Chapter 33: A Life Changing Moment

As they hugged, Jacquie felt a wave of relief wash over her. She had been nervous about sharing the news with Emily, but now that it was out, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Emily pulled back and looked at Jacquie with tears in her eyes. "This is amazing news," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "How are you feeling?" Jacquie smiled, feeling a mix of emotions herself. "I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, to be honest," she admitted. "But mostly I'm just excited. I've been waiting for this moment for a while now." Emily nodded, taking Jacquie's hand in hers. "I'm so happy for you, Jacquie. You're going to be an amazing mom." She looked at the baby shoes and the test results, a smile still plastered on her face. "Can I ask, have you told Alex yet?" Jacquie shook her head. "Not yet. I was thinking of telling him tonight. I want to make it special." Emily nodded, understanding. "That's sweet. I'm sure he'll be thrilled. You two are going to be amazing parents." As they sat there, taking in the news, Jacquie's phone suddenly buzzed with a text from Alex. "Hey, where are you?" he asked. "I was thinking of meeting you at the food court." Jacquie smiled, feeling a little nervous. "I'm here," she replied. "But I need to talk to you about something." Alex responded immediately. "What's up? Is everything okay?" Jacquie hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She didn't want to tell Alex over text, but at the same time, she was excited to share the news with him. "Just meet me at the food court," she said finally. "I'll tell you when you get here." A few minutes later, Alex appeared at the table, a look of concern on his face. "What's going on?" he asked, noticing the serious expression on Jacquie's face. Jacquie took a deep breath, her heart pounding with excitement. "I have something to tell you," she said, pulling out the box with the baby shoes. Alex's eyes widened as he took in the tiny shoes. "What...what is this?" he stuttered. Jacquie smiled, pulling out the test results. "I'm pregnant," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. The look on Alex's face changed from shock to pure joy. He pulled Jacquie into a tight hug, holding her close. "We're having a baby," he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. As they hugged, Emily smiled, feeling happy for her friend and her partner. She knew that this was just the beginning of an exciting new chapter in their lives.