The room glowed with a warm, golden hush as the morning sun filtered gently through the sheer curtains. Bella stirred slowly, her body still drowsy but comforted by the soft scent wafting through the air — eggs, toast, a hint of fruit, and something subtly floral.
Her lashes fluttered open. Her body was still a bit sluggish from the fever, but the morning breeze soothed her. On the bedside table sat a tray: scrambled eggs sprinkled with herbs, toast cut neatly in triangles, a small bowl of sliced strawberries and bananas, and a warm glass of milk. Everything was placed with quiet care.
She smiled faintly — not surprised, but touched.
Lucas leaned against the doorway, dressed in a crisp white T-shirt and soft joggers. His hair was tousled, the kind of mess that begged for fingers to comb through it, and there was a tiny smear of butter on his wrist.
"Thank you. By the way you're getting too good at this," she murmured.
"I try," he said, strolling over. "Though I had to redo the toast. The first ones mysteriously vanished."
"Mysteriously?" Bella arched an eyebrow.
"I may have... taste-tested too early," he admitted, grinning.
She laughed, sitting up with a little effort. Lucas adjusted the pillows behind her before she could ask, his hands gentle as he made her more comfortable.
A heartbeat later, the bedroom door creaked open. Tiny feet padded across the wooden floor. Rachel's hair was a cloud of morning fluff, her teddy lolling in one hand, the other rubbing her sleepy eyes.
But when she reached the bed, her gaze dropped straight to Bella's belly.
"Good morning, baby," she whispered, leaning forward to press a soft kiss just above Bella's bump.
Bella's heart swelled. Lucas sat beside them as Rachel climbed in carefully, curling up next to Bella and resting her head lightly near her belly.
"Did the baby sleep well, mama?" Rachel asked, her voice serious and sweet.
"I think so," Bella replied, brushing Rachel's curls. "I had a good sleep."
He reached over to adjust Rachel's collar, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "School day today, munchkin. Time to eat and get ready."
Rachel groaned. "But I want to stay and talk to baby!"
Bella chuckled, passing her a piece of toast. "You can talk later. The baby's not going anywhere."
Lucas took the opportunity to tickle Rachel's side gently. She squealed with laughter, then leaned into him, teddy squished between them.
"Fine… but only because I have show-and-tell today."
"Oh?" Bella asked, sipping her milk. "What are you taking?"
Rachel grinned proudly. "My drawing of a scenery. There was even a mountain in that." Lucas's expression softened completely.
"That's going on the fridge the moment you're back," he said.
They ate together in that little bubble of calm, tangled under the blanket, the sounds of a quiet home around them. No rush. Just soft moments stitched into a morning they would all remember.
When it was time, Bella helped Rachel into her school uniform while Lucas showered. She combed her hair into neat twin braids — uneven, but charming — and tied them with bright clips. Rachel gave the baby one last kiss before skipping off to pack her bag.
After dropping off Rachel at her school Lucas returned back to Bella. By the time the front door opened to let him in, Bella stood at the threshold with a towel-dried glow and sleepy warmth in her eyes.
"She's going to make the best big sister," he murmured.
Bella looked at him, then down at her belly where tiny life fluttered within.
"She already is."
The sun had climbed higher in the sky, casting soft golden light through the sheer curtains, when the house settled into a warm hush.
Rachel lay curled up on the couch after coming back from her school. Her cheek resting against her teddy, lips slightly parted. She'd dozed off halfway through her coloring page — a half-finished butterfly beneath her and a crayon still gripped loosely in one hand.
Bella moved quietly from the bedroom, fingers brushing the wall for support. Though the fever had mostly passed, her limbs still felt a little too light, her steps a little too heavy. One hand cradled her belly as she walked, a protective, instinctive gesture.
She reached the kitchen and paused in the doorway. Lucas stood at the island in his casuals, bare feet against the floor, slicing fruit with focused precision. A bowl of strawberries and apples sat beside him, and from the stove, a faint herbal aroma whispered of simmering soup.
"You're supposed to be resting," he said without turning, like he'd heard her footsteps from across the room.
"I did rest," she said, making her way over. "But then someone in here started demanding snacks." Her fingers grazed her belly. "Loudly."
Lucas finally turned, smirking. "You sure it wasn't you blaming it on the baby?"
Bella raised an eyebrow. "You calling me a liar?"
"Never. I'm just saying, I know how suspiciously loud your cravings get when icecream is involved."
She chuckled, and he handed her a small plate of neatly arranged fruit.
"No ice cream," he added quickly, "but you get this. And soup's coming later. No negotiations."
"Bossy," she muttered, but accepted the plate.
They sat at the island together, their arms brushing lightly as they ate in silence for a moment, the kind of quiet that didn't feel empty.
Then Bella sighed. "Can I ask you something?"
Lucas looked up. "You already did. But go ahead."
She shot him a look, then softened. "Do you ever… feel weird when everything is just… good?"
"Weird how?"
"Like…" She hesitated, picking at a slice of apple. "Like you're waiting for something to go wrong, just because things feel too right. Like you don't deserve it."
Lucas was quiet for a second. Then he wiped his hands on a napkin, turned in his seat, and looked at her fully.
"I think about it every day," he said. "Every time I see Rachel sleeping like that, or you laughing… part of me is afraid I'll blink and it'll all disappear."
Bella's chest tightened.
"You always seem so…" She gestured at him vaguely. "Put together."
He laughed — a low, warm sound. "That's because I'm too stubborn to fall apart."
She stared at him. "Is that your actual strategy?"
"Pretty much."
She chuckled despite herself, and he reached out, brushing his fingers against her cheek before letting them drop to her belly. His palm spread gently over the slight curve there.
He leaned closer, pretending to whisper conspiratorially to her belly. "Ignore your mama. She's dramatic when she's hungry."
Bella swatted his arm playfully. "Don't turn the baby against me already!"
Lucas grinned. "Too late. We've formed a bond over cravings and 2 A.M. talks."
"You're doing fine, you know.", she said softly.
Lucas didn't answer, but the way his eyes softened told her everything. These little reassurances is what push him to keep trying in this relationship.