All Chapters of We Were Almost : Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

The apartment smelled like pancakes.Maya woke up to the smell and smiled. Sunday mornings were their thing now. Pancakes. Coffee. The newspaper spread across the table. No rush. No plans. Just them.She rolled over. Ethan's side of the bed was empty. Already cooking.She stretched. Smiled at the ceiling.This was her life now.She found him in the kitchen. Flour on his shirt. Syrup on the counter. Pancakes on a plate."Morning, wife.""Morning, husband."He kissed her. Flour on her nose."You have flour on your nose.""You have flour on your nose now too."She laughed."Worth it."They ate at their small table. Sunday paper between them. Coffee steaming."Anything interesting?" she asked."Same old. Politics. Sports. Weather.""Boring.""The best kind of boring."She smiled. He was right. After everything, boredom was perfect.That afternoon, Bisi called."One year married! How does it feel?""Amazing. You?""Still married. Still happy. Dayo's making me breakfast in bed as we speak."

The first week in the new house was a blur.Boxes everywhere. Rooms half-finished. Walls waiting for paint.But every day, it felt more like home.Monday morning, Maya made coffee in their new kitchen.The sun streamed through the window. Birds singing outside. A yard waiting to be explored.Ethan came down. Sleepy. Hair messy. Beautiful."Coffee?""Please."She handed him a cup. He kissed her."Morning, homeowner.""Morning, homeowner."They stood at the kitchen window. Looking at their yard. Their future."What should we do first?" she asked."Unpack more boxes?""After that.""Plant something?""Like a garden?""Like anything. Something that grows."She smiled."I like that."Tuesday, they bought plants.A small tree for the backyard. Flowers for the front. Herbs for the kitchen.Ethan dug holes. Maya planted. They argued about spacing."It needs more room," she said."The instructions say two feet.""The instructions are wrong. Look how big it's going to get.""It's a baby tree. I

The first anniversary in their house arrived on a Sunday.Maya woke up to the smell of pancakes. Not burned. Perfect.She smiled. He'd been practicing.She found him in the kitchen. Flour on his shirt. Syrup on the counter. A plate of perfect pancakes waiting."Happy anniversary, wife.""Happy anniversary, husband."She kissed him. Tasted syrup on his lips."When did you learn to make pancakes?""I've been practicing. Your mum's stew, your favorite pancakes. I'm becoming a chef.""A chef with flour on his face.""The best kind."They ate at their kitchen table. Looking out at their yard. The tree they'd planted was taller now. The flowers bloomed."A year," she said. "Can you believe it?""A year in this house. Two years married. A lifetime to go.""A lifetime sounds good.""The best kind of good."That afternoon, Bisi and Dayo came over.Bisi was different now. Glowing. Secretive.Maya noticed immediately."What's going on with you?""Nothing.""You're glowing.""I always glow.""Mor

The first month of baby Amara's life was a blur of diaper changes and middle-of-the-night phone calls. Maya became a regular at Bisi's house. Stopping by after work. Bringing food. Holding the baby so Bisi could shower. "You're a lifesaver," Bisi said one afternoon. Hair wet. Eyes tired. Grateful. "I'm the godmother. This is my job." "Your job is to spoil her. Not save me." "Same thing." Bisi laughed. It was the first real laugh in weeks. Amara was perfect. Tiny fingers. Tiny toes. A scream that could shatter glass. Maya held her and marveled. "She's so small." "Newborns are small." "I know. But she's so small." "You've mentioned." Maya ignored her. Talked to the baby. "You're going to be so loved, little one. So spoiled. So perfect." Amara opened her eyes. Looked right at her. Maya's heart melted. Ethan came with her sometimes. He was awkward at first. I didn't know how to hold a baby. Terrified of breaking her. "Like this," Maya showed him. "Su

Three months into trying, Maya was an expert on ovulation.Apps. Calendars. Temperature charts. She knew exactly which days mattered and which didn't. Her phone was full of notifications reminding her of fertile windows and optimal timing.Ethan found her studying her phone one morning. She was sitting up in bed, phone glowing, brow furrowed in concentration."What's that?""My fertility tracker. It's go time."He glanced at the clock. "It's 7am.""The egg doesn't care what time it is."He laughed. Pulled her close. Kissed her neck."I love you.""I love you too. Now hurry up. My window is closing.""Yes, ma'am."The first month, she was optimistic.She did everything right. Tracked everything. Ate well. Took her vitamins.When her period came, she cried in the bathroom. Hid it from Ethan.He found her anyway."Hey.""Hey.""You okay?""False alarm."He held her. Didn't say much. Just held."There's always next month.""I know.""And I love you. No matter what.""I know."Month two, s