False Negatives

Day 1

They got off the plane, into the airport, grabbed their bags and flagged down a taxi. 

Ann and Declane stared in awe at everything around them. 

Mostly Declane. 

Ann had been here plenty of times, but Declane had only been here a couple times. 

Soon the taxi dropped them off at the cabin and they carried their things inside. 

“It’s beautiful. I’ve always wondered what the inside of these looked like.” Ann said, looking around. Declane looked at her and grinned. He picked her up and kissed her. 

“I’m more interested in what the bedroom looks like. We’ve got 10 days to look at everything else.” 

Ann laughed as he quickly carried her down the hall.

Day 2 

“Smile!” 

“No! I look awful!” 

“Nonsense babe. You’re always stunnin’!” 

Declane took a picture with his phone. “How much farther does that map say?” he asked. 

“Just up this hill, then it’ll be flat the rest of the way.” Ann turned and looked at him. 

“Come on!” She whistled. “Come on, baby!” she patted her knees and whistled at him. 

He laughed and caught up to her. 

They got to the top and stared at the view for a moment. 

“It’s beautiful.” he whispered. 

Ann looked at him and kissed his jaw. 

“Thank you.” 

He looked at her, “For what?” 

“I know this wouldn’t be your first choice of things to do.” 

Declane smiled, “I’m open to tryin’ anythin’ with you, Pet. Besides, we’re on our honeymoon, we’ve got plenty of time to do anything.” 

Day 3

They walked down the boardwalks, going in and out of shops. They passed by a bar and Declane poked his head inside. 

“We should come back there tonight.” 

“Is it nice?” 

“As far as bars go, yea. Looks pretty spiffy.” 

Ann chuckled, “Sounds like a plan.” 

****** 

That night, they dressed up a little and went back to the bar. There was live music, great food, people dancing. “Laney, come dance with me!” Ann shouted above the noise and pulled on his hand. 

“Do I have to?” 

“Just one song!” she laughed. 

They went onto the dance floor with the crowd. Declane put his hand on her waist and held her hand to his chest. 

“See? You can dance.” Ann said in his ear. 

Declane laughed and spun her around. 

“Only for you.” 

Ann laughed too.

Day 4

They got on the Tram and found a seat. Once everyone was boarded, the doors shut and up they went. They climbed higher and higher. Soon everything below them seemed so small, except for the mountains they were going up. 

Their peaks reached for the blue sky, almost seeming like you could never reach the top. 

Ann snapped pictures of everything with her camera. Declane split his pictures between the scenery and Ann. He loved seeing her so happy and so excited. 

Ann looked at him and took a picture. 

“What do you think?” she asked. 

He looked out the window. “It’s incredible.” 

Ann took another picture of him. 

Day 5

“Ready?” the worker asked. 

“I think so.” Ann said, squeezing the rope tight. Declane giggled and nodded, “We’re ready.” 

“Here you go.” The worker pulled on a rope and the couple shot out down the zipline. Both of them screamed. Ann out of fear, Declane out of excitement. 

“Laney!” Ann screamed, scrambling for some part of him to hold on to. Declane grabbed her hand and wrapped his arms around her tighter. 

“Put your arms out, babe!” 

“No way!” 

They reached the end after a minute, but it felt like an hour. The other worker unhooked them and helped them down. 

Once the two were on solid ground, Ann whacked Declane’s arm. 

“Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad.” he laughed. 

She tried not to smile as she glared at him, but it just resulted in her scrunching up her nose and sticking her tongue out at him. Delaney laughed and pulled her close. “I love you, you know that?” 

“Well I would hope so, otherwise-” He stopped her with a kiss, making Annie melt, just like every other time he kissed her. 

“You’re lucky I love you.” she teased.

Day 6

“Petal, you okay?” Declane called down the hall. 

He was about to go get breakfast, when he heard Ann stumble around in the bedroom. 

He didn’t get a response. 

“Annie?” 

He went back to the room. She wasn’t in the bed. Then he heard her puking in the bathroom. 

He went in. She was gripping the toilet and shaking like a leaf. 

Declane rushed to her side and held her hair back. “What happened?” he asked. 

Ann just shook her head and kept puking until nothing would come up. 

When she finally stopped, she sat on the floor and laid against the wall. Declane sat in front of her and felt her face. 

“You are burnin’ up, love.” 

“I must’ve ate something bad yesterday.” she croaked. “I take it that means you don’t want breakfast.” he asked, stroking her face. 

She half smiled and shook her head. 

“Let’s get you back in bed.” 

Ann nodded and went to stand, but Declane just picked her up and carried her. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He carefully laid her down and pulled the blankets around her. 

“I’m gonna go get you somethin’ for your stomach. I’ll be right back.” 

Ann whimpered and nodded as she rolled over, curling up into a ball. 

Declane put the trash can by the bed and kissed her head.   

Day 7

“Hey, you feelin’ better?” 

“So much. Thank you.” 

They kissed each other’s cheeks as Declane wrapped his arms around Ann’s waist while she made breakfast. “So you think it was just food poisoning?” 

“Yea, it had to. I don’t know what else it would be.” 

Day 8

Ann was at the convenience store, getting a few things to keep in the cabin when she passed by the pregnancy tests. 

She thought about the other day. 

It’s not like they used anything….and it’s not like they weren’t trying….but already? 

She grabbed a box anyway. 

Day 9

“Babe?” 

“Yea?” 

“When did you get these?” 

Ann looked at what Declane was holding up in the bathroom. The unopened box of pregnancy tests. 

She went bright red. “Ummmm, yesterday.” 

“Are you?” 

“Nooo...I don’t think so...I don’t know!” she finally confessed when he kept giving her looks. 

“Why didn’t you take one?” 

“Because it’s silly. How could I be pregnant already? We’ve only been married for 9 days! And people usually don’t get sick for a few months! I just don’t think it’s likely.” He threw the box at her and she caught them. 

“Take one.” 

“Why?” 

“Because I wanna know! Don’t you?” he said, trying to contain his excitement. Ann sighed with a smile, shaking her head. 

“Alright, alright.” 

******

A few minutes later, Declane asked for the umpteenth time, “Is it time yet?” 

Ann checked her watch. “Yes.” 

He ran to the bathroom and looked at it. “It’s that! What does that mean!?” he asked enthusiastically, holding up the test. 

“You know I peed on that, right?” Ann said as she came into the bathroom. 

He gave her a look. She laughed and looked at the test. 

She hesitated before saying, “It’s negative. I told you.”

“Well what about the other two?” 

“Probably negative too, Laney.” she said, walking away. 

Declane looked at them. His shoulders sank a little. He went back to the living room, but Ann wasn’t in there. Then he saw her on the back porch. 

He went out and stood next to her. 

“I told you.” she said quietly, obviously upset. 

He rubbed her arm, “I’m sorry, Petal.” 

She shrugged, “It’s fine. I knew I wasn’t. It’s not like that means I won’t…” 

Declane pulled her to him and she laid her head on his shoulder. 

“I love you.” she whispered. 

“I love you too.” he said.

Day 10

“Declane!” Ann screamed, running out of the bathroom and shaking him awake. 

“WoOoAaAa! What? What?!” he yelled, falling out of the bed and falling to the floor. 

“I’m pregnant…” she said quietly. 

Declane’s eyes went wide. “What?” 

“They must’ve been false negatives..I..I’m pregnant...We’re gonna have a baby..” Tears started falling down her face. 

“I’m really gonna be dad?” 

“Yes!” she laughed. 

“WOOO-OoF!” he tried to stand, but got tangled in the blankets and fell back to the floor. 

Ann laughed. 

He got back up and lifted her into his arms, spinning her around, kissing her all over. 

“Congratulations Daddy.” Ann giggled. 

Declane kissed her. “Congratulations me? Congratulations you!” 

Ann just laughed and kissed him again.