#jonny bailey

It started with the smallest things, almost imperceptible at first a queasiness that came and went like a tide I couldn’t control, a sudden, inexplicable fatigue that left me sinking into the settee for a moment too long. I’d laughed it off at first, blaming the weather, the late night of letter writing, perhaps something I’d eaten. But then, over the past week, it became impossible to ignore: the tender swell in my chest, the odd cravings, the gentle fluttering that was not mere hunger or whim.

And now, standing in the sunlight spilling across our drawing room, I could no longer pretend. I was pregnant. I could feel it in every fibre of my being.

I found Anthony in the study, of course. Where else would he be? Sitting at his desk, utterly absorbed in a mountain of correspondence, one hand holding a quill, the other tapping idly against the polished wood. The afternoon light caught the angles of his face just so, highlighting the soft shadow of a smile I’d fallen in love with years ago.

He looked up as I entered, brow raised. “You’ve been wandering about the house like a ghost for days,” he said gently. “Now you appear in the study, looking flushed. Pray tell, my darling what news do you carry?”

I bit my lip, heart racing. “Anthony… I...” I paused, taking a slow, steadying breath. “I think… we might be expecting.”

For a heartbeat, he froze, quill hovering mid-air. Then he blinked, slowly comprehending, before that impossible smile oh, that smile spread across his face, lighting his eyes in a way that made my knees weak.

“Expecting?” he repeated softly, leaning back in his chair, still holding my gaze as though he could somehow absorb the news by sheer force of will. “Do you mean…” His voice faltered, then steadied with quiet reverence. “…you are with child?”

I nodded, placing a hand over my own stomach, marveling at the flutter that seemed to answer me in kind. “I… I believe so. The symptoms, Anthony. I know it without a doubt. My body… it cannot lie.”

His expression softened further, awe and wonder blending into that familiar Anthony devotion. He stood abruptly, crossing the room in two long strides, and enveloped me in his arms, pressing me flush against him. His lips brushed against my temple, then my hair, lingering as though he could imprint this moment into his very soul.

“My love,” he murmured, voice thick with emotion, “a child. Our child.”

I laughed softly, the sound trembling with nerves and joy. “Yes. Our child.”

Anthony lifted his head slightly, just enough to look into my eyes. “Do you understand what this means?” he asked, voice low, full of gravity. “It means we are embarking on a new life together. Not just as husband and wife, but as parents. Together, always.”

“I know,” I whispered. “And I’ve never wanted anything more. I could barely wait to tell you, to see your face when you understood…”

Anthony smiled, a smile that made my chest ache with love. “I never doubted, my dearest, that I would be overjoyed. But nothing could have prepared me for this happiness. The very thought that part of us will grow, will thrive, inside you… it overwhelms me.”

I pressed my hands to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my palms. “I feel it too,” I admitted, a tear slipping down my cheek. “The fluttering, the tenderness, the way my body seems to welcome it… I knew, Anthony. I knew before I even said the words.”

He lowered his forehead to mine, eyes glistening. “And you are radiant, my love. Even now, your strength, your courage, your beauty… it overwhelms me. You carry our future, and yet you remain utterly… you. Perfectly, entirely you.”

I laughed through tears, tilting my head to rest against his chest. “You’re not half bad yourself, you know. For someone who looks like he was made to conquer the world, you’ve certainly conquered my heart.”

Anthony chuckled, deep and low, wrapping me tighter in his arms. “Then let us conquer this world together,” he said. “I shall be by your side every step. Every flutter, every morning unease, every joyous moment. I am yours, utterly and completely. And now, our child is ours too.”

I could feel the warmth of his hands on my back, steady and reassuring. “You really will be the most incredible father,” I murmured. “I have no doubt.”