Jess had left that morning with her backpack slung over one shoulder, blending into the routine of high school life, even as her mind churned with everything that had changed. She didn’t want to leave Isabelle alone, not really—but they both needed to maintain some sense of normalcy, for Megan, for the neighbors, maybe even for themselves.
Meanwhile, Isabelle stayed behind, turning to housework with mechanical purpose. The vacuum hummed under her hand, laundry cycled steadily in the background, and the soft smell of lemon cleaner lingered in the air. The chores weren’t just about cleanliness—they gave her a sense of control. One room at a time. One task at a time.
But the nausea was relentless.
She’d brushed it off at first. Skipped breakfast, maybe something didn’t sit right. Then she’d tried tea, but that only made her stomach churn more. By late morning, she had to run to the bathroom again, bracing herself against the counter as another wave hit her.
She looked pale in the mirror. Sweaty. Confused.
By the time Jess returned from school, Isabelle was sitting at the kitchen table, looking a little unsteady.
Jess dropped her bag by the door and walked in, immediately sensing something was off.
“You okay?” she asked cautiously.
Isabelle looked up, brushing some hair behind her ear. “I’ve… been vomiting all day. It’s probably just a stomach bug. Or stress.” She gave a small, uneasy smile. “Do I look that bad?”
Jess didn’t answer right away. She sat across from Isabelle and looked at her seriously, almost painfully.
“I need to ask you something,” Jess said quietly. “And I want you to really listen before you say anything.”
Isabelle’s smile faded. “Okay…”
Jess hesitated, then took a slow breath. “Back when I was trying to find a way to fix everything… the device said something. A status.”
“What kind of status?” Isabelle asked, already uneasy.
Jess swallowed. “It said you were pregnant.”
Isabelle blinked, stunned. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.
“It might explain the vomiting,” Jess added softly, almost apologetically.
Isabelle slowly sat back, as if the air had been pulled from the room. “No… no, that can’t be right.” Her hands trembled slightly. “That can’t be…”
Jess looked down. “I didn’t want to tell you at first. I thought… maybe it was a glitch, or it would go away on its own. But you need to know. You deserve to know.”
Isabelle stood up abruptly, walking a few steps away, one hand pressed to her stomach. “I—this isn’t fair. This isn’t supposed to be real. I didn’t ask for this.”
“I know,” Jess said quietly. “But it is real.”
There was silence between them for a long moment. Then Isabelle’s voice broke.
“I’m not ready for this.”
Jess stood too. “I know. And I don’t think you have to be—not today. But you also don’t have to go through it alone.”
Isabelle turned, eyes glassy but not yet crying. “Why are you being so calm about this?”
Jess stepped forward, putting a hand on Isabelle’s shoulder. “Because someone has to be. And because… I still see you, Jeff. You’re confused, hurting. But you’re still you. And I still care.”
Isabelle shook her head weakly. “I don’t even know who ‘me’ is anymore.”
“Then we figure that out,” Jess said gently. “One step at a time.”
Jess stepped over to her bag, unzipped it, and pulled out a small paper pharmacy bag. She hesitated for just a moment before placing it on the table in front of Isabelle.
“I stopped at the store on the way home,” Jess said, her voice soft but steady. “I got a pregnancy test. Just to be sure… but I’m fairly positive.”
Isabelle stared at the bag like it was something radioactive. She didn’t reach for it. She just sat down heavily, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. Her lips trembled.
“So… what do I do now?” she whispered. The question came out hollow and frightened, like a child waking up from a nightmare that hadn't ended.
Her eyes welled up with tears. “This isn’t how any of this was supposed to go, Jess… I don’t even know what I am anymore, let alone how to be someone’s… mom.”
Jess reached out and gently took both of Isabelle’s hands in hers, firm and comforting.
“Now,” Jess said, squeezing gently, “you tell Mike.”
Isabelle looked up in alarm, almost instinctively shaking her head, but Jess continued, her expression earnest.
“Mike was incredible when I was pregnant with you and your sister. He was patient, kind, and always knew what to say. I know this situation is… complicated. But I also know him. He loves you—he loves you, Isabelle. He sees you. And I’ll bet he’ll be thrilled to hear the news.”
Isabelle’s breath caught in her throat, her eyes shining.
Jess gave a small, bittersweet smile. “He’ll be the same rock for you that he was for me. He’ll ease your worries. He’ll give you strength. He’ll love you through this, like he always has.”
Isabelle leaned forward, resting her forehead in her hands, trying to hold herself together. Her voice, muffled and raw, came out barely above a whisper. “I don’t know how to tell him without falling apart.”
“Then fall apart,” Jess said softly. “And let him catch you. That’s what love is.”
There was a long silence between them—full of weight, confusion, but also something steady growing underneath. Something like acceptance.
Isabelle finally nodded, wiping her eyes.
“Okay,” she said quietly. “Okay… I’ll tell him.”