Chapter 20

20

Sofia

"You guys did the meet the parents' thing?" Jodi asks quietly, while the kiddos are napping.

I nod, taking a drink of my water. "Yeah, his parents are so nice and Rhett says they like me, so that's awesome. Mom is Team Rhett all the way. All that's left is for Rhett to meet Drew."

Jodi smiles at me. "Girl, I'm so happy for you. You look great by the way." She looks me over. "You're glowing." Leaning forward she whispers. "Your boobs look bigger. Is that a new bra?"

I shake my head while looking down. "No new bra, but they do?"

"Miss Sofia, I don't feel good," one of my little guys, Drake, whines holding his stomach.

Before I can get him in the bathroom, he vomits all over the floor, and then starts to cry. "It's okay, buddy. Let's go into the bathroom."

"I'll take care of this," Jodi says, motioning to the mess on the floor.

I nod. "Thanks, babe."

Drake throws up two more times and then I wipe off his mouth. I feel his forehead and can tell he's got a fever. "I'm going to call your mom, okay?" He nods as I lead him to a little cot that is far away from the other kids. Poor little guy curls up into a tight ball.

After Drake's mom comes to pick him up, I make sure to sanitize everything he touched. The last thing we need is a stomach bug spreading through the whole class.

"Poor little guy," Jodi says as she finishes mopping the floor. "I hope it's just something he ate and not a virus."

I nod in agreement. "Me too. We'll have to keep an eye on the other kids, just in case."

As the afternoon goes on, I can't shake a queasy feeling in my own stomach. At first, I think maybe I'm just worried about catching whatever Drake had, but as the nausea persists, a different possibility starts to creep into my mind.

When was my last period? I try to think back but realize I can't remember for sure. With how busy things have been lately between work and spending time with Rhett, I hadn't been thinking about my period.

After we're done for the day, I keep the pregnancy thoughts to myself for now. As I drive home, my mind races with thoughts about the pregnancy tests sitting in the passenger seat. What will I do if they're positive? How will Rhett react? We've only been together for a few months—are we ready for this?

I try to calm myself down, reminding myself I don't know anything for sure yet. Maybe it's just stress or a stomach bug making me feel off. There's no need to panic until I actually take the tests.

When I get home, I immediately head to the bathroom with the tests. My hands shake slightly as I read the instructions and take both tests. Now comes the agonizing wait for the results.

I set a timer on my phone and pace around my small apartment, unable to sit still. My mind continues to race through all the possibilities. If I am pregnant, would Rhett want to keep the baby? Would he stick around?

The timer beeps, startling me out of my thoughts. I take a deep breath before looking at the tests. My heart pounds as I see two clear positive results staring back at me.

Pregnant. I'm pregnant.

I sink down onto the closed toilet lid, my legs suddenly feeling weak. A mix of emotions washes over me—shock, fear, but also a tiny flutter of excitement.

I'm pregnant. With Rhett's baby.

My hand instinctively moves to my still-flat stomach. There's a life growing inside me—a little person Rhett and I created together. The thought both terrifies and amazes me.

I know I need to tell Rhett, but I'm scared. We haven't been together that long. What if he freaks out? What if this is too much, too soon for him?

I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm my racing thoughts. I need to be sure before I say anything to Rhett. These home tests can be wrong sometimes, right? I should make a doctor's appointment to confirm.

With shaky hands, I pull out my phone and call my OB/GYN's office.

I sit nervously in the waiting room of my OB/GYN's office, my leg bouncing anxiously. I managed to get an appointment for the next day, not wanting to wait any longer to know for sure.

The nurse calls my name and leads me into the back. First, to pee in a cup and then to follow her back to an exam room. She takes my vitals and asks some routine questions before telling me the doctor will be in shortly.

As I wait, I can't stop my mind from racing through all the possibilities. What if the home tests were wrong and I'm not actually pregnant? Part of me would be relieved, but another part feels a pang of disappointment at the thought.

And if I am pregnant, how will I tell Rhett? We haven't talked about kids or our long-term future yet. Is he even ready to be a father?

The door opens and Dr. Chen walks in with a warm smile. "Sofia, it appears your pregnant." She sits down across from me. "If we're going by your last period, I'd say you are six weeks and two days pregnant."

I feel a mix of emotions wash over me as Dr. Chen confirms the pregnancy. Relief at finally knowing for sure, excitement about the new life growing inside me, but also fear about what this means for my relationship with Rhett.

"How are you feeling about this news?" Dr. Chen asks gently, noticing my conflicted expression.

I take a deep breath. "Honestly, I'm not sure. It's a lot to process. My boyfriend and I haven't been together that long..."

Dr. Chen nods understandingly. "That's perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed. Do you have any questions or concerns I can address?"

We spend the next twenty minutes discussing early pregnancy, what to expect in the coming weeks, and scheduling my next appointment. Dr. Chen gives me some pamphlets on pregnancy and prenatal care to take home.

As I leave the doctor's office, my hand instinctively goes to my stomach. There's a tiny life growing in there—my baby. Rhett's baby. Our baby. Holy shit, this totally scares the shit out of me.

I sit in my car for a few minutes, trying to process everything. I know I need to tell Rhett soon, but I'm scared of how he'll react. We've only been together a few months, is he ready for this huge step?

Taking a deep breath, I start the car and head home. As I drive, I try to think of how to break the news to Rhett. Should I just blurt it out? Try to ease into it? Maybe I should wait until I'm further along to tell him?

No, I shake my head at that last thought. Rhett deserves to know as soon as possible. This affects him just as much as it does me.

As I drive home, my mind races with thoughts of how to tell Rhett about the pregnancy. I know I need to do it soon, but the idea terrifies me. What if he freaks out? What if this is too much, too soon for him?

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. Rhett loves me. He's a good man. Even if he's scared at first, I have to believe he'll step up and support me through this.

When I get home, I send Rhett a text.

Sofia: Hey, can you come over tomorrow when your shift is over? I need to talk to you about something.

His reply comes quickly.

Rhett: Of course, baby. Everything okay ?

I quickly type back.

Sofia: Everything's fine, just need to talk. See you in the morning. Love you.

Rhett: Love you too. See you tomorrow.

I set my phone down, my heart racing. This is really happening. By this time tomorrow, Rhett will know he's going to be a father. The thought both excites and terrifies me.

I try to distract myself for the rest of the evening, but my mind keeps drifting to thoughts of the baby and how Rhett might react. I toss and turn most of the night, unable to fully quiet my anxious thoughts.

In the morning, I wake early after a restless night's sleep. I shower and get dressed, then pace around my apartment as I wait for Rhett to arrive. Every minute feels like an eternity.

Finally, I hear a knock at my door. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I go to answer it, and feel like I'm going to vomit.

I open the door to find Rhett standing there with a concerned look on his face. "Hey, baby," he says, stepping inside and pulling me into a hug. "What's going on? Your text had me worried."

I hug him tightly, breathing in his familiar scent. "Let's sit down," I suggest, leading him to the couch.

We settle onto the couch and Rhett takes my hands in his. "Sofia, you're scaring me a little. What's wrong?"

I take a deep breath, my heart pounding. "Rhett, I... I'm pregnant."

His eyes widen in shock. For a long moment he's silent, and I feel panic rising in my chest. Then slowly, a smile spreads across his face.

"We're having a baby?" he asks softly.

I nod, tears welling up in my eyes. "Y-Yes."

He grabs me and pulls me into his arms. "You're having my baby? I couldn't think of anything better."

I pull back to look at him. "Really?"

Rhett cups my face in his hands, his eyes shining with emotion. "Really, Sofia. I know this is unexpected and maybe sooner than we planned, but I love you. The idea of having a baby with you... it's amazing."

Relief washes over me, and I let out a shaky laugh. "Oh thank God. I was so scared you'd freak out."

He pulls me close again, kissing the top of my head. "I'm not going to lie, I'm a little freaked out. But in a good way, you know? We're going to be parents."

I nod against his chest, my own emotions overwhelming me. "We are. There's a little person growing inside me right now."

Rhett's hand moves to rest gently on my still-flat stomach. "Our baby," he says softly, his voice filled with awe.