Max

Max stood in the bathroom, his vision blurred by the steam that enveloped everything. He could feel the hot water still dripping from his hair, and his mind was distant and detached, as if his thoughts were trying to escape what he'd just discovered. The test sat on the shelf like some invisible threat, but now it was unavoidable.

Two stripes. Positive.

He didn't know how to react. It all seemed strange, as if he were in a movie and not in his own life. Max wasn't prepared for such unexpected turns. He picked up the test again, checking to make sure he hadn't made a mistake. No, everything was clear. He felt his heart pound heavily in his chest and sighed.

A couple of minutes passed in an instant, and now he was emerging from the bathroom, his hair wet and the dough in his hands, which now trailed behind him like a heavy weight. He approached the room where she was waiting, sitting on the couch, lost in thought. She looked as calm as ever, but he knew—she, like him, had long suspected.

Max entered the room without saying a word. He approached her, held her gaze, and quietly said: — I found a test.

She looked up, and her gaze held everything: surprise, question, concern. But she didn't ask, didn't elaborate. She simply looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Max sat down next to her, handed her the test, and at that moment it became clear to him that they couldn't go back now. All the questions, all the answers were right in front of them, and they only had to choose how to move forward.

"Is this... ours?" he asked, swallowing. His voice trembled, but he tried to be sure.

She didn't say anything right away, just took his hand. And in that moment, Max realized this wasn't the end, but the beginning of something new. And despite all the fears and doubts, they would still be together, no matter what happened.