Chapter 16 - The Second Baby
Two years after the night I came home, Sophia stood in our kitchen holding something behind her back.
“What did Leo break?”
“Nothing.”
“That sounds suspicious.”
“Close your eyes.”
“No.”
“Lucas.”
I closed them.
She placed something in my palm.
I opened my eyes.
Pregnancy test.
Positive.
I stared.
Sophia smiled nervously.
“You okay?”
I picked her up.
She laughed.
“Lucas!”
“We’re having another baby?”
“Yes.”
Leo came running in.
“Daddy!”
I put Sophia down.
He pointed at the test.
“What’s that?”
Sophia crouched.
“You might be a big brother.”
His eyes widened.
“Can I have a dinosaur?”
We laughed until Sophia cried.
The pregnancy wasn’t free of fear.
Trauma doesn’t disappear because life becomes good.
Sometimes Sophia woke convinced someone would take the baby.
Sometimes I checked doors twice.
We talked.
We got help.
We refused to pretend.
And months later, when our daughter was born, I stood beside Sophia holding her hand.
No Eleanor.
No chaos.
No accusations.
Just doctors.
Nurses.
Family we trusted.
Our daughter cried loudly.
Healthy.
Furious.
Perfect.
Sophia looked at me.
“Name?”
We had debated for months.
Then I knew.
“Grace.”
Sophia smiled.
“Grace Hayes.”
Leo climbed carefully onto the chair beside us.
“Baby?”
“Your sister.”
He touched Grace’s tiny hand.
May you like
She grabbed his finger.
And for one perfect moment, nobody in the room was afraid.
