Page 188 of Clinically Bewitched
“Okay. The universe wins.”
She blinked. “What?”
“The universe. It wins. I’ve been fighting it since the moment we met, trying to control everything, plan everything, schedule everything. But it doesn’t matter. The universe is going to do what it wants anyway.”
“Julien.”
“And I’m okay with that.”
She stared at me. “You’re okay with that?”
“I’m okay with that.”
“Really?”
“Really.” I squeezed her hand. “Because you’re here. And the babies are coming. And nothing else matters.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Julien Darcy, did you just have a spiritual awakening?”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
“You absolutely did.”
“I’m just... accepting reality.”
“That’s what a spiritual awakening is.”
“That’s what logic is.”
She laughed, and I felt that familiar warmth in my chest.
This. This is what matters.
Not the schedules or the spreadsheets or the plans.
This.
“I love you,” I said.
“I love you too.” She paused. “Even though you made seven spreadsheets.”
“Especially because I made seven spreadsheets.”
“That’s very on-brand for you.”
“I’m nothing if not consistent.”
Dr. Morrison cleared his throat. “This is very sweet, but we need to prep you for surgery, Athena.”
“Right. Surgery. To remove three humans from my body.” Athena looked at me. “You ready?”
Am I ready?
No.
Absolutely not.
I will never be ready for this.
