Pregnant Pause [H.S]

Chapter 36

Bowing my head, I nodded as relief flooded my veins. It was only then that I realized how much I'd wanted her to fight me – how much I wanted her to stay.

We waved to the others as they left in their hats and scarves. Before I could sit down again, Claire said, "Off you go, you two. Sleep well. And if you could grab us a coffee tomorrow before you arrive – real, strong coffee, not this hospital rubbish – we'd appreciate it."

Muffy's parents nodded with grim smiles, and together, the three of them shooed us away.

*

We'd both been to my childhood home before, but never without my father and Muffy there. Never to stay the night. Never just the two of us.

In fact, I didn't think I'd slept in my room since the Christmas holidays in my last year of uni – almost two years ago. Fitz had a suitcase full of overnight things, but I wasn't sure what I'd left in my dresser, if anything.

I used my key to let us into the dark house, my hand sliding blindly along the wall until I found the light switch. The house had always been quiet, but never more so than now. It was eerie and unsettling, and it didn't feel like home. Not my home, anyway.

After digging through my dresser drawers and finding boxers, joggers, and a V-neck, I took everything downstairs to the laundry. Figuring I'd be wearing the same outfit tomorrow that I had on today, I peeled off my long-sleeved shirt and threw that in, too. On my way upstairs, I rifled through the linen closet for a spare toothbrush.

I'd assumed that Fitz was changing in the guest bedroom, but when I returned to the second storey, her luggage was untouched and she was nowhere to be found. I puzzled over this for no more than a few seconds until I heard water running.

Wandering down the hallway, I saw the bathroom door open and the light on. Fitz poked her head out, curling her index finger and beckoning me to join her.

Muffy had had the upstairs bathroom redone, and I hadn't been sure why. She and my father had their own master bathroom and it wasn't as though the baby immediately required a renovated bathroom all to herself. Nonetheless, she'd had the tile ripped up and replaced with brand new fixtures installed... including a big, white tub.

I snorted in amusement when I entered the bathroom, realizing that Fitz had made herself quite at home by drawing up a bath. She'd even ransacked the cupboards for bath bubbles.

"It's not for me," she said with a grin, instantly following my train of thought. Her eyes twinkled with pride. "It's for you."

I frowned through my smile. "Me?"

"Yeah," she said. "It'll be good for you. Calm you down, help you relax. It'll make you all nice and sleepy."

It was unexpected, but I was too drained to argue. "You didn't have to," I said with a chuckle.

"Well, I did." She turned off the tap and ran her fingers across my shoulder blades as she passed, adding, "So get in."

Once she was gone, I sighed deeply, staring into the tub and listening to the soothing sound of bubbles converging. After a few moments, I concluded there was no harm in trying. I stripped down and folded my clothes on the counter next to the sink, sifted through the bubbles to swipe the water and make sure it wasn't too hot, and then I stepped in.

Sinking into the warm water after such a long and emotionally exhausting day, I could practically feel my stress melting away. With my hands on either side of the tub, I slid down until the back of my head could lean against the edge. Then I shut my eyes and breathed, letting the heat work its magic and trying to empty my mind.