Winning Back His Ex's Wife's Broken Heart by Hayley

Chapter 133 Richard pov.

Hospitals were never my favorite place. Something about the sterile smell, the squeak of shoes on polished floors, and the constant hum of activity madeuneasy.

But sitting there with Sarah in the waiting room, I was trying not to let any of that show. She didn't needadding to her stress.

Sarah sat next to me, leaning back in her chair, one hand on her stomach and the other flipping through a magazine that looked older than both of us. "You're fidgeting again," she said, not even looking up. "I'm not fidgeting," I said quickly, though my bouncing knee betrayed me.

She gavea sideways glance, one eyebrow raised. "You know I can hear your leg, right?" I stopped, planting both feet firmly on the ground. "Just keeping the blood flowing," I said with a shrug.

Her lips twitched into a small smile. "Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night." I loved how calm she seemed, like this was just another routine appointment. But me? My stomach was doing somersaults. I wasn't even sure why.

Everything had been going fine so far, and this was just a check-up. But still, what if we missed something? What if there was something we weren't prepared for? I glanced at Sarah again. She looked tired, but she was holding it together like a champ. "You're amazing, you know that?" I said, breaking the silence.

She snorted. "Amazing? For sitting in a chair?" "For handling all of this," I said, gesturing vaguely at her and the waiting room. "You're just... I don't know. You're incredible." She softened, reaching over to squeeze my hand. "We're handling this. Together." Before I could respond, the nurse called her name. I shot up, a little too fast, and Sarah laughed. "You coming?" she asked, already heading toward the door.

"Of course," I said, following close behind. "I wouldn't miss this for the world." The consultation room wasn't much bigger than a closet, but it felt safer somehow. Maybe it was the soft tones of the walls or the friendly smile of the doctor as she walked in, clipboard in hand. "How are we feeling today?" the doctor asked, looking at Sarah.

"Mostly good," Sarah said. "A little tired. And the nausea's been pretty rough this week." The doctor nodded, jotting something down. "That's to be expected. Let's take a look and see how things are progressing." I stayed quiet, standing off to the side while the doctor checked Sarah's vitals. I didn't want to get in the way, but I was watching everything like a hawk.

When the doctor asked Sarah how often she'd been eating, I couldn't help but jump in.

"She's been eating small meals, like you suggested," I said. "And I've been making sure she's drinking plenty of water." Sarah turned her head to givea look. "I think the doctor can letanswer that, Richard." I held up my hands. "Sorry. Just trying to help." The doctor smiled, clearly used to overzealous partners like me. "It's great that you're so involved," she said. "But Sarah's right-she knows her body best." I nodded, backing off a little. I didn't want to cacross as overbearing, even if my brain was running at a hundred miles an hour.

When the doctor finished the check-up, she gave us both a reassuring smile. "Everything looks great so far. Baby's developing as expected. I'll prescribe something for the nausea and give you a few tips to help manage the symptoms, but you're doing a wonderful job, Sarah." "See?" Sarah said, smirking at me. "Wonderful. No need to panic." "I wasn't panicking," I lied.

The doctor handed Sarah a small list of recommendations and asked if we had any other questions.

I wanted to ask about a million things-was she sure everything was fine? Was there anything else we should be doing?-but I bit my tongue. Sarah gavea knowing smile, like she could hear every unspoken thought. "Thank you," Sarah said to the doctor, standing up. "We'll follow the instructions." As we left the room, I placed a hand on the small of her back. "You're amazing," I said again, and this tshe didn't argue.

By the twe got home, Sarah looked ready to collapse. She sank onto the couch with a sigh, kicking off her shoes and leaning back into the cushions. "I'm officially done for the day," she announced.

"You've earned it," I said,, setting the bag of prescribed medications and pamphlets on the coffee table. "You were a star in there." Sarah chuckled, pulling a throw pillow into her lap. "I didn't do much except answer questions and lie still." "Exactly," I said, sitting down beside her. "You nailed it. And the doctor said everything's going great. That's a win." She tilted her head, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "You know, you can relax too, Richard. You've been wound up all morning." I sighed, leaning back into the couch. She wasn't wrong. My brain hadn't stopped spinning since we left the hospital.

Even now, I kept replaying the doctor's words in my head, double-checking for any signs I might've missed.

"I just want everything to be perfect," I admitted. "For you, for the baby. For all of us." Sarah reached out, brushing her fingers against my arm. "It doesn't have to be perfect, you know. We're figuring this out together. That's what matters." I nodded, letting her words sink in. She was right. She always was, somehow.

"What did you think about the advice she gave?" I asked, gesturing toward the stack of papers.

"It all sounded reasonable," she said, shrugging. "Eat small meals, get plenty of rest, take the meds when needed. Nothing too crazy."

I glanced at the list again, my brain already forming a mental checklist. "I'll make sure we have everything stocked up. And I'll help you remember to take the meds on time." She laughed, shaking her head.

"You're really going all-in on this, huh?" "Of course," I said. "This is my job now-Chief Pregnancy Support Officer." That earneda full laugh, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Well, in that case, Mr. Officer, I could really use a snack." "Your wish is my command," I said, standing up with a mock salute. "What are we feeling? Crackers? Fruit? Something completely random and hard to find?" "Surprise me," she said, grinning.

As I headed to the kitchen, I found myself smiling too. Moments like this-just the two of us, laughing and leaning on each other-they made everything else feel manageable.

Later that evening, after Sarah had dozed off for a bit, I sat by the window, watching the Streetlights flicker on The house was quiet, except for the soft hum of the heater and Sarah's even breathing from the couch. I thought back to the day's events, to the way Sarah had handled everything with grace and calmness. She made it look easy, even though I knew it wasn't.

I picked up one of the pamphlets the doctor had given us, flipping through the pages. Tips for partners. Support during pregnancy. Ways to ease the transition.

Most of it was common sense, but one sentence stuck out to me: Be present and supportive, but don't forget to take care of yourself too.

I frowned, leaning back in the chair.

wasn't Taking care of myself wasn't exactly a priority right now. How could it be when so much was riding on making sure Sarah and the baby were okay? But then I thought about what Sarah had said earlier-that we were figuring this out together. Maybe she was right. Maybe I didn't have to shoulder everything on my own.

I glanced back at her, curled up on the couch with the throw pillow hugged to her chest. She looked peaceful, her face relaxed in sleep.

I smiled to myself, a wave of gratitude washing over me. For her, for this new chapter we were starting, for everything.

Leaning forward, I turned off the lamp and headed back to the couch.