Chapter 20
The house was quiet when Theo stepped inside, balancing the small bag of fruits Mr. Jenkins had given him in one hand and his keys in the other. The warm scent of lavender from the diffuser in the corner greeted him like it always did, but today it felt… softer. Lighter.
"Babe?" he called out.
Lena emerged from the hallway, a little pale but managing a smile. "Hey," she said, her voice gentle.
He stepped forward, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. "How was the clinic?"
"Oh, just the usual," she replied quickly, her smile tightening. "Routine check. They ran some tests, gave me the same vitamins. Nothing major."
Theo nodded, studying her face, but didn't push. "I brought something for you."
He handed her the basket of fruit. Her eyes widened as she looked down at the ripe strawberries, plump blackberries, and deep red apples.
"From your dad's garden. He insisted."
Her lips curved with something close to joy. "He still remembers."
"He remembers everything," Theo said, then added softly, "And he remembers how much he loves you."
They moved into the kitchen together, and as Lena rinsed the fruit, Theo rolled up his sleeves. "Let me help with dinner tonight."
She glanced over, surprised. "You want to cook?"
"I want to cut vegetables while you do the magic," he grinned.
"Deal."
As they worked side by side, it felt like the old days—before the heaviness, before the cracks. The kitchen echoed with soft chopping, the bubbling of a pot on the stove, and the occasional laugh as they bumped shoulders or stole glances.
As Theo sprinkled seasoning into the sauce, he asked, "So… you ever think about what our baby would look like?"
Lena froze for a moment, spoon in hand, before recovering. "All the time."
Theo turned toward her, his expression serious but hopeful. "I keep picturing a girl. Curly hair like yours. Eyes like mine. Strong-willed and sweet."
Lena's smile was bittersweet. "Really?"
"Yeah," he said softly. "I'd call her Alina. Or maybe Sarai. Something beautiful."
Lena looked away, her heart tightening. "I always thought we'd have a boy first. Someone who'd protect his little sisters. You know… charming, clever. Mischievous, like you."
Theo chuckled. "That sounds about right."
For a few seconds, they stood there in silence—caught in the warmth of a future that was no longer just a dream, but something real and dangerously complicated. Lena's hand instinctively drifted to her stomach.
Theo noticed. "You sure everything's okay? At the clinic, I mean?"
She nodded, quickly. "Yes. Just tired."
Theo came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Let's not stress anymore. Let's be happy. This—" he placed his hand over hers, "—this is ours now."
Lena closed her eyes, guilt battling fiercely with longing.
Dinner was quiet but warm. Theo lit candles like he used to. They shared stories, laughed about a documentary Theo had watched, and for a moment, the shadows of the past weeks faded.
After dinner, they curled up on the couch, and Theo gently rested his head against her shoulder.
"I want to be better," he whispered. "I know I've failed in ways I haven't even realized, but I want to be someone who makes you proud. A good father. A good husband."
Lena kissed the top of his head and whispered, "You already are."
Morning sunlight streamed into the kitchen as Theo poured two mugs of steaming tea. Lena was finishing up her light breakfast, her stomach turning from more than just nausea. She hadn't slept well. Guilt seemed to be tightening around her neck, inch by inch, with each sunrise.
Just as she reached for her mug, her phone buzzed on the counter.
Theo picked it up absentmindedly. "You've got a call from... Daniel?"
Before she could react, he had already swiped to answer.
"Hello?" Theo said casually.
There was a brief silence on the line, then a low, familiar voice replied, "Hi, baby—"
Click.
Theo blinked. The line had gone dead.
Lena froze. Her breath hitched.
Theo turned slowly toward her, his expression tight, the mug trembling slightly in his hand. "Why would one of your customers call you 'baby' at 8 a.m.?"
Lena forced a nervous laugh, but it sounded hollow. "I—I don't know. Maybe a wrong number?"
Theo's eyes narrowed. "It was Daniel, right? That guy who came to the store that day?"
"Maybe he got the names mixed up," she said, avoiding his gaze. "People are weird."
Theo set the mug down harder than he meant to. "That didn't sound like a mistake. That sounded... familiar."
She sighed and rubbed her forehead, her voice sharpening with anxiety. "Theo, can we not start the day with this? I'm pregnant, I'm tired, and I don't have the energy for one of your suspicions."
That caught him off guard. He looked instantly remorseful. "You're right," he said, stepping back, his tone softening. "I'm sorry. I'm probably just overthinking things."
Lena nodded, lips pressed together, her heart pounding in her chest like a war drum. "You are."
But even as she said it, she knew the crack in their foundation had widened.
They spent the next few minutes in uncomfortable silence. Theo tried to change the subject—talking about what curtains to get for the nursery and what time he'd close the shop that evening—but Lena could feel the shift in his tone. Something fragile had broken.
When he left for a short supply run, Lena gripped the counter, her legs weak. She picked up her phone and opened her messages.
Daniel: Call me when you're alone. That wasn't part of the plan.
She stared at the screen, then deleted the message.
Just then, her stomach turned again—guilt, nerves, or pregnancy, she couldn't tell. Maybe all three.
Upstairs, Theo came back down with his keys and kissed her cheek. "I'll be back in an hour. Lock the door."
"I will," she whispered.
He paused at the door, hesitated, then looked at her. "I love you, Lena."
She smiled faintly. "I love you too."
But when the door shut behind him, Lena pressed her palm to her chest and whispered the truth into the silence:
"I don't know what I'm doing anymore."