LAVENDER POV
Lavender hated hospitals, even though it had become a second home for her, since she got pregnant. The smell clean, but sharp made her stomach churn long before the nausea did. The soft beeping of machines, the muted footsteps in hallways, the way time seemed to stretch and fold in on itself inside white walls it all made her feel small. Exposed. As if every fear she carried had been laid out under fluorescent lights for inspection.
She sat on the edge of the examination bed, fingers clenched together in her lap, breathing slowly the way the nurse had instructed. In. Out. Calm. Even though calm felt like a language she no longer spoke fluently.
Alex stood near the window, jacket off, sleeves rolled to his forearms. He wasn’t pretending to be relaxed. Lavender could tell. He
