Years of expectation, perfection, and cold judgment had left me tired to the core. But now, slowly, day by day, I was learning to breathe again, not for competition, not for approval, not for anyone else but myself.
Calix was there, of course. Always. He had never left, never faltered in his quiet, steady love. He didn't need to say much; his presence alone was enough.
"I made coffee," he said, leaning against the doorway.
The sunlight caught his hair just right, and I realized I had never been able to look at him without seeing him as something more than a distraction before.
"Thank you," I murmured, accepting the mug he offered.
He smiled softly, brushing his thumb along the edge of my hand. "No thanks needed."
I sipped, feeling the warmth spread through me.
I had returned to the Lazaro home, but not for riding.
My days were slow, filled with gentle routines, long walks in the garden, quiet breakfasts with Calix, afternoons reading or listening to music.
I focused on myself.
On healing the years of pressure, the guilt, the doubt.
On learning to love the idea of myself again.
Calix would watch me sometimes, leaning casually against the doorframe, his expression soft, adoring.
"You're really taking your time," he said one morning.
"I need to," I replied. "I've spent my life running on expectation. I want to learn how to just… be."
He nodded, but his hand found mine. "I like being here with you. Watching you grow. Even if it's slow."
was finally free of the brace, free of pain, free of the constant tension I had carried on my body and in my heart.
It was a quiet life, but one that I was beginning to crave.
One that I had never allowed myself to imagine.
And one afternoon, as we were walking in the garden together, Calix stopped and turned to me, his eyes bright and serious.
"Have you thought about… us?" he asked softly.
I blinked. "I… think about us every day."
He smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Good. Because I have something to tell you."
I frowned. "What?"
He took my hand, guiding me to sit on the stone bench beneath the jasmine. "I want… I want to start a family with you. When you're ready. Whenever you're ready."
My chest tightened, a rush of warmth flooding every corner of me. "Calix…" I whispered.
He leaned closer, brushing his forehead against mine. "I've never been more certain of anything. You're my home, Aurora. And I want to build a life with you."
Tears pricked my eyes, but they were tears of happiness, of relief, of hope.
I felt that my future was entirely mine to choose and that he would be by my side, no matter what.
"I want that too," I said, finally, my voice firm and full of conviction.
—
It was weeks later that I discovered I was pregnant.
At first, I didn't believe it.
Could this really be happening? Could life finally give me something that wasn't tied to expectation, perfection, or pressure?
I held the test in my trembling hands, tears streaming down my face.
Calix walked in, humming softly, and froze when he saw me. "Aurora… what is it?"
I turned to him, my hands shaking as I held the test out. His eyes widened, and for a moment, there was silence.
Then… joy. Pure, uncontainable joy.
He grabbed me, spinning me in a circle, laughing and crying all at once. "We're… we're going to have a baby?"
"Yes," I whispered, laughter and tears mingling. "We're going to have a baby."
He pulled me close again, holding me like I was the most precious thing in the world. because in that moment, I was.
The days that followed were filled with soft happiness.
He helped me with everything, from preparing meals to reminding me to rest.
He brushed my hair, massaged my shoulders, and whispered to me in ways that made me feel like I had finally been seen in every part of myself.
I let myself melt into it.
Let myself lean on him, rely on him, let him love me fully.
And I returned that love with everything I had, quietly, fiercely, and completely.
One evening, as we sat on the balcony watching the sunset, his hand resting over my growing belly, I whispered, "I can't believe this is real."
"Believe it," he said softly, pressing a gentle kiss to my temple. "It's real. And it's ours."
I rested my head on his shoulder, tears of joy sliding silently down my cheeks. "I love you," I whispered again.
"I love you," he replied, brushing his lips to my hair.
I felt completely, utterly, unshakably happy.
Safe. Loved. Whole.
Even without riding, even without medals, even without expectation, I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
With Calix.
And with the life we would build together.