Worse for Hope- Book #2 in the WF Series

Chapter 47: Hope

✿Bethane's POV:✿

Eight months later:

"Bethane," Rider calls my name which I hear echo in my ear but come out the other.

I shift in my bed, the uncomfortable back pain still there.

"Sweetheart, you've been laying here ever since you got home. You have to get out of bed," he encourages.

"I'm fine, just wake me up when the baby wakes up." I pull the blanket more towards my chest.

We haven't named her yet since we couldn't think of the perfect name. Usually, I have a schedule, but this is more important than anything. Her name has to be perfect.

Giving birth was surprisingly not as bad.

We woke up one morning, I was having really bad pain, and Rider took me to the hospital. I took an epidural and was able to get the pushing out of the way in under ten minutes. The nurse said it was one of the fastest deliveries she's ever done. Poor Rider though didn't know what he was experiencing. He stayed by my side and held my hand to help me whenever I needed to squeeze and let my anger out.

When he saw the baby, I swear, I had never seen more loving eyes in my entire life. He had just met her and he was already in love.

It's a sight I'll never forget.

But right now, I can't think of anything happy. My mind is blank at the moment, yet filled with so many thoughts inside of it.

"Come on." He sits on the bed with me. "Let's go somewhere."

"Rider, can you please stop," I say seriously.

Everything falls silent as I go back to staring at the wall.

"It's been ten years since she died," I admit finally, feeling guilty for being so rude when all he wants to do is help me.

It goes quiet again before a pair of arms wraps around my stomach.

"I know," he replies softly. "But I don't want you to go to that place again."

I nod as I shift a little in my bed before turning my entire body around to face him. He sadly smiles at me and removes the extra hair from my face.

"She would be so proud of you," he says, and immediately tears gather in my eyes. "You not only became a great ass lawyer and pushed a whole child out of you, but you're still here. She'd want you to be happy."

I nod, trying to make myself believe the same thing because I know it's true.

"I have a surprise for you!" he whispers excitedly.

I scrunch my eyebrows.

He walks out of the room and comes back with a box. I sit up in my bed with a confused, small smile on my lips. He takes a seat in front of me and hands me the box with more enthusiasm than I can tell you, but that's Rider just being Rider.

I take it, beginning to unravel the wrapping paper.

When I remove the lid, I see another small box resting in there. When I lift that one, I see another.

"Really?" I ask him blankly as he's smiling like an idiot.

"What? It's funny," he encourages, but I just playfully roll my eyes at him.

After removing five boxes, I finally get to the sixth one, and this time, there's nothing under it. I remove the lid from the small box and inside, lays the most beautiful silver bracelet that I've ever seen.