Job Bellingham

You'd escaped home, taken summer vacations, and were ready to spend some quality time together. You'd decided to go to Alaska—it's quite warm there in July and August, and most importantly, the nature and beauty of the region had always fascinated you. It was a dream come true. Job, on the other hand, shared your interest in the northern lights, the sea, and the clean, fresh air. You'd been married for six months now, and before that, you'd been in a relationship for a year: arguments, tears, laughter—you'd had it all. And you could bring even more joy to this trip—you were pregnant. You'd found out a week ago; you'd been feeling ill, but you were sure you'd simply been poisoned. However, the tests revealed the truth.

You didn't talk about children, rarely between words, but never directly.

So, you've landed in Alaska. You've checked into the small house you rented for the week. You're sitting there drinking hot tea, the ocean wind rustling outside, and you don't know what to say.

Job is nearby, leafing through some route maps, saying something about tomorrow's hike to the glacier, smiling. And your heart is pounding somewhere in your throat.

“Job,” you call quietly, your voice trembling treacherously.

He looks up, immediately noticing that something is wrong. He puts the cards down.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you cold?" He reaches out to you and covers your hand with his.
You look at him—so familiar, with that silly cowlick on top of his head, the wrinkles around his eyes that have deepened over the past year. And you realize you can't stay silent any longer.

"I..." you begin, but the words get stuck. "Remember, I felt unwell before I left? Well, I thought I was poisoned back then, in the cafe..."

Job nods, looking attentively.

“So. It’s not poisoning,” you take a breath. “I saw the doctor. And... I’m pregnant. I’ve known for a week now. Tests, analyses—everything was confirmed.”

You fall silent, afraid to look up at him. The house is quiet, only the wind beats against the glass and a seagull cries somewhere in the distance.