Page 72 of Sacrifice

I grimaced. “No shit. They can rot, as far as I’m concerned.”

She waved a hand. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up. It’s not exactly a happy birthday subject, is it?”

“It’s fine. We can always talk about anything.” I smiled and slung an arm around her shoulder. “You know that.”

She returned my smile, but it faded a moment later as she stopped short outside her old house. For a long moment, she just stood there, her gaze locked on the front door. I could see the conflict swirling in her eyes—reluctance, excitement, and something else, something deeper that she hadn’t voiced. This place had been her home once, a happy refuge, but it had also been the place where her world had fallen apart.

She swallowed hard, her breath shallow. “It looks exactly the same.”

“It is,” I said, stepping beside her. "I made sure of it."

She didn’t respond, but her fingers brushed the edge of the doorframe, hesitating as if touching it would break the illusion that time hadn’t passed. “I miss him,” she said softly.

I didn’t need to ask who she was talking about. I knew.

“I didn’t know your dad for that long, but honestly, I miss him too,” I said, squeezing her arm. “He made mistakes, for sure. But never out of malice. He really believed in the doctrines, and every decision he made was for his community.”

Rose nodded, smiling through the tears shimmering in her eyes. “It’s really nice to be able to come back here,” she said, tracing her finger over the door again. “It makes me feel close to him again. Like he’s just out somewhere—at the cathedral, perhaps—and he’ll be back any moment.”

“I know what you mean. I feel the same way when I’m at the vacation house. Like my mother will come back any minute with ice cream for me, even though it’s been twenty-two years.”

“That’s exactly it.” She shifted and opened the door, revealing the familiar old interior. “Maybe I should get some of my old art. Compare it with the new stuff that I paint now that I actually know what the outside world looks like.”

“Your artwork was always beautiful, Rose. Absolutely stunning. It honestly didn’t matter that you hadn’t seen the outside world.”

She smiled again and cast her gaze around the house. “There’s something I need to tell you,” she said, turning her attention back to me.

I cocked my head. “Yeah?”

“I was going to wait foryourbirthday to tell you this. But I can’t hold it in any longer,” she said, shaking her head. She cleared her throat and lifted her chin, a small smile quirking her lips. “I’m pregnant.”

My eyes widened. “What? Really?”

“Yes. I found out the other day.”

My heart seemed to stop for a second, then raced forward at full speed, hammering in my chest. “Oh my god. We’re going to have a baby?”

The words barely made it past my lips as disbelief and joy collided, overwhelming me.

Rose nodded, her smile widening now, eyes sparkling. “Yes, Sebastian. We’re going to have a baby.”

Before I could stop myself, I swept her up in my arms, twirling her around. “This is incredible, Rose,” I said, voice coming out husky. “Fucking incredible.”

I couldn’t stop smiling as I processed the news. A baby.Ourbaby. I set Rose back on her feet and cupped her face gently, staring at her like she was the most miraculous thing I had ever seen.

“I can’t believe this,” I murmured, brushing a kiss against her forehead. “You just made me the happiest man alive.”

Rose’s smile softened, her hand resting over mine. “It’s still too early to know if it’s a girl or boy. But I was thinking… if it’s a girl, we could name her Miranda?”

“That would be amazing,” I said, my voice thick with emotion.

The name hung in the air between us. Miranda.It wasn’t just a name. It was a tribute; a way of keeping a part of my mother with us. The wonderful promise of a new life intertwined with the memory of one lost.

Rose’s eyes shimmered as she nodded, her fingers tightening around mine. “I thought maybe it would bring some peace. To honor her like that.”

I swallowed hard. “I bet she’d love it,” I murmured. “And if the baby is a boy… how about Augustus? Maybe August or Augie for short.”

“Yes.” Her smile widened. “I would love that.”

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