Winning Back His Ex's Wife's Broken Heart by Hayley

Richard

pov.

The morning was off to a slow start, but I didn't mind. Sarah looked like she needed the extra few minutes in bed.

I watched her for a moment, her hand resting on her growing belly, her hair messy from sleep. It hit me again, like it had been hitting me every day for months now: I was going to be a dad. "Richard," she mumbled, her eyes barely open. "Don't stare. It's creepy."

I chuckled, leaning over to kiss her forehead. "It's not staring, it's admiring. Totally different."

She groaned, throwing the blanket over her head. "Go admire the coffee machine."

She wasn't wrong. We had a hospital pre-registration appointment later, and I figured a cup of coffee might help me face the mountain of paperwork that probably awaited us.

The hospital was about as inviting as hospitals could be-sterile, bright, and slightly intimidating.

We sat in a small office, and a nurse handed us a clipboard full of forms. I took one look at the stack and whistled.

"Looks like they want my entire life story," I joked, flipping through the pages. "I'm surprised they didn't ask what I had for breakfast in 1997."

Sarah shot me a look that said, Behave, but the corner of her mouth twitched. "Just fill it out, Richard."

I tried to focus, but the questions felt overwhelming. Name, address, emergency contacts, insurance information-it all seemed so official, so adult.

"Do you think they'll still let us take the baby home if I accidentally spell something wrong?" I muttered, scribbling my signature.

"Richard," she said, this time full-on smiling, "you're not getting out of this with sarcasm. Keep writing."

I could tell she

at her.

didn't meet my eyes. "Just feels... real. Like, really

filling out those forms, it hit me how close we were to this baby actually being here.

gave us a little folder with hospital info and birthing

first official parenting paperwork. Sarah rolled her eyes, but she laughed, and I felt like I'd done

place to grab dinner while Sarah rested at home. The place smelled amazing, and I found myself lingering near the counter, scrolling on my phone while I

up to see Greg, an old friend, grinning at me. He looked a little older, a little rounder, but still the same easy

his hand, genuinely glad to see him. "Man, it's been

said, leaning against the counter. "Married, three kids

raised an eyebrow. "Three kids? You're braver than me. We're just gearing up for our first, and I'm

smile. "Oh, man, you're in for

started sharing stories-how his youngest once painted the dog with peanut butter, how he'd accidentally put a diaper on backward

his eyes. "Because if you don't, you'll

weirdly comforting, hearing his stories. Parenting wasn't going

maybe that was okay.

fine, Richard. Just

and a soft glow from the lamp beside her. She looked up when I came in, her face lighting up at the sight of the takeout bags. "You're a

it," I teased, handing

container.

comfortable silence for a while, the sounds of forks

She'd been quiet since the hospital,

"Just thinking. Today made it feel... close,