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Sophia.
My heart leaps in my chest as I take in her appearance. She looks tired but beautiful, with her hair up in a messy bun and bags under her eyes. She's wearing a baggy sweatshirt, leggings, and sneakers. And even though she looks exhausted, she still manages to take my breath away.
"Hi," she says quietly. "Can I come in?"
"Please," I reply.
She walks through the front door, her satchel slung over her shoulder. She looks so tired like she's been running herselfragged—and I know she has because that's who she is. Sophia is always working too hard and doing too much.
This, though...this is different.
"I was actually just..." I glance over at the table, suddenly self-conscious about telling her everything I wrote down on that piece of paper. She's not necessarily listening, though, taking a seat on the couch with a sigh, her bag at her feet.
"We need to talk," she says. "I don't want to interrupt."
"You were actually on my mind," I say, shoving my hands in my pockets. I'm almost afraid to sit down next to her, even when she pats the couch with a tired smile.
"I don't bite," she laughs, though the laughter doesn't reach her eyes.
I frown. "Sophia...I have to admit; you're scaring me. Are you okay?"
"Just been having a hard time keeping food down," she murmurs. She meets my eyes, her grey gaze clear and confident. "I'm pregnant, Ryan."
I feel a lot of emotions all at once.
Surprise, shock, joy, fear. But most of all, I feel love. I feel the deepest love for this woman in front of me who says she is carrying our child. Love for the child growing inside of her.
And love for the family we are about to make together.
"I'm keeping it," she says. "Even if you don't want to...I'm keeping our baby, and I'm going to make this work. You don't have to contribute anything or ever meet them if you're scared, but I'm going to have this baby, and we're going to be a family—"
"I want to be a part of this," I say before she can keep talking herself into a hole. "Please, Sophia, let me be a part of this."
She glances at the couch where we made love last...where I broke her heart when I asked her if it was too late to take Plan B. Obviously, it was—because now she's here, pregnant...
...fuck, she's pregnant, and I think I'm happier than I've ever been.
"I wrote you," I say, going over to the table and snatching up the letters. "You...and them. I was going to try to get someone to deliver it for me from the White Oak, but you're here and..."
I pass them over, unsure of what else to say when I feel awkward, afraid, and uncertain. Sophia takes the folded letters and pulls them out, her brow furrowing as she reads. All I can do is wait and see what she says.
Please, take me back. Please say it's not too late.
Please.
Tears fill her eyes as she finishes the last page, and she looks up at me with a mixture of sadness and hope.
"Ryan, I..." she trails off, her hand going to her stomach instinctively.
"I mean it, Sophia," I tell her, my voice rough with emotion. "I want to be there for you, for them. I want to make this work, whatever it takes. I know I messed up, but please...give me a chance to make it right."
She nods slowly, taking a deep breath. "I want to believe you, Ryan. I really do. And I want to forgive you, but..."
"But what?" I ask, my heart in my throat.
"But...I'm scared," she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm scared of getting hurt again. I'm scared of trusting you and having you break my heart."
"I won't," I promise, sitting beside her on the couch and taking her hand.
