An hour later, Sophie rushed into the clinic, Leo crying in her arms. The toddler was confused by Beatrice’s whispers and William’s recent manic absence. Sophie was vibrating with anxiety.
“He won’t stop crying,” Sophie gasped to the receptionist. “I think he has a fever.”
“Let me take him.”
A calm, steady voice cut through the chaos. A man in scrubs stepped forward–Dr. Lucas Hale. He didn’t look frantic or intense like William. He looked like a safe harbor.
Lucas took Leo gently, his touch firm and reassuring. “Hey, buddy,” Lucas smiled, checking Leo’s forehead. “Rough day at the office?”
Leo’s cries subsided into sniffles. Lucas turned his warm brown eyes to Sophie. “He’s okay. Just overstimulated. But you…” He paused, looking at her shaking hands. “You look like you’re holding the weight of the world, Sophie.”
“I’m fine,” Sophie lied, the “Compromised Bride” mask slipping. “I’m just… wedding planning.”
“Take a breath,” Lucas said kindly. “In here, you don’t have to be the perfect fiancée. You can just be a person.”
For the first time in months, Sophie felt her shoulders drop. The contrast between William’s manic energy and Lucas’s peace was jarring.