51| A Healing Journey

After what felt like ages to Sophie and Lily, their mother was finally well enough to be discharged from the hospital.

Sophie was at the flower shop, finishing up an order while glancing at the clock every few minutes. She couldn't wait to pick up her mom and finally bring her home.

As she was tying the final ribbon, Mia walked in, casually perching herself on the counter.

She watched Sophie work for a moment before asking—

"Will you be leaving soon?"

Sophie nodded, not bothering to hide the hint of excitement in her voice.

"Yeah, Ethan will be picking me up."

Mia smiled. "I'm so glad Martha is finally feeling better. I hated seeing her in the hospital."

Sophie sighed, pausing for a moment, her face softening.

"God, me too."

She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"I feel like I can finally breathe now. I didn't want to say it before, but managing the flower shop while worrying about Mom... it was so hard. I even thought about closing it for a while."

She shook her head, then added—

"But Mom would have felt bad, so Lily and I decided to power through."

"You guys were amazing. I don't know how you managed," Mia said, admiration in her tone.

Sophie let out a small, tired laugh.

"Honestly? It's all thanks to you and the food you made us."

She smirked.

"What did you put in those meals? I swear, every time I ate, I felt my energy come back."

Mia waved her off. "Oh, stop it, Soph. It was the least I could do."

Then, her expression turned teasing, and she wiggled her eyebrows.

"But I'm sure having a rich and handsome husband helped even more."

Sophie flushed immediately, trying—and failing—to hide her smile.

"Stop teasing me," she mumbled, nudging Mia's arm.

Mia smirked. "I mean, am I wrong?"

Sophie sighed, her lips curving into a smile. "Ethan was wonderful. As always."

Mia clutched her chest dramatically. "Ugh, stop before I die from sweetness overload."

Then, she peeked out the window and smirked.

"Speaking of Mr. Perfect... I think your husband is here."

Sophie spun around, spotting Ethan's car pulling up outside.

Her heart did that stupid little flutter again.

She hurriedly gathered her things.

"Will you close the shop for me? I don't think we'll be coming back today."

Mia waved her off.

"Of course, what are friends for? Just tell Martha I'll come visit her at home, okay?"

Sophie was already halfway out the door, but she turned back, calling—

"Of course! Love you, Mia!"

The crisp air greeted her as she stepped outside. Ethan leaned casually against the car, waiting for her, and as soon as their eyes met, his smile deepened.

"Hey," he greeted, opening his arms.

Sophie walked straight into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist as he held her close.

For a brief moment, all the stress of the past few weeks melted away in the safety of his arms.

"Hey," she murmured against his chest.

She felt the steady rise and fall of his breath, the comforting warmth of him, and it soothed her in ways words never could.

"I can't believe Mom's finally coming home."

Her voice was filled with relief, like she was finally allowing herself to process everything.

Ethan pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"I know," he said.

His voice was calm, reassuring, like he never doubted this moment would come.

"It's been a tough time, but she's strong."

Sophie nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Ready to go?" Ethan asked.

"Absolutely," Sophie said, slipping her hand into his as they got into the car.

As Ethan started the engine, Sophie exhaled deeply, finally allowing herself to let go of the stress she had been holding in.

Finally—

After everything—

They had gotten through it somehow.

She glanced at Ethan, watching as he drove with quiet focus, one hand still holding hers, absentmindedly tracing circles with his thumb.

Her heart swelled with relief, gratitude... and something more.

She realized—

She wasn't just grateful for Ethan's help.

She was grateful for him.

For what they had.

For the way he had been there through it all.

Was it relief?

Was it gratitude?

Whatever it was—

It filled her completely.

*******

By the time they arrived at the hospital, Lily was already waiting at the entrance, arms crossed, an amused smirk playing on her lips.

"What took you guys so long? Were you two flirting in the car?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.

Sophie rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Oh, please, Lily."

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head as he asked, "Is Martha ready to go?"

"Raring to go," Lily replied.

"The service here wasn't bad, but she prefers her own bed very much."

Sophie laughed.

"Lily, you know this wasn't a hotel, right?"

When they entered the hospital room, Martha was already dressed and ready, sitting upright, a warm smile on her face.

Sophie felt her heart swell at the sight.

"Mom, it's finally time," Sophie said, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Martha sighed happily, her expression tender.

"I can't wait to go home."

Before leaving, Sophie and Lily spoke with the nurses, who provided final instructions on medication schedules, dietary restrictions, and necessary precautions.

They took notes, double-checked everything, making sure they had all the information they needed.

"Thank you for everything," Lily said warmly, giving one of the nurses a quick hug.

The nurse blinked in surprise, before smiling kindly.

"You're welcome. She'll be just fine."

Turning to Sophie, Lily grinned.

"Now, don't worry, Sophie. I've got this. I'll make sure Mom takes her medications and follows all the instructions."

Sophie arched an eyebrow, her lips twitching.

"Oh, I wasn't worried."

Lily gasped, clutching her chest dramatically.

"Is this it? Is this the moment they were talking about?"

She wiped fake tears from her eyes.

"The big sister finally trusting the little sister moment? I never thought I'd live to see the day!"

Sophie groaned, shaking her head.

"Why do you have to be so dramatic?"

"I never thought I'd say this," Martha whispered to Ethan, "but I think I actually missed their bickering."

Ethan smiled, watching the exchange fondly. "I can see that."

"The ones they did in the past few days just weren't authentic," Martha joked, a twinkle of humor in her eyes.

Then, her gaze turned to Ethan, her expression growing serious.

"I suppose this is a good time to thank you, Ethan."

Her eyes softened.

"Aside from getting me this fancy private room, thank you for helping Sophie. I always worry about giving her too many burdens... I feel like I already gave her enough."

Her voice held a quiet sadness, her eyes watching her daughters continue to tease each other.

Ethan turned to her, his voice gentle but firm.

"You don't have to thank me."

He looked over at Sophie, watching as she laughed at something Lily said.

"She's done so much for me, and what I've done for her doesn't even compare."

His words were genuine, heartfelt, leaving no room for doubt.

Martha's lips curled into a knowing smile.

"I see why she likes you."

Ethan chuckled, feeling a warmth spread through his chest.

Sophie, however, turned red immediately.

"Mom!" she yelped, her face heating.

Martha ignored her completely.

"Alright, girls, enough bickering. Let's go home."

"Finally," Lily sighed in mock exasperation.

Once Martha was seated in the wheelchair, they pushed her down the hospital corridor toward the exit.

The drive back was quiet but filled with relief.

As Ethan pulled into the driveway of their family home, Lily was the first to step out, moving to help their mother.

She opened the door, her voice soft and affectionate.

"We're home, Mom."

Martha let out a deep sigh, looking around at the familiar house she had built a life in.

"It's good to be home."

Inside, they helped Martha get settled, making sure she was comfortable. The house was in need of some tidying, and they hadn't had time to cook, so they quickly fell into their routine—cleaning, preparing dinner, making sure everything felt normal again.

And Ethan?

He fit right in, rolling up his sleeves to help without hesitation.

He cleaned, helped carry things, and did it all so naturally—

Like he had always been a part of their home.

Maybe it was because this was Sophie's family—

But he always felt a deep satisfaction in seeing them together and happy.

Even if he hadn't grown up in a family like this, even if his own childhood had been nothing like theirs—

He liked being here.

More than he could ever put into words.

After dinner at her mother's house, Sophie and Ethan finally headed back to their own home.

Sophie was exhausted. All she wanted was a hot shower and the comfort of her own bed.

As they stepped inside, she kicked off her shoes with a sigh. "Finally," she murmured, feeling some of the past days' weight begin to lift.

Ethan let out a tired chuckle, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, it's been a long week."

His voice was low, drained, but there was a warmth to it too—like he was grateful to finally be home with her.

Sophie took a few steps forward, but then—

She stopped.

Her brows furrowed.

She turned toward the living room, eyes narrowing.

"...I'm not crazy, right? But... does this couch look different?"

Ethan smirked, looking way too casual as he shrugged.

"Oh yeah, I told them to get a more comfortable one."

His eyes twinkled as he glanced at her.

"You always seem to love falling asleep here."

Sophie blinked in surprise, warmth blooming in her chest at his thoughtfulness. "You did that for me?"

Then a realization hit her, and she gasped dramatically. "Wait. Does this mean you won't carry me to bed anymore?"

Ethan arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"Hold on... You did that on purpose?"

His lips twitched, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Sophie just grinned, not denying it.

Chuckling, Ethan shook his head. "No, it just means I don't want you getting a sore neck while you wait for me to carry you to bed."

Sophie laughed, but for some reason, she also felt like crying.

Why?

Because her feelings were overwhelming.

Because he was so thoughtful, so kind, so unbelievably lovable—

And she wanted to tell him.

She wanted to say the words she had been too afraid to say before.

"Do you want to test it out?" Ethan asked, breaking her thoughts.

She nodded, already making her way to the couch, and collapsed onto it. "Oh, this is nice," she mumbled, melting into the plush cushions.

She stretched her arms above her head, sinking deeper into the cushions.

"Come sit."

She patted the seat beside her, looking up at Ethan with bright eyes.

Ethan sat down, and the moment he did, Sophie leaned against him, her head resting against his chest.

The warmth of him, the steady rise and fall of his breath—

She closed her eyes, reveling in it.

Ethan, without hesitation, wrapped an arm around her, pulling her even closer.

"Thank you, Ethan," she whispered, more to herself than to him.

For everything.

For taking care of her mom.

For taking care of her.

For being here.

For making her fall for him more and more each day.

Ethan pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"Thank you, Sophie."

Neither of them moved.

Neither of them wanted to move.

As the room grew quieter, their exhaustion finally caught up with them.

And there, in the soft glow of the evening, on their new couch—

They fell asleep together.

Their bodies naturally gravitating toward each other.

Perfectly at home in each other's arms.

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