Alle Kapitel von THROUGH THE WIND AND THE RAIN (ENGLISH): Kapitel 41 – Kapitel 50

 After a hearty dinner, Rome stepped outside to the front yard to get some fresh air. She figured she’d walk around a bit and let the food settle before heading upstairs to rest.Oh geez... The dinner had gone by without anyone bringing up what was supposed to be discussed: informing the whole family and Granny Althea about her condition. She completely forgot to talk to Cayson about it. They were supposed to make the announcement by Monday at the latest. Once everyone knew, she could finally submit her resignation letter to Montesorri.Her work uniforms didn’t fit anymore anyway; too tight around the arms and waist. She was gaining weight, and there was no question she’d gain even more in the coming weeks.She needed to talk to Cayson that night.

 When she woke up the next morning, she was immediately overwhelmed by a crushing sense of heaviness; both in her body and her emotions.Cayson was no longer beside her in bed. Judging by the crumpled towels scattered on the floor and his discarded sleeping pants near the foot of the bed, it was clear that he had already left.It was Tuesday, the day she had planned to visit the Montessori school to hand in her resignation letter and inform them of her condition. But that morning, like the many before it, she felt incapable of getting up. Her limbs were too heavy, her mind too cloudy, and her will— barely there.Ever since she had entered the second month of her pregnancy, mornings had become a battle. Getting out of bed felt like moving a mountain. If it were up to her, she’d sleep through the entire day. The mere thought of moving around was exhausting. She didn&rsquo

Cayson stood silently at the foot of the bed, his eyes fixed on Rome’s sleeping form. The dim light from the bedside lamp cast soft shadows across the room, highlighting the curve of her face and the gentle rise and fall of her breath. She lay curled on her side, clutching his pillow as if it was a lifeline in the quiet darkness. The blanket, patterned with tiny red and pink hearts that matched the crisp, white bed sheet beneath her, was pulled up only to her waist.He took a slow, deliberate breath, his gaze drifting downward to her stomach. Because she was positioned on her side and wore loose, faded pajamas, it was difficult to tell if her belly had grown at all. To him, she looked the same. But perhaps he had never truly noticed her before. Usually, when they spoke, his eyes locked onto hers with intensity and never wandered elsewhere. Their conversations were brief and often clipped, the kind wh

That day, Rome threw herself into reading. She needed something to anchor her. The changes in her body were no longer subtle; they were overwhelming. So she spent hours scrolling through online articles and personal blogs, absorbing every piece of information she could about pregnancy. She wanted answers. She wanted understanding. Especially about cravings— paglilihi, as the elders called it.And what she discovered opened up a new layer of awareness.She learned about the tidal wave of hormones that surged through a woman’s body during the first trimester. How each pregnancy was different. How cravings weren’t just whims, they were unpredictable, powerful, and sometimes irrational. No two women experienced the same symptoms, and even the same woman could have wildly different pregnancies. She discovered that the first trimester was considered the most brutal, emotionally taxing and physically disorienting, while the second was often described as the “honeymoon phase,” a short-lived p

As usual, Rome woke up that morning to find the other side of the bed empty, the neatly tucked sheets and absence of warmth confirming what she already suspected; Cayson had slipped out long before the sun had fully risen. She didn’t need to guess. By now, it had become routine. He was most likely outside, pushing through another intense workout, channeling whatever thoughts haunted him into movement and sweat. There was a strange comfort in the consistency of his absence; it was predictable, almost like a rhythm her body had grown used to.The night before had been quiet. After he stepped out of the bathroom, he said nothing and simply climbed into bed to sleep. Rome had remained seated, sipping the warm glass of milk Althea had sent up to her room. She continued reading until drowsiness overcame her. Once she felt sleepy, she got up to brush her teeth, then returned to bed and lay down in silence.For the first time in many nights, she had fallen asleep with ease. No tossing or turni