“They left because of their choices.”
He took her hand.
“Not yours.”
Elena leaned against his shoulder.
For a while, they sat in silence.
Then Marcus said:
“I’ve been thinking.”
“That’s dangerous.”
He smiled.
“I think we need to change some things before Sofia arrives.”
“Like what?”
“No more surprise family weekends.”
Elena smiled.
“No more people staying overnight without asking.”
“Definitely.”
“No more letting your mother reorganize our bathroom.”
“Absolutely.”
“And…”
He looked at her.
“No more you trying to make everybody happy.”
Elena sighed.
“I don’t know if I can do that.”
Marcus kissed her hand.
“Then I’ll help you.”
She looked at him.
“How?”
“Every time you want to say yes because you’re afraid someone will be upset, look at me.”
“And?”
“I’ll remind you that saying no doesn’t make you selfish.”
Elena smiled.
“You really mean that?”
“I do.”
She rested her head against his shoulder.
Then Sofia kicked again.
Both of them laughed.
Marcus placed his hand over Elena’s stomach.
“You hear that?”
Elena smiled.
“She’s impatient.”
“She’s got your personality.”
“Excuse me?”
“She’s already arguing.”
Elena laughed.
The sound filled the room.
Marcus looked at his wife.
The swollen feet.
The tired eyes.
The belly carrying their daughter.
And he realized something.
For months, he had been focused on becoming a father.
Buying the crib.
Painting the nursery.
Saving money.
Working overtime.
Preparing for the hospital.
But becoming a father wasn’t only about protecting Sofia after she was born.
It had already begun.
It meant protecting the mother carrying her.
It meant noticing when Elena said “I’m fine” even though she wasn’t.
It meant understanding that sometimes the person who needed protection wasn’t the loudest person in the room.
Sometimes it was the quiet one standing at the sink.
The one saying, “It’s okay.”
The one apologizing for being tired.
