Chapter 165

• I added the romper set to my cart anyway, along with a soft gray blanket with stars printed on it. Thinking about how fragile this all felt—the anticipation, the hope, the love that had already filled me so completely—my heart ached a little.
• I shifted on the couch, trying to find a comfortable position, but comfort was a distant memory at this point. My back ached, my feet were swollen, and my ribs felt like they were under siege. Still, none of it mattered, not really. Every ache andpain was just a reminder that I was carrying the most important thing in the world.
• I set my phone down and leaned back, closing my eyes for a moment. The house was quiet except for the faint hum of the heater. I let my thoughts drift, imagining what life would be like soon—tiny cries in the middle of the night, little hands gripping my finger, a whole new world that I couldn’t wait to meet.