Chapter 28

28

Sofia

The front door slams and I begin to cry. I didn't mean to be a bitch. It's just been stressful, and you can only lie around so much before you can go stir-crazy. This was just a bad day, but now he's mad at me because I'm a selfish brat.

I lie in bed crying for a while after Rhett storms out. The guilt and frustration overwhelm me. I know I've been difficult to deal with lately, but everything has been getting to me. Still, that's no excuse for lashing out at Rhett when he's been nothing but supportive.

He was right too, our friends and family have all pitched in to help so I could rest. They would bring meals, clean, or just hang out with me while Rhett worked.

After about an hour, I hear the front door open again. Rhett's footsteps approach the bedroom slowly. When he appears in the doorway, his expression is a mix of concern and regret.

"Hey," he says softly. "I'm sorry I walked out like that. I shouldn't have lost my temper."

Fresh tears well up in my eyes. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. You've been amazing through all of this and I've been awful to you."

Rhett comes and sits on the edge of the bed, taking my hand in his. "We're both under a lot of stress right now. It's understandable that tempers are running high."

I squeeze his hand. "That doesn't make it okay for me to snap at you. You're right—everyone has been so supportive—and I haven't been appreciative enough. I'm just going stir-crazy being stuck in bed."

"I know, baby," Rhett says, stroking my hair gently. "And I'm sorry if I've been overbearing. I'm just so worried about you and our little girl."

"I know you are," I tell him. "And I love you for it. I promise I'll try to be more patient."

Rhett leans down to kiss me softly. "And I'll try to give you a little more space. How about we ask the doctor if you can at least go for drives for a change of scenery?"

I nod eagerly. "That would be amazing."

We spend the rest of the evening talking things through calmly. By the time we go to sleep, I feel much better about everything. I know there will likely be more rough patches ahead, but as long as Rhett and I are open and honest with each other we can get past those tough times.

The next morning, I wake up to the smell of pancakes wafting from the kitchen. Rhett appears in the doorway with a tray.

"Breakfast in bed for my girls," he announces with a smile.

As we eat together, I feel a renewed sense of appreciation for my husband and everything he does for us.

"Thank you for this," I say softly, squeezing his hand. "Not just breakfast, but everything. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Rhett leans over to kiss me gently. "You don't have to thank me, baby. We're in this together, remember?"

I nod, feeling tears prick my eyes. Damn pregnancy hormones. "I know. I just want you to know how much I appreciate you."

"I appreciate you too," Rhett says, his hand moving to rest on my rounded belly. "Both of you. You're my whole world now."

We finish eating and Rhett takes the tray back to the kitchen. When he returns, he has a mischievous glint in his eye.

"So, I may have a surprise for you," he says, grinning.

I perk up, intrigued. "Oh? What kind of surprise?"

"Well, I called your doctor this morning," Rhett explains. "And she said as long as you're feeling up to it, a short outing might actually be good for you. Get your blood flowing a bit."

My eyes widen with excitement. "Really? We can go out?"

Rhett nods. "Nothing too strenuous. Just a quick trip to the park down the street. We can sit on a bench and enjoy some fresh air. What do you think?"

"Yes!" I exclaim, already trying to push myself up. "Let's go!"

He laughs, helping me out of bed carefully. "Easy there, tiger. Let's get you dressed first."

As Rhett helps me into a comfortable maternity dress with one of his sweatshirts over it, I can hardly contain my excitement. After weeks of being cooped up inside, the prospect of fresh air and a change of scenery feels like heaven.

We make our way slowly down the street to the small neighborhood park. Rhett keeps a protective arm around me the whole time. When we reach a shaded bench, he helps me sit down before settling beside me.

I take a deep breath, savoring the winter air. "Oh my God, this feels amazing." I sigh contentedly. It's cold out, but I don't care. This is just what I needed.

Rhett squeezes my hand. "I'm glad, baby. You deserve this."

We sit in comfortable silence for a while, watching kids play on the nearby playground. I can't help but imagine our own daughter running around here in a few years.

"What are you thinking about?" Rhett asks, noticing my wistful expression.

I smile, resting a hand on my belly. "Just picturing our little girl playing here someday. It won't be long now."

Rhett's eyes soften as he places his hand over mine. "I can't wait. She's going to be perfect,

A few weeks later, I'm finally off bed rest and cleared to return to light work at the preschool. It feels amazing to be back with my kids, even if I'm mostly supervising rather than doing hands-on activities.

As I'm helping clean up after snack time, I feel a strange sensation in my belly. At first, I think it's just the baby moving, but then I realize it's different—like a tightening across my abdomen.

I try to stay calm, reminding myself that Braxton Hicks contractions are normal at this stage. But when I feel another one just a few minutes later, worry starts to creep in.

"Jodi," I call to my coworker. "Can you come here for a sec?"

She hurries over, concern evident on her face. "What's wrong, Sofia?"

"I think I might be having contractions," I tell her quietly, not wanting to alarm the kids. "They're probably just Braxton Hicks, but..."

Jodi's eyes widen. "Okay, let's get you sitting down and time them, just in case."

She helps me to a chair, and we start tracking the contractions. After about twenty minutes, it's clear they're coming regularly, about seven minutes apart.

"I think we should call Rhett and have him take you to the hospital," Jodi urges gently. "Better safe than sorry, right?"

I nod, trying to stay calm as another contraction hits. This is too early; I'm only thirty-four weeks along. But I know Jodi is right—we need to get checked out.

Rhett arrives in record time, his face etched with worry. "I'm here, baby. Let's go get you and our girl checked out."

As we drive to the hospital, I grip Rhett's hand tightly. "It's too soon," I whisper. "She's not ready yet."

Rhett brings my hand to his lips, kissing it softly. "Hey, it's going to be okay. Remember what the doctor said—even if she comes now, her chances are really good. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. This could just be a false alarm."

I nod, trying to believe his words. When we arrive at the hospital, everything moves quickly. I'm taken to labor and delivery for monitoring while Rhett fills out paperwork.

After what feels like hours of tests and examinations, the doctor finally comes in with news.

"Well, Mrs. Ferguson, it looks like your little one is eager to meet you," she says with a gentle smile. "You're in early labor. We're going to try to stop it with medication, but there's a good chance you'll be meeting your daughter very soon."

Rhett and I exchange a look, a mix of excitement and fear. This is really happening. Ready or not, our baby girl is on her way.