forgive me."

Welllll. She's royally screwed. And not in a fun way.

Did you think she'd end up pregnant or nah?

TEASER: "I have something I need to tell you."