Page 43 of Rhett

I sigh. “Honestly? A mix of happy and sad.” The night has definitely taken its toll on me because I yawn widely.

He pulls my hand to his mouth, kissing the back of it. I’m half asleep by the time we get to his place, so all I do when we get back is undress and collapse onto his bed and promptly pass out.

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.”

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