“I’m sorry that I made you feel that way, honey,” he breathed. “I never wanted to pressure you or make you feel that you needed to run from me.”
“I came back to Dani’s last night,” she continued. “I thought I was ready to talk to you, but it was late, so I decided to wait until the morning. And then this happened.”
“And you came here,” he whispered.
“Yes,” she breathed, “I guess I was scared of just showing up at your place in the middle of the night. I was afraid that you’d be angry with me because I left the way that I did. I didn’t want to tell you that my leaving had everything to do with me and nothing to do with you. I needed to figure myself out before Icould be with you, Elias. I just hope that I didn’t waste too much time, and that it’s not too late.”
Elias tightened his grip on her hand. “It’s not too late,” he whispered. “I would have waited for you forever if that was what it took, honey. I’m just so glad that you’re home now. I’m glad that you’re both home.” Silence settled between them, heavy but no longer hostile.
“I was so scared,” she admitted. “I thought I’d already failed at being with you, and at being a mother.”
“You haven’t failed at anything,” he said fiercely. “You’re carrying more stress than anyone should. Your body just reacted to the stress, but you’re both all right now.”
She looked at him then, and something fragile but hopeful flickered in her eyes. “I didn’t know if you’d want to see me again.”
Elias laughed softly, brokenly. “Aliza, I’ve wanted to see you every second of every day since you left.”
Her breath hitched. “I never stopped loving you,” she whispered.
Neither had he, but he had never given her those words either. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead gently to hers, careful of the wires and monitors that they had her hooked up to. “I love you too, honey,” he breathed.
She smiled up at him as tears ran down her beautiful face. “That’s the first time you’ve said that to me,” she said.
“Well, you should get used to it,” he insisted, “because I plan on saying it a whole lot more. That is, if you’ll come home with me, honey.”
“I’d love to come home with you, Elias,” she whispered. “Being on my own taught me that I can do it myself, but being with you showed me that I don’t have to do everything alone. I choose you, Elias,” she said. Hearing her say that gave him hope that he hadn’t felt in a damn long time.
“We’ll figure this out,” he said quietly. “Together. But no more running. And I promise no more trying to control the situation. It’s just us working through life together, got it?” Aliza nodded, and for the first time in over a month, the distance between them felt smaller. As the monitors let out a steady, reassuring rhythm beside them, Elias let himself believe that they still had a chance at making this thing between the two of them work. It had to, because now, there was going to be three of them, and he’d do anything for his new little family.
Aliza
The hospital room was too quiet. The steady beep of the monitor beside her was the only thing breaking the silence, a soft reminder that her heart—and the tiny one inside her—was still beating. Aliza sat propped against the pillows, one hand resting protectively over her stomach, exhaustion heavy in her bones, but her mind was wide awake.
She had spent two days in the hospital, waiting to get the all clear from the doctor to be able to go home. She couldn’t wait to be back at home with Elias, but she worried that she had done some real damage by hiding away at Dani’s mother’s house the way that she did. It wasn’t right of her to keep her location a secret, and that was a regret that she’d have to live with, even though Elias assured her that he had forgiven her for it.
Elias stood near the window with his arms folded over his chest as he stared out at the gray afternoon like it held answers he was trying to sort through. He looked older at that moment—not tired but changed somehow. He seemed grounded in a way that made her chest ache. She had done that to him—made him worry unnecessarily, and for that, she might never forgive herself. Aliza thought that she was doing what was right forherself and her baby, but all that time away only taught her one thing—she didn’t want to live her life without Elias by her side.
“Hey,” she said softly, “are you okay?” He turned to her, and the intensity in his eyes made her breath catch.
“I almost lost you,” he said quietly, “both of you. God, that would have killed me, baby.” He crossed the room to sit down next to her on the bed.
Her throat tightened. “But you didn’t lose us, Elias. We’re both here, and I promise, we’re not going anywhere ever again.”
“But I thought I did,” he replied, “and it scared the hell out of me.”
She swallowed. “Elias—” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little black velvet box. Her heart felt like it had slammed against her ribs as he knelt beside her bed, his movements deliberate, as though he’d already made peace with what he was about to do.
“I love you,” he said, voice steady but thick with emotion. “I love you in a way that doesn’t come with conditions or ultimatums. I love the woman you are, the strength you don’t even realize you have, and the life we’ve already started building together—whether we meant to or not.” He opened the box, showing her the simple ring inside. It was elegant and completely perfect.
“I don’t want another day to go by where you doubt that you’re not alone,” he continued. “I don’t want another moment where you think you have to face the world without someone standing beside you.” Her eyes filled instantly as she covered her trembling hand over her mouth, trying to hide the sobs that were escaping her lips.
“Marry me,” he said. This time it wasn’t a challenge or a demand. It was a promise he made to her that they were going to build a life together—one that they could both be proud of. Alizastared at the ring, then at him, her chest tight with fear, and something stronger than fear—hope.
“I was scared,” she whispered. “Not of being with you, but of losing myself again.”
“I know,” he said gently. “And I won’t be the man who takes that from you. I want to build a life with you, not over you.”
She took a shaky breath. “I don’t know what the future looks like,” she admitted. “I don’t know how to do this perfectly.”
