Chapter Fifty Four

Chapter Fifty-Four

The waiting was the worst part.

Nobody knew exactly what was happening.

Only that something wasn't right.

And for a family that normally solved problems by talking through them, making plans, and taking action—

waiting felt unbearable.

The hospital room was quiet.

Too quiet.

Daisy sat propped up against the bed.

Still attached to monitors.

Still pale.

Still exhausted.

Roman sat beside her.

One hand wrapped around hers.

The other resting against his leg.

The position hadn't changed in nearly an hour.

He refused to move.

Daisy watched him.

"You should sit properly."

"I am sitting properly."

"Roman."

"I'm fine."

She knew that tone.

The same tone she'd used on him a hundred times.

The one that meant:

I'm absolutely not fine.

Outside the room, Harper and Noah waited.

Noah had finally convinced Harper to sit down.

Barely.

The twins kicked constantly.

The stress wasn't helping.

"I hate this."

Harper wiped at her eyes.

"I know."

"No, I really hate this."

Noah wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Because honestly?

He hated it too.

Everyone did.

A few hours later the doctor returned.

This time with a specialist.

The sight immediately made Daisy's stomach drop.

Because specialists were never invited for fun.

Roman stood instantly.

"What is it?"

The doctor smiled reassuringly.

But not enough.

Not nearly enough.

"Daisy."

The specialist sat beside the bed.

Looking calm.

Professional.

Kind.

The exact combination that always made patients nervous.

"We've reviewed everything."

Daisy nodded slowly.

Waiting.

"Your blood pressure remains higher than we'd like."

Roman's jaw tightened.

Immediately.

The specialist continued.

"We're also concerned about how exhausted your body has become."

Daisy looked away.

Because she already knew.

She'd felt it.

For weeks.

"You've been pushing yourself."

The statement wasn't a question.

Daisy sighed.

Maybe.

A little.

Okay.

A lot.

The specialist looked directly at her.

"Daisy, I know you're a doctor."

That wasn't comforting.

At all.

"I also know doctors make terrible patients."

Roman snorted.

The first sound he'd made in twenty minutes.

The specialist smiled.

"See?"

Even Daisy laughed weakly.

Because unfortunately...

it was true.

Then the specialist became serious again.

The room followed immediately.

"I don't want to scare you."

Nobody liked that sentence.

Nobody.

"But I do need you to listen carefully."

Roman's hand tightened around Daisy's.

"You need complete rest."

Silence.

Daisy blinked.

"What?"

The specialist didn't look away.

"Complete rest."

"No work."

Reasonable.

"No house projects."

Less reasonable.

"No chasing toddlers."

Impossible.

Roman immediately nodded.

"Done."

The specialist pointed.

"I like him."

Daisy glared.

Traitor.

The specialist continued.

"We're not at the point where we're worried about immediate delivery."

Relief flooded the room.

Immediately.

"The baby looks good."

More relief.

"But if your body keeps heading in this direction..."

The sentence hung heavily.

Nobody needed the rest explained.

The room became completely silent.

Daisy looked down at her stomach.

At the baby she'd already fallen in love with.

At the little girl who still needed months to grow.

Fear settled deep inside her chest.

The real kind.

Roman saw it instantly.

Of course he did.

He moved closer.

Closer than before.

As if somehow proximity alone could protect both of them.

"What do we need to do?"

His voice was steady.

Calm.

Focused.

The businessman.

The father.

The protector.

All rolled into one.

The specialist smiled softly.

"We need Daisy resting."

Roman nodded.

"Okay."

"Properly resting."

"Okay."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

The determination in his voice made even the doctor smile.

Outside the room, Harper and Noah were finally called in.

The second Harper saw Daisy's face, her own fell.

"What happened?"

Daisy looked at her sister.

Then laughed softly.

A shaky laugh.

The kind that appeared right before tears.

"I'm on bed rest."

Silence.

"What?"

Harper sat down immediately.

The twins forgotten.

Everything forgotten.

The doctor explained again.

The risks.

The precautions.

The monitoring.

The need to slow down.

By the end of it, Harper was crying.

Noah looked worried.

Roman looked ready to wrap Daisy in bubble wrap and lock her in the house until the baby was born.

Honestly?

That was probably his plan already.

Later that evening, after everyone finally returned home, the townhouse felt different.

Quieter.

More fragile.

Roman carried a sleeping Lillie upstairs.

The little girl rested against his shoulder.

Completely unaware that anything had changed.

Meanwhile Daisy sat on their bed.

Staring out the window.

Trying to process everything.

A few minutes later Roman returned.

Crossed the room.

And knelt in front of her.

"You scared me."

The words were quiet.

Barely above a whisper.

Yet they hit harder than anything else that day.

Because Roman never admitted fear.

Not like this.

Not openly.

Daisy's eyes filled immediately.

"So did you."

Roman rested his forehead against hers.

Closing his eyes.

For a moment neither spoke.

Then his hand moved gently to her stomach.

Protective.

Careful.

Loving.

"We're getting both of you through this."

The promise was fierce.

Unshakable.

And for the first time all day—

despite the fear.

Despite the uncertainty.

Despite the months of bed rest stretching ahead—

Daisy believed him.

❤️📖