The miracle

Chapter 1: The Miracle

Emily's POV

I stared at the pregnancy test in my hand for what felt like the hundredth time, but the two pink lines still didn't look real, for four years Gregory and I had waited four long years for this moment. Four years of hospital visits, medicines, prayers, and smiling every time people asked when we were going to have a baby. 

There were days I cried after another negative test, but I never let Gregory see how much it hurt me. He always told me not to lose hope because our time would come. This morning, I had taken the test before leaving for the hospital, and when I saw the result, I couldn't stop shaking.

 I needed the doctor to tell me it was real before I allowed myself to believe it. When the nurse called my name, I quickly wiped my eyes and walked into the office with my heart racing.

The doctor looked through my test results before smiling at me. "Congratulations, Mrs. Carter You're pregnant." 

For a moment, I just stared at him. I wanted to hear those words again because they sounded too good to be true. 

"Are you sure?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer. 

He laughed softly and nodded. "I'm very sure, you're about six weeks pregnant, and everything looks fine." 

I covered my mouth as tears rolled down my face. I wasn't crying because I was sad, I was crying because I had almost given up. The doctor explained the next steps and reminded me to take care of myself, but I could barely focus. My mind had already gone to Gregory. I couldn't wait to see his face when I told him. He had wanted this child just as much as I did.

The first thing I did after leaving the hospital was call Gregory, but the call went straight to voicemail, I smiled instead of feeling disappointed. He was probably busy at work that was fine because I wanted to tell him in person anyway. I stopped by a baby store and stood in front of shelves filled with tiny clothes and shoes.

 Everything looked so small that I couldn't stop smiling. I picked up a pair of white baby shoes and held them in my hands for a few seconds before adding them to my basket. 

After that, I went to Gregory's favorite bakery and bought the chocolate cake he loved so much. If today was going to change our lives forever, then I wanted it to be perfect. On my way home, I kept imagining him hugging me, spinning me around, and thanking me for making him the happiest man in the world.

As soon as I got home, I placed the shopping bags on the kitchen counter and got to work. I brought out the decorations I had hidden away months ago after another failed pregnancy test. At the time, I couldn't bring myself to throw them away because a part of me still believed this day would come.

 I arranged everything in the dining room, placed the baby shoes inside a small gift box, and slipped the hospital report underneath them. Then I wrote a short note and placed it on top. 

>You're going to be a daddy. 

I stepped back to admire everything and smiled to myself. It wasn't expensive or fancy, but it came from my heart. I looked at the clock just as I heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. My smile grew wider, Gregory was finally home. I picked up the gift box and hurried toward the front door, excited to change both our lives with just four words.

I reached the front door with the gift box still in my hands, but before I could open it, my phone rang. I smiled when I saw Gregory's name on the screen. "Hey," I answered happily. "I'm almost home," he said, sounding distracted. "Something came up at work, so I got delayed. I'll be there in a few minutes."

 "That's okay," I replied, trying not to sound too excited. "Drive safely." 

He didn't notice the excitement in my voice. "I will. See you soon." 

The call ended before I could say anything else. I looked at the screen for a second and laughed to myself. It was probably for the best. If I had told him now, I would have ruined the surprise. I placed my phone on the table and walked back into the dining room. 

Everything looked just the way I wanted. The cake was ready, the candles were waiting to be lit, and the small gift box sat in the middle of the table.

 I whispered, "You're going to love this," before heading into the kitchen to warm up dinner.

While the food was heating, I couldn't stop thinking about the future. I imagined Gregory teaching our child how to ride a bicycle, helping with homework, and falling asleep on the couch while watching cartoons together. I had pictured those moments so many times that they almost felt real already. 

I gently rested a hand on my stomach and smiled. "Your daddy has wanted you for so long," I whispered. "He's going to be so happy when he finds out you're here." 

The smell of dinner filled the house, and I quickly finished setting the table. Every few seconds, I found myself looking through the window, waiting to see Gregory's car. I wanted tonight to be perfect because it wasn't just another evening it was the beginning of the family we had prayed for.

A few minutes later, bright headlights shone through the living room window. My heart skipped with excitement as a black car came to a stop outside the house.

 "He's here," I said with a wide smile. I picked up the gift box and hurried to the front door without thinking twice. My fingers wrapped around the doorknob as I took one last deep breath. This was the moment I had dreamed about for years. 

I slowly pulled the door open, already imagining the look on Gregory's face when I told him our lives were about to change forever.