Chapter 0008
the
We spent the next few minutes sorting through the few items I had brought with me. As I pulled out a small, worn pony plush toy from my bag, I felt a pang of nostalgia. It was one of the things I had prepared years ago when I was pregnant. The pony, along with a few storybooks and baby toys, had been part of the little nursery I had put together in anticipation of my baby’s arrival. Thea’s eyes immediately lit up when she saw the toy. “Pony Bella!” she squealed, grabbing the plush from my hands. I froze, staring at her in shock. “What did you call her?” Thea hugged the toy to her chest, beaming “This is Pony Bella. She’s
my best friend! I tell her all my secrets.” My heart skipped a beat. How could Thea know that name? During my pregnancy, I had often spoken to my unborn baby, telling her stories and talking about how Bella the pony was waiting to meet her. It had been a name I had chosen out of the blue–something special, just for my baby. I swallowed hard, my hands trembling slightly as I continued to unpack. The coincidence was too much to ignore. It felt like another piece of the puzzle was falling into place, making me even more certain that Thea was my long–lost child. Forcing a smile, I nodded. “Bella is a very special pony,” I said softly. Thea giggled and reached into my bag again. Her eyes widened as she pulled out a children’s book–another vestige of my pregnancy. The pages were faded and worn from reading it out loud over and over again while I’d been pregnant. She climbed onto the bed, snuggling into the covers. “Can we read a story now?” “Of course,” I said, blinking away misty tears as I settled beside her on the bed. I opened the book to the first page, but before I could start reading, Thea suddenly sat up, her face lighting up with an idea. “I want to invite Daddy, too!” she declared. I blinked in surprise. “Your dad?” Thea nodded vigorously. “Yes! I want you and Daddy to fall in love so that other woman won’t come back. Then we can all live together happily ever after, just like in the stories!” Her innocent declaration sent a jolt of panic through me. It was concerning to me that she felt that way about her mother and was so attached to me. I wasn’t sure how to respond. Before I could say anything, Thea had already bolted out of the room, her tiny feet pattering down the hall as she called for Elijah. I sat there, stunned, unsure of what to do. Moments later, Thea returned, dragging a bemused Elijah into the room. He raised an eyebrow at me, clearly unsure of what was going on. “She wants us to read her a story together,” I explained awkwardly. Elijah sighed, but there was a faint smile on his lips as he allowed Thea to pull him onto the bed. “Alright,” he said, his voice softening as he settled beside her. “Just one story.” Thea nestled herself between us, her small hand resting on mine. Elijah took the storybook from me and began reading, his deep voice lulling Thea into a peaceful calm. As I sat there, my heart thudded in my chest. I exchanged a brief glance with Elijah, unsure of what to make of this sudden closeness. His expression was unreadable, but there was a softness in his gaze that hadn’t been there before. The room fell quiet, the only sound Elijah’s steady voice as he read aloud. I realized then that, despite all the uncertainty and unanswered questions, this moment–sitting here with Thea and Elijah–felt strangely.. right.
P
