The Faraday Cage

seventy three months | bells and abel

They’d spoken about it. Not long ago at all. Getting engaged, having children, the whole family thing. A very dramatic separation of the inseparable duo lead them to the conversations and many, many opportunities to make up lost time. Yet those conversations were the ones that stuck deeply in Arabella’s mind. They’d have children. They’d run around the gallery whilst they were at events, and by goodness would it be the most incredible chapter of her life. Of their life. She’d promised him that when the time came for him to get down on one knee, she’d say yes. Bells knew he wanted it to be perfect, knew he needed it to be the most incredible moment for both of them- but even if he was simply sat on the sofa, being forced to watch Friends, she would say yes.

Sixty silent seconds. Seconds of listening to her heartbeat, mulling about those thoughts in her mind, of holding onto Abel as if it was the most important sixty seconds she’d ever had. It was, of course. To her, it truly was. Bells blinked when he called her Arabella Sawyer; it was her new favourite nickname, very close to his darling. She pulled on his hands, helping herself up, steadying her nerves and reminding herself that they would be okay, regardless of the outcome. “Okay.” She whispered, nodding before reaching up to place a chaste kiss to his lips. “Let’s do this.”

Arabella swallowed, pushing open the bathroom door with her spare palm, the other holding onto Abe. There they were, the tests, lined up on the bathroom counter just as she’d left them. Asides from this time, they weren’t just how she left them. This time they had the answer. Bells dropped Abel’s hand, her fingers slipping from his when she glanced from test to test, finding the same answer each time. She felt her lip wobble when she saw the words blaring on the one that was deemed the most accurate. Bella picked it up with both hands.

Not Pregnant. The single lines across the other tests taunted her and she swallowed thinly, eyes staring straight at those words as she blinked.

It had the potential to be something so brilliant and positive. These past four months had been hard. Adam’s death struck Abel off balance and everything since had been trying to find his place in the world and what life without his father would be like. Arabella was his anchor; and as far as Abel was concerned, the only family he had left. This spark of hope could’ve been a new chapter—a blossoming future which saw them start their own Sawyer legacy—just as they had started to pick up the pieces. It made his heart race, and that picturesque white picket fence with his wife and their kids seemed almost within reach. Abel and Arabella; the Sawyer family.

Those few footfalls to the bathroom felt like a marathon—drawn on for miles in his mind as they both thought over the possibility of what was or wasn’t to be. Nothing would change, or so he told himself. They loved one another and nothing was ever going to tear apart the bond that was Arabella and Abel, but the truth of it was, no matter what the tests confirmed, their world had been turned upside down. What felt so far away was so very close, and as he pressed a hand against the small of her back and watched over her shoulder—he felt his heart ache and prang.

Not pregnant.

Abel touched a kiss to Arabella’s cheek and pulled her in close, holding her tight against his chest to smother her in his arms and hide her from the world and the shroud of disappointment that inevitably flooded them both. He exhaled a deep breath—trying to compose himself for the woman he so deeply cherished. Part of him was relieved in some small sense, but there was an overwhelming flood of emotions that threatened tears to well in the corners of his eyes. “We knew this was a possibility, right…?” He whispered against her fiery tresses. “It just means we get to prepare some more and try again, Bells. We’ll have a family together.”

“I love you, Arabella Sawyer.”

It had the potential to be something so brilliant and positive. These past four months had been hard. Adam’s death struck Abel off balance and everything since had been trying to find his place in the world and what life without his father would be like. Arabella was his anchor; and as far as Abel was concerned, the only family he had left. This spark of hope could’ve been a new chapter—a blossoming future which saw them start their own Sawyer legacy—just as they had started to pick up the pieces. It made his heart race, and that picturesque white picket fence with his wife and their kids seemed almost within reach. Abel and Arabella; the Sawyer family.

Those few footfalls to the bathroom felt like a marathon—drawn on for miles in his mind as they both thought over the possibility of what was or wasn’t to be. Nothing would change, or so he told himself. They loved one another and nothing was ever going to tear apart the bond that was Arabella and Abel, but the truth of it was, no matter what the tests confirmed, their world had been turned upside down. What felt so far away was so very close, and as he pressed a hand against the small of her back and watched over her shoulder—he felt his heart ache and prang.

Not pregnant.

Abel touched a kiss to Arabella’s cheek and pulled her in close, holding her tight against his chest to smother her in his arms and hide her from the world and the shroud of disappointment that inevitably flooded them both. He exhaled a deep breath—trying to compose himself for the woman he so deeply cherished. Part of him was relieved in some small sense, but there was an overwhelming flood of emotions that threatened tears to well in the corners of his eyes. “We knew this was a possibility, right…?” He whispered against her fiery tresses. “It just means we get to prepare some more and try again, Bells. We’ll have a family together.”

“I love you, Arabella Sawyer.”

seventy three months | bells and abel

It was what she wanted. Of course it was what she wanted. Yet there was that voice in the far back of Arabella’s mind reminding her of everything they wanted to do before the children. She hadn’t had him down on one knee, just yet. -not in the proposal way, anyway. They were still in their apartment, the apartment that truly wasn’t big enough for more than just the two of them. Yet.. she wanted it. She didn’t care what order it all came in, Bells wanted her future with Abel to be put into motion.

Arabella tucked her head into his neck, breathing in for a moment. Abel calmed her, even if he wasn’t doing or saying anything. Just being with him was what she needed. She wrapped her arm around him, her hand coming to rest gently on his chest. She allowed him to move her head to look to his eyes. Maybe it’s a sign to start trying. He wanted it, too. He wanted to try. Arabella looked at him for what felt like hours before nodding, and letting out a small laugh. “Yeah. Yeah, Abe- let’s do that. If it’s not positive, then.. then we start trying. We’re.. trying. For a baby.”

One minute.

Holidays, houses, a career, a wedding—there wasn’t necessarily a list of what they had intended to do before Abel ever considered broaching a family and children, and while he had been on his knees for Arabella many times, none of them were with a ring in hand. That sat in a box inside another box in his bedside table for the past few years waiting for the right moment that never seemed to come. It didn’t change the fact that when she had called him in the middle of his very important scheduled meeting that was his daily nap at the office, priorities had shifted in the blink of an eye.

The tick of the clock hung in the hallway dragged out that solitary minute. Sixty seconds of uncertainty and anxiety and floods of emotions and thoughts that didn’t need to occupy his mind in that moment. Slowly, Abel rose to his feet to stand above Arabella; his hands in hers, his eyes on hers. “Come on, Arabella Sawyer. Let’s take the plunge and…” He exhaled a deep breath, squeezing against her palms. Part of him wanted to make light of it, but Abel didn’t have it in him. Not right now. A small smile stretched across his lips, something sincere and kind. “...See if we’re having a baby.”

Holidays, houses, a career, a wedding—there wasn’t necessarily a list of what they had intended to do before Abel ever considered broaching a family and children, and while he had been on his knees for Arabella many times, none of them were with a ring in hand. That sat in a box inside another box in his bedside table for the past few years waiting for the right moment that never seemed to come. It didn’t change the fact that when she had called him in the middle of his very important scheduled meeting that was his daily nap at the office, priorities had shifted in the blink of an eye.

The tick of the clock hung in the hallway dragged out that solitary minute. Sixty seconds of uncertainty and anxiety and floods of emotions and thoughts that didn’t need to occupy his mind in that moment. Slowly, Abel rose to his feet to stand above Arabella; his hands in hers, his eyes on hers. “Come on, Arabella Sawyer. Let’s take the plunge and…” He exhaled a deep breath, squeezing against her palms. Part of him wanted to make light of it, but Abel didn’t have it in him. Not right now. A small smile stretched across his lips, something sincere and kind. “...See if we’re having a baby.”

seventy three months | bells and abel

Arabella had never wanted to disappoint Abel, of course she hadn’t. She just couldn’t help the feeling that it would be her fault if the tests were negative. They’d both be disappointed if that happened. Their focus lately had been fully on their career, rebuilding their life after their tiny little bump in the path. The subject had come up a couple of times, but they hadn’t actively been trying. They’d just.. forgotten a few key things that meant this little situation was made possible.

The little bout of reassurance rang in Arabella’s ears, but she knew that as soon as that door was closed, his mouth had gone back into a straight line. Even Bells couldn’t force that smile against her lips. The pit in her stomach lessened a little as Abel opened his arms on the other side of the door. She sunk down next to him, pulling her legs up to her stomach and kicking off her shoes. “I know. I just– I don’t know what I want it to say, Abe. We haven’t been.. trying to have a baby, so this is- I love you. So much.” Four minutes.

A flood of emotion washed over Abel. Most of it was joy—anxious, overwhelming joy and excitement at what could be, but there was a lingering concern and doubt that crept in from the shadows of his mind. What if this isn’t what Arabella wanted? What if she was simply going along with him because she knew it’d make him happy? The last thing he wanted was to force Arabella into anything, and the last thing he wanted was to disappoint her or have her feel like she had disappointed him.

His arm sunk around her shoulder and tugged her in against his chest, his lips pressed to her tresses to suppress the wash of nerves that threatened to spill out from him. “I know, Bells…” Abel whispered, pressing his eyes closed to breathe her in. “We’ve not been trying, and if it’s positive then… great—and if it’s not…” He exhaled and leaned away from her to pinch her chin between index and thumb and set her gaze upon his. “Then maybe it’s a sign that we should start trying.” Two minutes.

#p:arabella #p: seventy three months

A flood of emotion washed over Abel. Most of it was joy—anxious, overwhelming joy and excitement at what could be, but there was a lingering concern and doubt that crept in from the shadows of his mind. What if this isn’t what Arabella wanted? What if she was simply going along with him because she knew it’d make him happy? The last thing he wanted was to force Arabella into anything, and the last thing he wanted was to disappoint her or have her feel like she had disappointed him.

His arm sunk around her shoulder and tugged her in against his chest, his lips pressed to her tresses to suppress the wash of nerves that threatened to spill out from him. “I know, Bells…” Abel whispered, pressing his eyes closed to breathe her in. “We’ve not been trying, and if it’s positive then… great—and if it’s not…” He exhaled and leaned away from her to pinch her chin between index and thumb and set her gaze upon his. “Then maybe it’s a sign that we should start trying.” Two minutes.

seventy three months | bells and abel

Arabella had known from the moment she’d sent that text, just what Abel wanted. Just what she’d wanted. Bells had grown to cover her true feelings, mask them, just sometimes. She never did that around Abe, not anymore. Yet there was something about this moment, the ‘maybe’, the potential outcome.. that made her want to mask it. Just for now. Just until they knew for sure. The issue wasn’t in whether it would come out positive - it was whether it would come out negative. The thought of having a child on the way for them was just.. perfect. Yet the disappointment from Abel if it was negative was something she wasn’t sure she’d know how to cope with.

With one handful of the tests, the other rest on the door-handle, hesitant as Abe followed her down the hallway. Arabella’s heart felt as though it was racing a hundred miles an hour. She took a glance back at Abel. She didn’t want to disappoint him. “Abe, if– if it’s not.. we’ll be okay, won’t we?” She questioned. She knew the answer, of course she did. They would always be Arabella and Abel, no matter what, yet there was something within her that needed that reassurance. Before she decided against doing even one of the tests, she pressed a fleeting kiss to his cheek and rushed into the bathroom. Tests. There were so many of them, why did he have to get so many? She ripped open the first one, hands unsteady, and flittered through the instructions. Just pee on the stick, Bella, it isn’t that hard, she told herself. So that’s what she did. For each of them, one after the other, lining them up on the counter upside down so that she didn’t see anything. When she’d finished - and washed her hands of course - she unlocked and opened the door.

“Five minutes.”

It was a mask they both wore—the last one, if Abel had his say. They both wanted a family, they both wanted a future, but they had been otherwise occupied with living their lives and building their careers that it hadn’t been a serious subject, nor had they been trying. The truth was that it would be fine at either outcome—though they both had their preference, and neither Bells nor Abel wanted to disappoint one another. They both knew that disappointment would sit in their very core if it was negative, but… that wasn’t a burden on either of them to bear, and he wanted to do his best to make sure that Arabella never felt that on her shoulders.

“We’ll always be okay, Bells. Nothing will ever change that.” Abel pressed a smile to his lips and watched as the door settled the barrier between them. A flood of anxiety washed over him as he sat down beside the door, knees pulled up to his chest. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind about what could and couldn’t be—everything they would or wouldn’t need to do—all of it all encompassing and life changing and that was terrifying in its own right. It felt like the moment everything had been building up to in their lives. He didn’t even acknowledge it when Arabella opened the door, it was only when she’d spoke that he snapped back to press an acknowledging smile to his lips and a short nod for his lover.

“Five minutes,” He opened his arms to Arabella, encouraging her to join him on the floor. “I love you—and no matter what those tests say, I will always love you.”

It was a mask they both wore—the last one, if Abel had his say. They both wanted a family, they both wanted a future, but they had been otherwise occupied with living their lives and building their careers that it hadn’t been a serious subject, nor had they been trying. The truth was that it would be fine at either outcome—though they both had their preference, and neither Bells nor Abel wanted to disappoint one another. They both knew that disappointment would sit in their very core if it was negative, but… that wasn’t a burden on either of them to bear, and he wanted to do his best to make sure that Arabella never felt that on her shoulders.

“We’ll always be okay, Bells. Nothing will ever change that.” Abel pressed a smile to his lips and watched as the door settled the barrier between them. A flood of anxiety washed over him as he sat down beside the door, knees pulled up to his chest. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind about what could and couldn’t be—everything they would or wouldn’t need to do—all of it all encompassing and life changing and that was terrifying in its own right. It felt like the moment everything had been building up to in their lives. He didn’t even acknowledge it when Arabella opened the door, it was only when she’d spoke that he snapped back to press an acknowledging smile to his lips and a short nod for his lover.

“Five minutes,” He opened his arms to Arabella, encouraging her to join him on the floor. “I love you—and no matter what those tests say, I will always love you.”

seventy three months | bells and abel

They wanted it. They both wanted it. The picket fence, the whole.. family, thing– they wanted nothing less. They would be the Sawyers, it was their dream. Their future. They could joke about it as much as they wanted, but deep down there was more truth about it than they both liked to admit. Even the notion of it potentially being negative made her heart sink a little and anxiety fill her stomach.

Comfort food. Arabella wondered if perhaps one of the outcomes would turn it from comfort into celebration, or whether Abel would still see it as.. comfort food. Yet Arabella nodded, a flicked of a smile crossing her pale lips as she gazed down at her shoes. Her shoes. Her thoughts had been racing since she’d arrived home that she’d yet to take off her shoes. Abel’s hand squeeze brought her back to the present moment and she nodded in agreement, wandering over absentmindedly to grab the plethora of tests on the table. “Um– could you.. could you sit by the door? Just while I do them, I just– I need to know you’re there, you know? And I won’t look at them, I.. I’ll leave them in the bathroom and we’ll look at them together.” She began to walk towards the room at the end of the hallway.

The unplanned nature of their potential proclamation unto the world had them both uncertain and though neither of them had said it to one another, Abel’s expression and his reaction made it plenty clear just what outcome he had in mind. The panic was optimism, and the thought of it being anything but good news had him shaken, but he tried his best to press a positive smile to his face for Arabella and offer a shoulder to lean on.

Comfort food was comfort food—even if congratulations were in order, and that wouldn’t change no matter if they were planning their future for their child to be or… their child to be, just a little later on down the line. When Arabella squeezed back against his hand he snapped back into reality, nodding with her request as he paced down the hallway not far after her. “I’ll be right out here waiting with bated breath, Bells.” Abel spoke, pressing that brave, positive smile of his for her. “We’ll look at them together and then we’ll order dinner and we’ll.. Go from there.”

The unplanned nature of their potential proclamation unto the world had them both uncertain and though neither of them had said it to one another, Abel’s expression and his reaction made it plenty clear just what outcome he had in mind. The panic was optimism, and the thought of it being anything but good news had him shaken, but he tried his best to press a positive smile to his face for Arabella and offer a shoulder to lean on.

Comfort food was comfort food—even if congratulations were in order, and that wouldn’t change no matter if they were planning their future for their child to be or… their child to be, just a little later on down the line. When Arabella squeezed back against his hand he snapped back into reality, nodding with her request as he paced down the hallway not far after her. “I’ll be right out here waiting with bated breath, Bells.” Abel spoke, pressing that brave, positive smile of his for her. “We’ll look at them together and then we’ll order dinner and we’ll.. Go from there.”

seventy three months | bells and abel

A scare, nothing more. Except.. was it? Is that how Arabella really felt, if the tests were negative? She didn’t want to take them. It made her nauseous to think that a tiny bit of plastic held such large news. Or would do, in ten to fifteen minutes. They’d just had their sixth anniversary. Six years of being together was a long time, but they’d spent most of it travelling and were only just getting back on their feet after one of the most devastating events in both of their lives. They’d always joked about it, but now that it was a possibility, that had changed.

She had Abel. No matter what happened, she had Abel. His words made her realise that he truly would be there, whatever the outcome of the little plastic in those boxes. They would still be Bells and Abel. Our child. A child on the way. A little Sawyer, running about, just like they’d spoken about. They were still young, still figuring it out, weren’t they? So why did Arabella feel as though they could do it? Raise a child. Their child. “Eating Chinese and talking about our future. –that sounds good, Abe.” It was like music to her ears, that either way, he’d still be there. “I um.. I better.. go and do the tests. Right?”

A scare, nothing more. That’s what Abel said—and even he mumbled it without certainty behind it. So much of their lives could change in an instant, all dictated by the outcome of a few pregnancy tests. If that’s all it was, why did it weigh so heavily on his heart? Why did he feel that ache in the pit of his stomach that had him anxious and terrified? The truth was, they both wanted it—no matter how much they had joked about it or made light of it, it’s what they both wanted. It was their family. Their future. Their dream.

“Good, I’m glad because whatever the outcome of those tests I need some comfort food,” Abel joked, trying to make light of it as he glanced down the hallway to the bathroom. It was a short walk, but at that moment it felt like it was a mile away. “I… think so, baby.” Abel practically whispered, dropping his hand to collect hers and squeeze affectionately. “What do I do? Do I stand by the door and wait? Do I… pour us a couple drinks?” He swallowed down that swell in his throat and glanced along to Arabella as if she held the answers for the mystery that stood before them both.

A scare, nothing more. That’s what Abel said—and even he mumbled it without certainty behind it. So much of their lives could change in an instant, all dictated by the outcome of a few pregnancy tests. If that’s all it was, why did it weigh so heavily on his heart? Why did he feel that ache in the pit of his stomach that had him anxious and terrified? The truth was, they both wanted it—no matter how much they had joked about it or made light of it, it’s what they both wanted. It was their family. Their future. Their dream.

“Good, I’m glad because whatever the outcome of those tests I need some comfort food,” Abel joked, trying to make light of it as he glanced down the hallway to the bathroom. It was a short walk, but at that moment it felt like it was a mile away. “I… think so, baby.” Abel practically whispered, dropping his hand to collect hers and squeeze affectionately. “What do I do? Do I stand by the door and wait? Do I… pour us a couple drinks?” He swallowed down that swell in his throat and glanced along to Arabella as if she held the answers for the mystery that stood before them both.

seventy three months | bells and abel

They had discussed their future together many times, yet children were a part of it that had only very briefly flittered around in conversation. They had joked around, before. About how stunning their children would be. About how she could see them running around the gallery at events. It was something they both wanted yet something that was completely terrifying, all at the same time. It was a leap that she wasn’t sure they were ready for - they weren’t engaged, let alone married, and that was the next step, wasn’t it?

If those tests rung positive, even just one, it threw them into a different pathway in their future. Arabella’s eyes fluttered closed, her arms wrapped tightly around him as she allowed herself just to be there with him. In that moment. He let her go and she gazed once more over to the counter than held a dozen tests on it. “Safe than sorry.” She repeated quietly, tugging down the sleeves to her sweater over her knuckles, a habit she thought she’d managed to kick many years ago. “I love you. Abe, I’m terrified. What if it’s positive? What if they’re all positive? Then there’s just.. seven positive tests staring us in the eye, just sat there, tell us that it’s all positive..”

It was daunting. Terrifying. Awe-inducing. The notion that Arabella and Abel would find themselves to be parents was something he’d thought about three, four, five years down the line—not… a month after their sixth anniversary. A white picket fence, a house in the suburbs, either one of them doing the school run—it was all a joke in their mind, but the fact that it could very well become a possibility had left him a little more serious about the prospect. Little Sawyers terrorising their neighbourhood, the first day of school, their first day at the academy…

Breathe. He kept her close with an arm wrapped around her waist, pressed up against him even as they stared at the collection of pregnancy tests that piled up and declared their futures in front of them on the marble countertop. “If it’s positive then…” Abel paused, taking a moment to compose himself. “...Then we’ll have a child on the way, Bells.” He squeezed against her waist, pulling her almost impossibly close to him. “Our child.” Those words felt almost too real. Too daunting. “And if they’re negative then… we had a scare, nothing more.” He murmured the last of his words, uncertain of what they really meant to him. “Either way—we’ll spend that night curled up on the sofa eating Chinese and talking about our future.”

It was daunting. Terrifying. Awe-inducing. The notion that Arabella and Abel would find themselves to be parents was something he’d thought about three, four, five years down the line—not… a month after their sixth anniversary. A white picket fence, a house in the suburbs, either one of them doing the school run—it was all a joke in their mind, but the fact that it could very well become a possibility had left him a little more serious about the prospect. Little Sawyers terrorising their neighbourhood, the first day of school, their first day at the academy…

Breathe. He kept her close with an arm wrapped around her waist, pressed up against him even as they stared at the collection of pregnancy tests that piled up and declared their futures in front of them on the marble countertop. “If it’s positive then…” Abel paused, taking a moment to compose himself. “...Then we’ll have a child on the way, Bells.” He squeezed against her waist, pulling her almost impossibly close to him. “Our child.” Those words felt almost too real. Too daunting. “And if they’re negative then… we had a scare, nothing more.” He murmured the last of his words, uncertain of what they really meant to him. “Either way—we’ll spend that night curled up on the sofa eating Chinese and talking about our future.”

seventy three months | bells and abel

No matter what, they would be okay. They would always be okay, more than okay. If it was negative, well- that was just fine. They weren’t trying, so why would it cause an upset? She couldn’t get upset over something she never had, could she? It just meant that they would have to be more careful, that the scare had been just that - a scare. Yet she couldn’t get it out of her mind.. what if it wasn’t negative? What if it was positive, and their lives would be forwarded onto their next chapter?

She gazed around, sitting heavily onto the sofa, her eyes capturing an image of them from their travels. It would be okay. Everything would be fine. Her heel tapped against the wooden panelling of their living-room floor, and Abel came bursting through the door. Rising from her position, she listened to his ramble as she made her way toward him. Just seeing him made her heart take a little leap. Arabella allowed him to take her into his arms and she buried her head deep into his chest. “I love you, Abe. –did you buy the whole drug store?”

They had discussed it, briefly—that chapter of their future. It was a daunting, scary reality that lurked in the far reaches, but they both wanted it. They weren’t trying—but there had been that one time—or three times in one day—but the odds of that seemed slim, right? Surely. They had been together for six years, they had a life built together and there was a logical next step—marriage—so this was a curveball to the plan that Abel had set out in his mind, and his track record at handling curveballs lately hadn’t been great.

Abel breathed her in, held her tight and closed his eyes. Nothing else mattered in that moment, just Arabella and her being in his arms and everything being tangible and real. When he let go of her, he looked back to the counter and the mess of tests and shrugged loosely, breathing some laughter as he swept a hand through his hair to explain himself. “I thought—better safe than sorry, right? And… they all said they do different things, and I knew you were in a meeting so…” He paused before he spiralled into a full ramble, glancing back to Arabella. “...I love you,” he repeated, “and it’s okay to be scared.”

They had discussed it, briefly—that chapter of their future. It was a daunting, scary reality that lurked in the far reaches, but they both wanted it. They weren’t trying—but there had been that one time—or three times in one day—but the odds of that seemed slim, right? Surely. They had been together for six years, they had a life built together and there was a logical next step—marriage—so this was a curveball to the plan that Abel had set out in his mind, and his track record at handling curveballs lately hadn’t been great.

Abel breathed her in, held her tight and closed his eyes. Nothing else mattered in that moment, just Arabella and her being in his arms and everything being tangible and real. When he let go of her, he looked back to the counter and the mess of tests and shrugged loosely, breathing some laughter as he swept a hand through his hair to explain himself. “I thought—better safe than sorry, right? And… they all said they do different things, and I knew you were in a meeting so…” He paused before he spiralled into a full ramble, glancing back to Arabella. “...I love you,” he repeated, “and it’s okay to be scared.”

seventy three months | bells and abel

Breathe. That’s what she’d told Abel over the not-so-subtle text message she’d sent him. That’s the advice she needed to follow, too. Sitting in that meeting had been pure hell for Arabella, her foot tapping against the chair-leg impatiently as she listened to her colleague discussing a contract with their latest, most innovative client. When Abel’s name (well, his nickname) stopped popping up on her phone, she knew he was on his way back home and she couldn’t wait a moment longer. She excused herself– a faint, horrible sickness suddenly overcoming her, with the promise that her colleague was there to answer any further questions.

The drive home was slow, almost too slow. The excitement and nerves moulding into one. She was late. That was the information, that was the fact. Arabella Miller was late. She was never late, not really. They hadn’t been careful lately, not since that day on the balcony. And in the shower. And in the bedroom.. the details didn’t matter. Impatiently parking in their shared parking lot, Bells raced up to their apartment and found the door locked. Abel hadn’t gotten home yet- she must have been too early. Frowning at the sofa once she was in, she found herself pacing, waiting, for her Abel to come home.

Breathe. That’s what Arabella had told him while he stood blank faced in the aisle of the store, a pair of tests in his hands. He stared at them absently—lost in the shock of the fact of what may or may not come to pass. A kind store assistant had approached to ask if he needed any help, but Abel didn’t manage to muster any coherent words—he opted instead to wave one of the tests at them and force a smile to his lips as if he knew what he was doing. Breathe. The Sawyer boy took one deep breath and paid for the plethora of tests that left the store’s shelves a little bare.

His drive home wasn’t quite as slow—in hindsight, it was incredibly reckless—There were too many thoughts racing through his mind, it was all on autopilot. He pulled into his parking spot and raced up the stairs to their apartment, his key pushing into the already unlocked door which swung open easily. Abel almost missed Bells on the sofa as he emptied the half dozen or so tests he’d bought onto the kitchen counter. “I didn’t know which one to get—some said they were more effective and some said they were faster so I just…” He took a deep breath, the first one in what felt like an eternity, and reached out for Arabella to tug her into his arms. “...I love you.”