Ashley’s POV
I woke up to the soft hum of the hospital machines, the sterile smell of antiseptic filling the air. My body felt heavy like I had been dragged underwater and was only just now surfacing.
The light filtering through the window was faint, early morning, I guessed. I blinked, trying to make sense of where I was. The hospital? Why was I here?
Shifting slightly, I winced as my head throbbed. The movement must have stirred something nearby because I heard a quiet shuffle.
Turning my head, I saw Caleb slumped over on the small couch, his broad shoulders hunched as he slept in the most uncomfortable position.
His hair was tousled, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t rested properly.
“Caleb?” I whispered, my voice weak and scratchy.
His eyes shot open instantly, and he was at my side in a flash, his hand gripping mine tightly as though afraid I might disappear if he let go.
Relief washed over his face as his eyes roamed over me, checking for signs that I was okay.
“Ashley, thank God you’re awake,” he breathed, his voice shaky. He brought my hand to his lips, kissing it gently. I could see the raw emotion in his eyes like he’d been holding back tears for too long.
I tried to sit up, but my body protested, reminding me that something was wrong.
“What… What happened? Why am I in the hospital?” My voice wavered as I struggled to piece together my last memory. “I… I was at the mall, and I saw Kiara…”
Caleb squeezed my hand, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “You fainted,” he said softly, his thumb tracing circles on the back of my hand. “You were exhausted, Ash. You passed out, and they had to bring you here.”
“Exhausted?” I frowned, trying to remember more clearly, but my mind was still foggy. “Why would I faint? That doesn’t make sense.”
Caleb hesitated, looking down at our intertwined hands for a moment before meeting my gaze again. His eyes were filled with something, and emotion I couldn’t quite place-relief, joy, and maybe even a hint of fear.
He took a deep breath as if preparing himself for what he was about to say.
“Ashley… you’re pregnant.”
My heart stopped. I stared at him, unsure if I’d heard him correctly. “What?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
“You’re pregnant,” he repeated, his voice breaking slightly as the words came out. “That’s why you fainted. The doctors said you’ve been pushing yourself too hard and with the baby…”
The baby. I was pregnant. I blinked at him, trying to wrap my head around the words. Pregnant. That couldn’t be right, could it? I wasn’t ready for this. I wasn’t prepared for any of it.
My mind raced, memories of the mall, of Kiara, of everything fading as the reality of what Caleb was saying hit me like a tidal wave.
“You’re serious?” I asked, my voice trembling.
Caleb nodded, tears finally spilling down his cheeks. “Yes, Ashley. We’re going to have a baby.”
I should’ve felt happy, right? I should’ve been overjoyed at the news. Caleb clearly was, he was beaming through his tears, his face glowing with a mixture of joy and relief.
All I could feel was the tightening knot of fear forming in my chest. My lifelong fear of pregnancy. The thought of something growing inside me, the idea of childbirth, all of it had terrified me for as long as I could remember.
But I couldn’t say that to him. Not now. Not when he was looking at me like that, like this was the best news he had ever received in his life.
I forced a smile, even though my insides were churning. “We’re… we’re going to have a baby,” I repeated softly, more for myself than for him. The words felt foreign on my tongue like they didn’t belong to me.
Caleb smiled and kissed my forehead. “Yes, we are. And we’re going to be amazing parents, Ash. I promise.”
I nodded, trying to absorb the weight of what he was saying. Amazing parents. The words sounded so easy coming from him, for me, they were a mountain I wasn’t sure I could climb. Could I really do this? Could I be a mother?
As if sensing my hesitation, Caleb leaned in closer, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. “I know this is a lot to take in,” he started softly. “But I’m with you, every step of the way. You’re not alone in this.”
I swallowed hard, trying to keep the panic at bay. He was right, I wasn’t alone. I had Caleb, and he was so excited about this. I had to be excited too, right?
“Caleb…” I began, unsure how to voice the thoughts swirling in my mind.
He cut me off, his eyes serious now. “Ash, we need to get married. As soon as possible.”
I blinked, the weight of his words sinking in. Married? I hadn’t even processed the pregnancy yet, and now he was talking about marriage.
“Married?” I echoed, my voice small.
He nodded firmly. “Yes. We’ve been talking about it for months, and now that we’re having a baby, we can’t wait any longer. I want you to be my wife, Ashley.”
I stared at him, my mind a jumbled mess. On one hand, I loved Caleb. I did. And I had always imagined a future with him. But this… this was happening too fast. Too soon.
Deep down, I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know how to tell him that, though. Not when he was so happy, so sure that this was what we needed to do.
“I…” I started, but the words caught in my throat. How could I tell him that I wasn’t ready for any of this?
He reached for my hand again, his grip warm and comforting. “We’ll figure it all out, Ash. I promise. I’ll take care of you and our baby.”
Our baby. The words sent a fresh wave of anxiety crashing over me, but I swallowed it down, nodding weakly. “Okay,” I whispered.
Caleb smiled, his face lighting up as if everything had just fallen into place. Inside, I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, staring down into the unknown, unsure if I was ready to take the plunge.