Chapter 23

23

Rhett

I wake up early the next morning, Sofia still sleeping peacefully beside me. I gently brush a strand of hair from her face, marveling at how beautiful she looks. Last night was emotional for her, and I'm glad she's getting some much-needed rest.

Carefully, I slip out of bed, not wanting to disturb her. I head to the kitchen to start some coffee and make breakfast. As I'm scrambling eggs, I hear Sofia's phone buzz on the counter. Glancing over, I see it's a text from her mom.

I debate whether to wake Sofia or let her sleep. Deciding she'd want to know; I head back to the bedroom.

"Baby," I whisper softly, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Your mom texted you."

Sofia stirs, blinking up at me sleepily. "What? What time is it?" She looks around, it's clear she out of it.

"It's still early," I tell her. "But I thought you'd want to know about the text."

She sits up, suddenly more alert. "What did it say?"

Holding out her hand, I hand her the phone. "I didn't read it. I just saw it was from her."

Sofia takes a deep breath before opening the message. I watch her face carefully as she reads, ready to comfort her if needed.

Sofia shrugs. "She wants to meet for coffee," She relays, looking up at me. "To talk things over."

I nod, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "That's good, right? She's reaching out."

Sofia nods slowly. "Yeah, I think so. I'm just nervous about what she'll say." She takes a stuttering breath.

"Do you want me to come with you?" I offer.

She shakes her head. "I think I need to do this on my own. But thank you." She bites at her thumbnail.

I pull her into a hug, kissing the top of her head. "Okay. Just remember, no matter what happens, you have me. You have us."

Sofia leans into me, nodding against my chest. "I know. I love you."

"I love you too," I murmur. "Now, how about some breakfast? The baby needs food."

That gets a small laugh out of her. "The baby is always hungry lately." She rubs her stomach which looks only slightly bloated.

We head to the kitchen where I finish making breakfast. As we eat, I can tell Sofia is preoccupied, likely thinking about her upcoming meeting with her mom.

"It's going to be okay," I reassure her, reaching across the table to take her hand. "Whatever happens, you've got this."

Sofia gives me a small smile. "I know. I'm just scared she won't accept this—accept us and the baby."

I squeeze her hand gently. "Give her time. This was a shock for her. But you're her daughter, and I have to believe she'll come around once she sees how happy we are." I try to keep my smile encouraging.

Sofia nods, taking a deep breath. "You're right. I need to stay positive."

After breakfast, Sofia gets ready to meet her mom while I clean up the kitchen. As she's about to leave, I pull her into a tight hug.

"Remember, I love you," I tell her softly. "No matter what happens with your mom, that won't change. You and this baby are my world now."

She leans into me, drawing strength from the embrace. "Thank you," she murmurs. "I love you too."

I give her a gentle kiss before she heads out. As I watch her drive away, I say a silent prayer that things go well with her mom. I hate seeing Sofia hurting like this. This should be a time for celebration. Yes, this may have happened fast, but all we can do is ride this roller coaster.

To distract myself while she's gone, I decide to do some research on pregnancy and parenting. I want to be as prepared as possible for this baby. I spend the next couple hours reading articles online and making notes of things we'll need to buy and prepare.

My phone buzzes with a text fromSofia.

Sofia: On my way back. It went okay. I'll tell you more when I get there.

I breathe a sigh of relief at her words. At least it wasn't a disaster. When I hear Sofia's car pull up, I meet her at the door.

"Hey, baby," I greet her, pulling her into a hug. "How did it go?"

She leans into me, letting out a long breath. "It was... better than I expected, I guess. Mom apologized for her reaction last night. She said she was just shocked and scared for me."

I lead Sofia to the couch where we sit down, my arm around her shoulders. "That's understandable. What else did she say?"

"She's still worried that we're moving too fast," Sofia continues. "But she said she'll support us no matter what. She wants to be involved in the baby's life."

I feel relief wash over me. "That's great, Sofia. I'm so glad she's coming around."

Sofia nods, a small smile on her face. "Me too. It's not perfect, but it's a start. She even asked about possibly coming to the next ultrasound appointment."

"Of course she can come," I say, kissing Sofia's forehead. "I'm just happy she wants to be involved."

Sofia snuggles closer to me. "Thank you for being so supportive through all of this. I don't know what I'd do without you."

I tilt her chin up so I can look into her eyes. "Hey, we're in this together, remember? You and me and this little one." I place my hand gently on her stomach.

Sofia covers my hand with hers, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I love you so much, Rhett."

"I love you too, baby," I murmur before capturing her lips in a soft kiss.

As we sit there on the couch, snuggling close, I feel a sense of peace wash over me. It's obvious that we can handle any obstacles that come our way.

I move through the building, looking for any one left behind. I'm on one side of the hall while Marchy is on the other. We pound on doors, shouting, "Fire department, is anyone in there?" Once we reach the stairwell, we call into Cap. "Third floor clear."

We open the fire exit and I walk through first. Suddenly there's an explosion and I'm thrown back, falling for what feels like forever until everything goes black.

Beep, beep, beep . I open my eyes and stare up at a white ceiling. Where am I?

I blink slowly, trying to focus my blurry vision. The steady beeping sound continues as I gradually become more aware of my surroundings. I'm in a hospital bed, various tubes and wires connected to my body. My whole body aches, especially my head and back.

"Rhett?" I hear Sofia's voice, filled with concern and relief. I turn my head slightly to see her sitting beside the bed, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Fia," I croak out, my throat dry and scratchy. "What happened?"

She reaches for my hand, squeezing it gently. "There was an explosion during the fire call. You were thrown down the stairs and hit your head pretty hard. You've been unconscious for two days."

The memories start to come back hazily—the apartment fire, clearing the third floor with Marchy, the sudden blast. "Marchy? Is he okay?"

Sofia nods. "He's fine. He got some cuts and bruises, but nothing serious. He's been here checking on you."

I try to sit up but a sharp pain in my back stops me. Sofia gently pushes me back down. "Don't try to move too much. The doctor said you have a concussion and some bruised ribs."

"The baby?" I ask, suddenly worried about the stress this must be causing Sofia.

She gives me a small smile, placing her free hand on her slightly rounded belly. "We're both fine. Don't worry about us."

"I'm sorry I scared you," I tell her softly.

Sofia's eyes fill with tears. "I was so worried. When I got that call..." She trails off, shaking her head. "I'm just so glad you're okay."

I squeeze her hand. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere. You and this baby are my world, remember?"

She nods, wiping away a tear. "I love you so much, Rhett."

"I love you too, baby," I murmur.

Just then, a doctor walks in. "Ah, Mr. Ferguson, good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

As the doctor begins examining me, I keep hold of Sofia's hand. She's my anchor, right now and I need her close.