"A Life-Changing Revelation"

As I stared at Jeremiah's text, my mind went blank. I couldn't think of a response, couldn't even muster a simple "hello." My fingers hovered over the keyboard, hesitant to type out a reply. How could I possibly meet him for coffee when I had this life-changing news to share? I decided to stall, telling myself I needed some time to process everything. I typed out a vague response, "Hey, I'm a bit busy this week, let's catch up soon," and hit send. The rest of the evening passed in a blur as I tried to focus on anything but the pregnancy test on my counter. I found myself scrolling through old photos of Jeremiah and me, reminiscing about our childhood adventures. There was the time we had snuck into the abandoned house on the outskirts of town, the time we had tried to ride our bikes down the steep hill, and the time we had gotten lost in the woods. I couldn't help but smile as I looked at the pictures, feeling a mix of nostalgia and anxiety. The next day, I woke up early, feeling restless. I decided to take a walk in Central Park to clear my head. The crisp autumn air and the sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet were just what I needed to calm my nerves. As I strolled through the park, I ran into an old friend, Rachel, who was walking her dog. We exchanged pleasantries, and she asked about my writing. I hesitated, unsure of how to share my news with anyone, even someone I trusted. Rachel noticed my unease and asked if everything was okay. I opened up to her about the pregnancy, and she listened attentively, offering words of encouragement. "You'll figure it out," she said. "You're strong and capable." Her words of reassurance gave me the confidence to face Jeremiah. As I continued my walk, I couldn't shake off the feeling that my life was about to change forever. I thought about all the what-ifs – what if Jeremiah was upset, what if he didn't want to be a part of this? What if our friendship was ruined? The doubts swirled in my head like a vortex, pulling me under. That evening, I received a call from Jeremiah. "Hey, I was thinking, how about we grab coffee this weekend?" he asked, his voice cheerful and oblivious to the bombshell I was about to drop. I took a deep breath and decided to be direct. "Jeremiah, we need to talk," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. There was a pause on the other end of the line. "What's up?" he asked, his tone laced with concern. I hesitated, wondering how to break the news. "It's about us," I said, my heart racing. "And the baby." The line went silent, and for a moment, I wondered if I had lost the connection. Then, Jeremiah spoke, his voice low and measured. "What baby?"