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

trying to lower into a squat without my legs giving out.

partner exercises, things got interesting. One drill involved holding Sarah's hands while she leaned back slightly, a move designed to

seemed straightforward until she actually leaned, and I panicked,

exclaimed, clutching my hands tighter

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

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

on getting it right, even if my arms felt like

final part of the class was a relaxation exercise. Claire dimmed the

voice soft and steady. "Feel the

then I saw it-a

image was so vivid it made my chest tighten, a mix of awe and a flicker of fear. Could I really do this? Could I be the dad

supporting Sarah during labor, like how to apply counterpressure for back pain and the importance of staying calm under

turned to me with a grin. "You survived," she

I couldn't help but smile. "But

"Like what?"

said, earning a laugh from her. "And

I decided to put one of Claire's tips into practice. She'd mentioned using a scarf for

scarf, and approached Sarah, who was lounging on the couch with

she

said, draping the scarf around her back. "Claire said

too hard, and the scarf slipped, snapping back like

maybe I'm not quite ready for that one,"