Page 77 of Forever Fallen

“Can you get my bag ready?”

She didn’t have a purse ready yet?Sophie winced and almost texted Ryan to let him know what was going on.

“You can get your things, babe,” Armadillo offered, looking at the pregnant woman tenderly. “They won’t start without us.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep, we’ll eat when we get there. I know that Firefly and Melody are going to be driving in… so they might be late depending on Betsy. Apparently, she’s been trying to speak a lot more, slapping things and asking ‘that’all the time.”

“Awww…” Delilah sighed. “That is sweet. I can’t wait for our baby to get here.”

“Just not tonight,” Armadillo teased, kissing her softly.

“Not tonight,” Delilah promised, smiling.

Sophie watched the couple and the toddler, realizing that someday that could be her and Ryan… and hesitated.

She wasn’t taking birth control nor were they careful. Was that why she was gaining weight? Could she be pregnant?

Just the thought, the idea of having a little boy that looked like Ryan, almost brought tears to her eyes at the sudden realization that it could actually be a possibility.

She never imagined having a husband, much less a family or a child… and that was a little overwhelming, but so incredibly welcome at the same time.

… A baby?

What would it be like to have a little version of them to love?

A perfect blend of the best of each of them, rolled into one. Could she be a good mother? Would Ryan even be open to being a father? They’d never even broached on the subject… but a baby?

“Sophie? Are you okay?”

Armadillo and Delilah were both staring at her – stunned and looking alarmed. She nodded and cleared her throat, only to realize that a few tears had splashed on her hands on the table.

“I’m fine,” she smiled nervously. “Just thinking about how crazy these last few weeks have been.”

“Crazy good or crazy bad?” Delilah said carefully – glancing at Armadillo.

“Actually the pendulum swung both directions… I’ve had the worst time letting go of my grandmother – but falling in love with Ryan has been incredible.”

Both seemed to visibly relax.

“I’ll finish getting my things,” Delilah said – and actually moved quickly this time instead of lollygagging around. Minutes later, they were in the van and pulling out of the driveway.

Sophie was sitting in the back seat next to Luke, looking at him with avid interest because she’d never even bothered to entertain the thought of a child – and now there was one within reach of her.

This was the closest she’d ever been… and Luke was staring at her.

“Whutur name?” Luke said.

“Sophie,” she smiled, as the boy struggled to enunciate the words properly, and it still sounded like babytalk gibberish to her.

“Sofeeee?”

“Close enough.”

“And we are here,” Armadillo said, grabbing his phone off the dash of the van and quickly texting someone before looking at Delilah. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m good.”

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