The Bound Between Us

Chapter 1002

Katelyn was just joking around, tossing out a comment without a second thought.

Autumn was in her fifties-pregnancy at her age was pretty much unheard of. Most women she knew had already gone through menopause.

But sometimes, a joke lands in a way you don't expect.

Autumn's heart did a little flip. She thought of all those years she hadn't gotten pregnant, how her body had never really recovered after that miscarriage. It just wasn't in the cards for her-at least, that's what she'd always believed.

She pressed a hand to her nose, her face a touch pale. "Katelyn, you always mess with me. It's probably just my stomach acting up. I haven't had much of an appetite lately. Honestly, if I told anyone I was pregnant at my age, they'd laugh me out of the room."

"What's so funny about that?" Katelyn grinned. "You and Mr. Walker never had kids-maybe Riverdale really is good for the soul. You never know. It's never too late for a woman to have a baby."

Katelyn's words lingered in Autumn's mind, stubborn as a weed.

She barely touched her dinner, just ordered a sour plum drink and sipped it slowly, lost in thought.

Lately, she'd been craving sour things. Anything else, anything too rich, just made her queasy.

After dinner, driving home, it hit her-her period really was late this month. On a whim, she stopped by the pharmacy for a pregnancy test.

At her age, buying a pregnancy test felt beyond embarrassing. She put on a mask, bundled herself in her coat, sneaking around like she was up to no good. Back home, she slipped into her room, feeling like a teenager up to mischief.

She knew she was probably overreacting, but she just had to be sure. She took the test, nerves jangling.

Those few seconds waiting for the result felt endless.

One line. Then... two?

at the two red lines. Was this real?

eyes, she took another test. And another. All three were

rush of joy, then a flood of anxiety and dread, mixed

baby... might

these years without a child with Mr. Walker, and now, after just one night with Devin Brown-she was

were, this

of becoming a mother again, not

for so long. Maybe, just maybe, her late daughter Julie had come back to her,

cheeks. She gently touched

Walker wasn't home yet, so Autumn destroyed all evidence of the tests. She played it cool, telling no one

she went to the hospital to get the news

last period?"

Autumn lied, deliberately giving a later date. She needed the

just in case Mr. Walker

few days' difference-no one

clear: she was

the date she'd given, she was now forty days

Autumn took

report, a mix

and nerves swirling inside her. "Doctor,

to have a baby

is a high-risk pregnancy. I really think you

being encouraged to

nodded. "Thank

up. She asked for prenatal vitamins and

in hand,