Before It's Too Late

TRUE LOVE IS NEVER LATE

"THIS IS HAPPENING!" AVERY whispered to herself, looking at the third stick lined with the other two she placed on the side of their bathroom's marble sink. It had been two months since Shelly gave birth to her and Art's beautiful daughter, Steffie. It seemed like heaven had finally granted Ethan's wish that night.

Her heart was beating loudly. It felt like happiness and excitement would burst out of every cell of her body. Getting pregnant after four years of marrying Ethan was another dream come true. Though Ella and Thomas completed their family, the precious life inside her was beyond. She couldn't ask for more.

In tears, Avery stared at herself in the mirror. She was indeed one blessed woman. But, the Avery she was looking at was very different from the one she'd seen before Ella, Ethan, and Thomas had come into her life. The one she saw in the mirror now was a complete woman. One whose man constantly reminded her she was enough.

"Are you practicing for a role in a drama or what?" Shelly's voice startled her.

"What the... " Avery massaged her chest. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I'm baking and realized I ran out of vanilla extract. So I don't want to take anything from your kitchen without your permission. Besides, Ethan permitted me to come here." Shelly lifted her chin and studied her face. "What's going on? Your husband said you'd been acting weird since yesterday..."

Shelly stopped staring at Avery's face and looked around. Her eyes widened when she saw the sticks lined up in the sink. "OMG! Triple shit!"

Without another word, she enveloped Avery in her arms. Their eyes are welled with tears. Though they didn't talk much about it, both women knew how everyone in the family had been praying for Ethan's wish to be granted.

Shelly's excitement for her best friend showed in her trembling hands as she wiped the tears from Avery's cheeks. When their eyes met, the crying turned to giggles. "We need to plan the best pregnancy reveal for Ethan!"

Avery almost choked on her laughter at hearing her best friend's party-planning mind in action. "Do we need to do that?"

Shelly nodded. "Of course! Hotshot waited for four years. He earned it!" Immediately, she grabbed all the sticks and placed them in Avery's hand. "Hide them. We should tell Ste. My chest will burst if I don't tell her about this now!"

"I should get Ste to check me to confirm. What do you think?"

"Right! Let's go to her now." Shelly started pacing inside the bathroom. When she stopped, she looked at Avery. "What do we tell your husband? He's downstairs."

"What did you tell him before you came here?" asked Avery.

"That I need vanilla extract." Shelly nodded multiple times as if she had made the most incredible plan. "Let's tell him we both run out of the vanilla extract, and we'll run to the grocery store. Please give me the sticks. I'll hide it for you." She grabbed the sticks from Avery's hand.

Both women smoothed their dresses and looked in the mirror to make sure there was no trace of crying on their faces. They were relieved to see Ethan busily teaching Thomas to ride his bike in the driveway. When they informed him of their last-minute grocery run, it didn't raise any suspicion because it had been like that since they became neighbors.

After kissing Ethan and Thomas goodbye, and Shelly running back from informing Art about their plan, the best friends excitedly drove away. Seeing the two ladies power walk inside her clinic surprised Doctor Stella. However, she wasted no second when they informed her about her sister-in-law's pregnancy.

Doctor Stella gave Avery a complete pregnancy check-up. When all the tests confirmed she was three months pregnant, all three happily cried together. After that, Shelly and Doctor Stella were unstoppable in their over-the-top planning ideas. Ultimately, they all agreed to do the revelation during their Sunday dinner at Shelly's house.