The morning light filtered through the curtains, golden and warm. Bella stirred slowly, blinking away sleep.
The bed beside her was empty—Lucas's side already cool, the faint scent of his cologne still clinging to the pillow.
She sat up slowly, hand instinctively brushing over her small baby bump.
Last night still lingered in her mind—not the near-kiss exactly, but the way he'd looked at her when she said she wasn't ready. The way he didn't push. The way he simply said, "Then I'll wait."
She didn't know what to make of it all. But for once, she wasn't overthinking. She was just… warm. And a little nervous. And maybe, kind of looking forward to seeing him again.
The house smelled faintly of coffee, butter, and something sweet—maybe cinnamon. Rachel's giggles echoed faintly from the kitchen.
Bella padded down barefoot, still in her oversized t-shirt and shorts. She paused at the kitchen doorway.
Lucas was crouched beside Rachel, helping her press a cookie cutter into some rolled-out dough. Both were wearing matching aprons—his was half on, and Rachel's was smeared with flour and jelly.
"I want to make a bunny!" Rachel declared.
"You already made five bunnies," Lucas pointed out, grinning. "Let's try a star."
"But bunnies are lucky," she said solemnly.
Bella leaned against the doorframe, warmth flooding her chest. For a moment, she let herself imagine that this wasn't just a marriage for a reason.
Just... life. Simple, soft, and real.
Lucas looked up and spotted her. A small smile curved his lips.
"Morning, sleeping beauty."
Rachel turned, eyes lighting up. "Mama! Dada's making bunny cookies with me!"
Bella stepped in. "I can see that. And Dada's also very generous with flour, apparently."
Lucas glanced at his apron. "I'm expanding my skill set."
Rachel held up a floury star proudly. "We're gonna bake these for the baby too!"
Bella blinked. Her heart stuttered. "For the baby?"
Rachel nodded with absolute certainty. "So the baby knows we love them already." Bella's chest tightened in that familiar, aching way. Rachel's love—pure and unfiltered—seemed to wrap around all of them.
Lucas didn't say anything—but Bella saw the way his expression softened. Like he'd been hit by something gentle and unstoppable all at once.
---
Later, as Rachel colored at the dining table, Bella found herself beside Lucas in the hallway, wiping flour off his sleeve.
"I didn't expect that," she said quietly.
"Rachel's smarter than we give her credit for," he replied.
"No—I mean... this."
She gestured vaguely to the house, the smell of cookies, the way his presence filled the space.
Lucas tilted his head. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? Someone here?"
Bella met his eyes. "Yes. But I didn't expect it to be you."
There it was again—that charged silence. Not awkward. Not heavy. Just… waiting.
Lucas reached up, brushing a speck of flour from her cheek. "You still don't know what to do with me, do you?"
Bella smiled faintly. "Not entirely."
He leaned in a little—not close enough to touch, but enough to make her breath catch.
"Figure it out slowly," he murmured. "I'm not going anywhere."
And just like that, he stepped back—leaving her heart slightly too full.
After breakfast, Lucas surprised them both by declaring, "We're going out today."
Bella tilted her head. "Out where?"
He just grinned. "You'll see."
Rachel squealed with excitement, running to her room to get dressed. Bella, on the other hand, watched him with narrowed eyes. "You're being suspicious."
"Trust me," he said, already packing fruit, sandwiches, and drinks into a woven picnic basket. "I even got up early and made the food myself. No poison. Probably."
"Reassuring," she deadpanned.
---
By midday, they were driving down a quiet, tree-lined road. Rachel sang nonsense songs in the backseat, and Bella stole a glance at Lucas at the wheel—relaxed, one hand on the wheel, sunglasses on, humming along softly.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him like this. Or anyone, really.
When they pulled into a sun-dappled park with an open field, trees lining the edges, and wildflowers blooming everywhere, Bella's breath caught.
"This is beautiful," she said.
Lucas smiled, setting down the picnic baskets. "Only the best for the queen and the bunny princess."
"I still don't understand why we needed two baskets," Bella teased, watching Lucas carry both down the grassy hill like a walking gourmet store.
Lucas glanced back. "Because someone said they were craving both sandwiches and fruit salad. And cupcakes. And juice. And—"
"Alright, alright," she laughed. "Pregnancy cravings are not to be questioned."
Rachel came bounding ahead of them, her little pink sunhat bouncing with each step. "Dada! I saw a butterfly!"
Lucas set the baskets down under the tall oak tree and crouched beside her. "Did it wave at you?"
Rachel giggled. "Nooo! Butterflies don't wave."
"Not with their hands," he said solemnly. "But their wings say hi."
They found a soft patch under an oak tree, where Rachel instantly claimed a corner of the blanket and began unpacking the cupcakes like she was on a mission.
Lucas passed Bella a container of mango slices. "Don't say I don't know your cravings."
She took one, letting the sweet, juicy flavor melt on her tongue. "Okay, I'll admit, you're improving."
Rachel ran back with her stuffed bear. "Look! Bear wants to eat cupcakes too!"
Bella shook her head with a laugh. "We're raising a sugar monster."
Lucas leaned toward her. "Could be worse. She could be raising bears."
Hours passed in soft laughter and sunshine.
Rachel chased butterflies, Lucas got caught in a stick sword fight he didn't win, and Bella… she watched.
Watched the man she once thought was only chaos and secrets become something else.
Not perfect. But present. Gentle. Real.
Later, they all lay under the tree again. Rachel curled between them, sticky fingers and wild curls and exhaustion finally taking over.
Lucas turned his head toward Bella. "She'll remember this, you know."
Bella looked down at her daughter. "I hope so."
He didn't look away. "You will too."
There was a pause. The kind that made you feel everything and say nothing.
He reached over and brushed a leaf from her hair. His hand lingered, but she didn't move. Didn't flinch.
They didn't speak after that. Just laid there. Together.
The sun hung low. The day faded slow.
And between them, something invisible—but undeniable—kept growing stronger.
By the time they returned home, the golden hue of the afternoon had faded into the dusky blue of early evening. Rachel had fallen asleep in the car with a melted cupcake still on her fingers. Lucas carried her inside, her cheek smushed against his shoulder, while Bella cleaned up the picnic remnants and tucked the blanket away.
It was quiet. Not heavy—just… peaceful.
Rachel stirred slightly as Lucas laid her gently on the couch, her stuffed bunny still clutched in one hand. She didn't wake.
Bella headed into the kitchen and began sorting out dinner. She wasn't trying anything fancy—just something warm, comforting. A lentil vegetable soup. Buttered bread rolls. And her favorite lemon rice she hadn't made in weeks.
She chopped vegetables while humming softly under her breath. From the corner of her eye, she saw Lucas settle on the living room couch, a glass of water beside him, his laptop open on his lap.
His fingers tapped rhythmically across the keyboard, his brows furrowed just slightly. But he was here. Not out at meetings. Not disappearing for hours.
Just here. With them.
That alone made the kitchen feel warmer.
Rachel, now half-awake, scooted onto the carpet and began assembling her toys into a castle kingdom. "Mama, this is the princess room. But the queen's room is yours. And Dada's is the dragon."
Bella laughed as she stirred the pot. "Why is Dada the dragon?"
"Because he snores when he's asleep! Like this—" Rachel puffed dramatically, blowing air through her cheeks.
Lucas didn't even look up from his laptop. "It's called breathing."
Bella grinned. "Sure. Especially the snorting part."
Lucas smirked but kept typing. "I'll have you know, dragons are majestic creatures."
Rachel gasped. "Dada's a nice dragon. Not a scary one!"
"See?" Lucas nodded without glancing away from his screen. "I have support."
Bella shook her head, amused. "It's two against one in this house. I better start training the baby to back me up."
From the living room, she heard Lucas pause. Then quietly, "They already do."
She didn't respond. But her fingers stilled just briefly over the cutting board.
Twenty minutes later, the scent of turmeric and garlic filled the kitchen. Bella tasted the soup, adjusted the salt, and set the table.
Lucas had closed his laptop by then, watching Rachel arrange her toy soldiers around a teacup. His expression was unreadable—but softer than she'd ever seen it in his so-called "business mode."
She called them over, and Lucas rose, lifting Rachel easily into one arm while she insisted the queen bunny join them for dinner.
They sat—like any other family. Laughing over soup, arguing over who got the last roll, listening to Rachel narrate dramatic stories about her plush kingdom.
Looking at him, Bella felt… anchored. Not just by the routine. But by the quiet understanding settling between her and Lucas.
He wasn't asking anything of her. Not tonight. But his presence alone said enough.