Barbara felt a lump forming in her throat as they walked, the air between them thick with unspoken words. The sudden tension caught her off guard, and she was unsure how to navigate the distance that had crept in.
“Wait,” she murmured, her frustration giving way to exhaustion. “I need to do the prenatal check-up before we go home.”
Lycus paused, his brow furrowing slightly as he processed her words. His eyes dropped momentarily to her swollen belly, a look of concern flickering across his face. “Okay.”
Barbara sighed, her shoulders sagging in relief. “Let’s go. I haven’t done it in a week. Better safe than sorry.”
He nodded, his hand instinctively reaching out but stopping short of hers. “Let’s go,” he said softly, his tone more neutral, but Barbara felt the weight of the hesitation li
