Page 140 of Married to My Sis’s Bratva Fiancé

Her pupils widened. "The doctor said you can't strain yourself."

"I can use my right hand."

"After you heal," she said.

Then she turned and bolted out of the bathroom.

A week later, for the prenatal appointment, I had Feodor confirm the doctor's credentials, the hospital entrances, the parking layout, and the emergency routes.

He set the file on the table. "Are you accompanying your wife to an appointment, sir, or are you planning to occupy the hospital?"

"Those aren't mutually exclusive."

"I'll remind security not to bring rifles into the waiting room."

His gaze slid to the five parenting books spread out on the table. Three were bristling with tabs. The other two I'd bought because they contradicted the first three and I needed to cross-check.

Elena said pregnancy wasn't an organized war. It didn't require twelve contingency plans.

I'd cut it down to eight.

In the waiting room, I wrote an eleventh question in my notebook. Elena glanced over.

"How soon after birth can babies recognize color?" she read. "Isn't that a little early?"

"Education can't wait until he's born."

"He's smaller than my palm right now."

"All the more reason to start ahead."

She leaned back in her chair. "Poor kid."

"He'll get the best."

"Including a schedule planned before he even exists?"

I closed the notebook. "If you don't like it, you can cut it down."

She blinked, caught off guard.

The old me would've told her what was right. I still wanted to stuff every unknown into a plan, but I was starting to remember this child belongs to us.

Elena laid her hand over my notebook. "Don't cut it. Just... leave him a little freedom."

"Like you?" I asked.

"Preferably earlier than I got it."

The words dug straight into my chest.

"He will," I said. "He'll have it."

In the exam room, the doctor moved the probe. Then a rapid, steady heartbeat filled the space.

I went still.

Elena squeezed my hand. Tears shone in her eyes, but she smiled anyway.