Page 19 of Captive Bride

"That sounds...complex," Amber said with a laugh, her eyes crinkling at the corners. I found myself relaxing under her easy demeanor.

We chatted about our respective jobs for a while, enjoying the pleasant banality of conversation around everyday life. It was somewhat surreal - just two women in a hospital cafeteria, talking about work and babies as if we were old friends.

We chatted about our respective jobs for a while, enjoying the pleasant banality of conversation around everyday life. It was somewhat surreal - just two women in a hospital cafeteria, talking about work and babies as if we were old friends.

“So are you here for a check-up?” she asked after a brief pause in our conversation.

“Yeah,” I said. “Well, I was. The doctor already told me we needed to schedule a C-section.”

“Yeah, that’s very common with twins. Do you know when it’ll happen yet?”

"Not yet," I replied, picking at the remains of my waffle. "There's a lot to consider, timing and all that. Plus, my husband is undergoing physical therapy here."

Amber nodded, her expression turning sympathetic. "I can't even imagine how stressful that must be. Both of you in the hospital for different reasons." She paused before adding, "How's he doing?"

"He's...managing," I admitted, the faintest traces of worry creeping back into my voice. "Doctors are optimistic about his recovery."

"That's good to hear," Amber said softly, her eyes reflecting genuine concern. It seemed she was proving to be more than just a pleasant neighbor; she could potentially be a friend. “Now listen. I don’t know your situation, but I know that moving can be isolating at the best of times. This doesn’t seem like the best of times. If you need anything at all, you tell me, okay? And the moment the twins are born, you let me know. I’ll, uh, bring over lasagna or something. We have to celebrate, right?”

“You don’t have to do that,” I said.

“Oh, no. I’m going to do that. I’m going to go to the supermarket and buy you a mean frozen lasagna.”

I laughed.

“Trust me,” she grinned, leaning over the table a little. “Frozen lasagnas are heavily underestimated. A bit of extra cheese on top and they’ll have you fooled.”

“Alright, Amber,” I responded, laughing. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“And if you need any help with anything...I’m really handy with a wrench, you know.” She shrugged. “And David loves it when I give him errands. Do you need someone to clean your gutters? Because my husband will do it for free.”

I chuckled lightly at her offer, the absurd normalcy of the conversation a welcome relief from the looming concerns that had been plaguing me. "You're going to send your husband up on our roof?"

Amber shrugged, her grin widening. "He's always looking for an excuse to putter around the house. Besides, it's just gutters. Nothing he hasn't done before."

I couldn't help but laugh at her vigor, the sound echoing around the almost empty cafeteria. There was something endearing about Amber's eagerness, a refreshing change from the masked pleasantries I was often subject to.

"Who am I to deny David his joy of gutter cleaning?" I said, playing along. "I'll keep that in mind."

She looked at her watch. “Shit, is that the time? I should go.”

She stood, pushing her chair back with a muted scrape against the tiled floor. "I'll let you finish your breakfast. But remember—" she pointed a playful finger at me, "—frozen lasagna. It's going to happen."

“Maybe we can get together before then? Have some more coffee?” I asked. I hadn’t realized how much I needed a friend until we had this conversation—a friend who wasn't innately involved with the Callahan Legacy, a friend who didn't know me as an Orsini.

Just a random woman who didn’t want anything from me.

Amber's smile warmed her face as she agreed. "That sounds perfect, Adriana. Just let me know when you're free. I'll bring the coffee."

"Deal," I replied, returning her grin.

Maybe I was right.

Maybe we would get used to Delaware.

Maybe everything would be okay.

So why was I still so scared?

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