Page 53 of Rhett

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.”

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