Page 44 of Rhett

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.

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