Chapter 21 - The Secret in the Garden
Upon their return to Toronto, winter settled gently over the city. Snow dusted the Victorian eaves of their High Park home like powdered sugar, while the crackling fireplace in the living room kept the chill at bay.
Leo had grown into an energetic three-year-old, fascinated by architectural sketches and his mother’s wooden scale models. One Saturday afternoon, while Alexander and Leo were building a miniature timber pavilion on the living room rug, Emily sat by the bay window, holding an envelope from the Ontario Health Services clinic.
Her hands trembled slightly, not with fear, but with an overwhelming, tender joy that caught her breath.
"Alexander," she called softly, looking over the rim of the paper.
Alexander looked up from the wooden blocks, brushing a stray dark curl from Leo’s forehead. Seeing the luminous, emotional expression on Emily’s face, he immediately stood up and walked over to the window seat. "What is it, sweetheart? Are you feeling alright? You’ve been tired all week."
Emily took his hand, pressing the cool paper into his palm. "Read it."
Alexander glanced down at the medical summary. His eyes widened, scanning the lines until they caught the bold typeface at the center of the report: HCG Pregnancy Screening: Positive. Estimated Gestational Age: 8 Weeks. Normal Fetal Heartbeat Detected.
Alexander froze. The breath left his lungs in a sharp gasp. He looked up at Emily, his eyes instantly flooding with tears of pure, disbelieving wonder. "Emily... is this...?"
"We’re having another baby, Alexander," Emily whispered, fresh tears spilling over her eyelashes and tracking down her cheeks. "In early summer."
Alexander dropped to his knees before the window seat, burying his face against Emily’s lap. His broad shoulders shook as he wept tears of sheer, unadulterated gratitude. For years, he had believed he was unworthy of the love he had found again, that the tragic loss of Grace was an unpayable debt. Yet here was life, blooming again in the warmth of their shared redemption.
"Mommy crying?" Leo asked, toddling over with a wooden block in his hand, his hazel eyes wide with toddler concern.
Alexander lifted his head, wiping his eyes with a laugh, and scooped Leo into his arms alongside Emily. "Mommy is happy, Leo. So very happy. You’re going to be a big brother."
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Leo beamed, clapping his tiny hands together. "Baby! Big brother Leo!"
Outside, the snow fell softly against the window glass, but inside the brownstone, spring had already arrived in their hearts.
