Chapter 3

One Month Pregnant

The courthouse was smaller than either of you expected.

No flowers.

No decorations.

No rows of guests filling seats.

Just a quiet building on a chilly morning in Connecticut.

Exactly what Paige wanted.

Exactly what you wanted.

No attention.

No headlines.

No social media posts.

No questions.

Just the two of you.

Paige sat beside you on a wooden bench in the hallway, nervously tapping her fingers against her knee.

You glanced over.

“You’re doing the thing again.”

Paige looked down.

“The thing?”

“The nervous tapping.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

You raised an eyebrow.

The tapping continued.

Paige sighed.

“Okay, maybe I’m a little nervous.”

“A little?”

“Fine. A lot.”

You laughed softly.

Despite the nerves, there was something peaceful about the day.

Over the last few weeks, the two of you had talked endlessly about your future.

About the baby.

About school.

About basketball.

About everything.

Neither of you had originally planned to get married at twenty years old.

It wasn’t something either of you had expected.

But the more you talked about it, the more it felt right.

Not because of the pregnancy.

Not because you felt pressured.

But because you’d already spent years building a life together.

The pregnancy had simply made both of you realize how certain you were.

Paige turned toward you.

“You know, this isn’t exactly how I pictured my wedding.”

You smiled.

“No?”

“No.”

She looked around the empty hallway.

“I thought there’d be cake.”

You laughed.

“Cake is your biggest concern?”

“There should always be cake.”

“That’s fair.”

Paige grinned.

Then her smile softened.

“You look beautiful.”

Your cheeks warmed immediately.

“Paige.”

“I’m serious.”

She reached for your hand.

You were wearing a simple white dress.

Nothing extravagant.

Nothing expensive.

Just something you loved.

Paige herself wore a dark suit that she’d spent entirely too much time choosing.

Neither outfit would ever appear in a magazine.

Neither would end up trending online.

But neither of you cared.

Because this wasn’t about impressing anyone.

This was about each other.

The clerk eventually opened the door.

“You two ready?”

Paige immediately stood.

Then almost tripped over her own feet.

You couldn’t stop yourself from laughing.

The clerk smiled knowingly.

“Wedding jitters?”

“Apparently.”

The three of you entered a small room.

It was simple.

A desk.

A few chairs.

A judge waiting patiently.

Nothing more.

Paige squeezed your hand the entire time.

The judge began speaking.

Neither of you heard most of it.

Not because you weren’t paying attention.

But because all either of you could focus on was each other.

The last four years flashed through Paige’s mind.

Meeting you in high school.

Your first date.

The first time she realized she was completely in love with you.

Prom.

Graduation.

Moving into college.

Late-night study sessions.

Road trips.

Every argument.

Every laugh.

Every moment.

All of it had led here.

The judge smiled.

“Would either of you like to exchange personal vows?”

Paige looked at you.

You looked at Paige.

Neither of you had prepared anything.

But somehow that felt fitting.

Paige swallowed.

Then stepped forward.

Immediately emotional.

“You’re really making me do this without preparation?”

You laughed.

The judge smiled.

Paige took a deep breath.

Then looked directly into your eyes.

“I don’t really have a speech.”

“Obviously.”

“Thank you for your support.”

You grinned.

Paige rolled her eyes before continuing.

“But I do know that you’ve been my favorite person for a really long time.”

Your smile immediately softened.

Paige’s voice grew quieter.

“You’ve been beside me through every good thing that’s happened in my life.”

Tears were already gathering in her eyes.

“And every bad thing.”

She squeezed your hands.

“I don’t know what the future looks like.”

Her gaze briefly dropped to your stomach.

“But I know I want to spend it with you.”

Your eyes instantly filled with tears.

Paige laughed nervously.

“Now you’re crying and I’m going to start crying.”

“You already are crying.”

“Good point.”

The judge handed you a tissue.

Everyone laughed.

Paige wiped her eyes.

Then continued.

“I love you.”

Her voice cracked.

“And I promise to keep loving you through whatever comes next.”

The room fell quiet.

You stepped closer.

Taking both of her hands.

“You’re my best friend.”

Paige immediately looked emotional again.

“You weren’t supposed to start with that.”

You laughed.

“Too bad.”

The judge quietly pretended not to notice both of you crying.

“You’ve always been home to me.”

Your voice shook slightly.

“No matter where we were.”

Paige blinked rapidly.

Attempting and failing to stop herself from crying.

“And now we’re starting a family together.”

You smiled.

“I couldn’t imagine doing that with anyone else.”

Paige’s tears finally escaped.

You reached up and wiped one away.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The judge gave both of you a moment.

Then finally smiled.

“By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you married.”

The words hung in the air.

Married.

Wife and wife.

It felt surreal.

Wonderful.

Terrifying.

Perfect.

Paige looked at you for approximately half a second before kissing you.

The judge laughed.

“I suppose that’s my cue.”

Neither of you cared.

For a brief moment, the world disappeared.

There was no basketball.

No classes.

No expectations.

No pressure.

Just you.

And Paige.

When the kiss finally ended, Paige rested her forehead against yours.

A huge smile spread across her face.

“My wife.”

You laughed.

“My wife.”

Paige immediately grinned wider.

“I’ve been waiting to say that.”

“I can tell.”

She kissed your forehead.

Then carefully lowered a hand to your stomach.

The gesture was instinctive now.

Protective.

Loving.

Almost reverent.

Her eyes softened.

“Our little family.”

Your chest tightened.

Because despite all the uncertainty ahead, one thing was certain.

The three of you were in this together.

Not because circumstances had forced you there.

Not because it was expected.

But because every day, for four years, you had chosen each other.

And today was simply another choice.

One you’d happily make for the rest of your lives.