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

Richard pov

Joining Sarah for a prenatal fitness class wasn't exactly what I'd pictured when I thought about preparing for fatherhood.

In my mind, getting ready meant assembling cribs, reading a few books, and maybe practicing how to swaddle a baby without them looking like a crumpled burrito. But when Sarah brought it up, I saw the glint of hope in her eyes, the one that made it impossible to say no.

"Are you sure you want me there?" I'd asked the night before, already mentally rehearsing my excuses for backing out.

"Of course," she replied, her voice soft but firm. "It'll be good for us. And honestly, I think you'll enjoy it more than you expect."

Enjoy it? That was a stretch, but I didn't argue. I wanted to be the kind of partner who showed up, even when it meant stepping into unfamiliar territory.

The studio was bright and cheerful, with soft instrumental music playing in the background.

It smelled faintly of lavender, the kind of scent that screamed calm, though my nerves were anything but.

Couples spread out on yoga mats, chatting and stretching while an instructor-Claire, as she introduced herself-flitted around, adjusting props and greeting everyone.

Sarah set up our mat near the middle of the room, flashing me a reassuring smile. "This'll be fun," she said, as if reading my mind.

"Fun, sure," I muttered, tugging at my shirt. It suddenly felt too tight, or maybe that was just my anxiety talking.

Claire started the class with some light stretches and breathing exercises. "Focus on connecting with your partner," she said, her voice as soothing as the background music. "This is about building trust and preparing for the journey ahead."

Trust, I had in spades. Flexibility, not so much. As we moved through the stretches, I felt like a tin man in desperate need of oil.

Sarah, on the other hand, looked effortless, her movements smooth and confident despite her growing bump.

great," she whispered, though I caught the amusement in her

to lower into a squat without my legs giving out. "I'm practically

on to partner exercises, things got interesting. One drill involved holding Sarah's hands

actually leaned, and

Sarah exclaimed, clutching my hands tighter as she

burning. "I didn't think you'd learn

eyes crinkling at the corners. "I think that's the point,

to do better. For the next few minutes, I focused on getting it right, even if my arms felt like jelly by the

a relaxation exercise. Claire dimmed the lights and

holding your baby for the first time," she said, her voice soft and steady. "Feel the weight of them in your arms,

it felt strange at first. But then I saw it-a tiny bundle, delicate and perfect, nestled

my chest tighten, a mix of awe and a flicker of fear. Could I really

the class, Sarah and I lingered to thank Claire. She shared some practical tips for supporting Sarah during labor, like how to apply counterpressure for back

me with a grin. "You survived," she

but smile. "But hey, I learned a thing or

"Like what?"

over during a trust exercise," I said, earning a laugh from her. "And that I've got

into practice. She'd mentioned using a scarf for a stretching technique, and

the closet, finding an old scarf, and approached

for?" she asked, raising an

scarf around her back. "Claire

and the scarf slipped, snapping back like a rubber band. "Ow!" she said, though she

for that one," I admitted, tossing