Page 235 of The Encore’s Crown

“It’s negative.”

She runs toward me and jumps. I catch her automatically, my arms locking beneath her as she wraps her legs around my waist.

“It’s negative,” she says again, laughing into my neck. “Holy shit, it’s negative.” Relief moves through me because it moves through her. I hold her tighter.

“That’s good.”

“So good.”

“Yeah. Great.”

She kisses my cheek, my mouth, anywhere she can reach. And while I’m happy because she’s happy, I feel that imagined world disappear.

Ma’s smile.

Rithy holding the baby.

Those big brown eyes looking up at me.

Smoke after a flame.

I set Natalia gently on her feet.

“I’m taking every test in those bags for the rest of the day,” she says. “Then I’m calling my doctor and getting this implant checked.”

“Good idea.

“And you’re wearing condoms until we know it’s working.”

“Absolutely. Already bought some earlier.”

She studies me as I start unpacking lunch. The fries are cold now, but that's never stopped her before.

“Kiri.”

“What?”

“Look at me.”

I do. Her brows pull together.

“Why do you look disappointed that I’m not pregnant?”

“I don’t.”

“You do.”

I shrug and reach for the burger. She takes it from my hand, puts it on the table, then grabs my wrist and drags me toward the bed. I sit against the headboard. She climbs in beside me and curls against my chest, one arm across my stomach. For a while, I run my fingers through her hair.

“I don’t know,” I admit. “I’d never thought about it as a real thing before.”

“A baby?”

“A baby with you.”

She goes still. I stare at the ceiling above us for a moment, then lower my gaze back to her.

“In those five minutes, it didn’t seem like the worst thing that could happen.”