CHAPTER FIFTY SIX

          THIS WAS NOT HAPPENING. Lucy wanted the world to swallow her whole the moment those words left his mouth. Her head was spinning and she was shaking her head absentmindedly as she glanced away from him. She felt disconnected from her own body, like she was floating somewhere far away from this moment. 

Pregnant. Yeah, abso-fucking-lutely not.

The word echoed in her mind, hollow and surreal. She barely registered Rio speaking again, his voice distant as she sat frozen, her heart pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears.

"I'll take care of everything," he murmured, standing up slowly. "just sit tight, okay? I'll be right back."

The brunette didn't respond to him, she barely heard him say anything at all. It didn't make sense. She was a nurse, she knew her body, knew the signs and this didn't feel like that. It couldn't be. She was on the pill, religiously careful about it, never missing a dose. 

She felt sick, yes, but that was just it, sick. There was no way she could be pregnant. Her body wasn't telling her that. It was just nausea, a bug, stress catching up with her. Anything but that.

Rio hesitated for a moment before leaving the bathroom. She heard him talking quietly with Juan and Mick in the living room, offering some vague excuse about her coming down with a sudden fever or flu. It didn't matter what he said. She was grateful that he was handling it. She couldn't face anyone right now.

The distant sound of the front door closing signaled that they were finally gone, but Lucy didn't move. She remained seated on the cold bathroom floor, her back pressed against the edge of the tub, knees drawn up to her chest. She couldn't bring herself to get up or even think beyond the gnawing sensation of panic in her stomach.

Her stomach was still hurting and she absentmindedly rested the palm of her hand against her abdomen. 

Rio reappeared, stepping quietly into the room. His gaze softened as he saw her, still curled up on the floor, looking as if the weight of the world had crushed her into this tiny space. He didn't say anything at first, just walked over and sat down beside her, leaning back against the tub. His presence felt comforting, even as the silence between them stretched.

Lucy's throat tightened, but she didn't speak. She didn't even know where to begin. 

The world felt like it was tilting sideways and she was clinging to the only stable thing there, Rio, sitting there next to her, just being there.

"I'm not pregnant." she broke the silence, gaze focused on her hands.

Rio turned his head toward her, his brow furrowed but his expression calm. He didn't argue with her right away, just watched her as she continued to stare at her hands, her knuckles pale from how tightly she had them clasped together.

"I'm on the pill. I can't be pregnant." Lucy muttered, her voice more convincing than she felt. She was saying it aloud, more to reassure herself than him. She needed it to be true.

He nodded slowly, still quiet, the silence heavy in the air. "I know," he said after a moment, his voice soft, "but sometimes... even when you're careful... things happen." He didn't say it with any hint of accusation, just fact. His voice held no judgment, only concern.

Lucy took a deep breath, trying to shake off the dread that had settled deep in her bones. She offered Rio a weak smile, though it barely reached her eyes. "I'm just sick," she said quietly, as if saying it enough times would make it true. "I'll be fine by tomorrow."

Rio didn't respond, his eyes following her every move as she slowly got to her feet. A grimace flashed across her face as she steadied herself and for a brief second, he looked like he wanted to help her up but he stayed seated, watching as she made her way to the sink.

The brunette grabbed her toothbrush and squeezed minty paste onto it with shaky hands before brushing her teeth, trying to scrub away the sour taste from her earlier vomiting spell. Her movements were slow and deliberate, to try and push away the gnawing uncertainty that still lingered in the back of her mind.

Lucy spit out the toothpaste, rinsing her mouth before splashing cold water on her face. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror—pale, tired. She couldn't even look at herself for long. 

Without a word, she left him there on the bathroom floor, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as she walked out. Her body ached, but she kept moving, as if standing still for too long would force her to confront everything she was trying to avoid.

Rio watched her go, his heart heavy. He sighed, pushing himself up from the floor and following her, his footsteps quiet but steady as he trailed her into the living room. He wasn't going to push her, but he wasn't going to leave her alone either. Not like this.

As Lucy reached the living room, she slumped down on the couch, exhaustion pulling at her body. She pressed her hands against her temples, trying to will away the pain in her stomach. The room felt too quiet, the tension between them growing thicker with every second Rio stood there behind her, watching.

"Why are you still following me?" she snapped suddenly, her voice harsher then she intended.

The words hung in the air like a slap and the moment they left her lips, regret flooded through her. She hadn't meant to take it out on him.

"I—" She swallowed hard, the sharpness in her tone softening as she spoke again. "I'm sorry, Chris. I didn't mean to..." Her voice trailed off as she dropped her face into her hands, her elbows digging into her knees. "I don't know why I keep doing that."

She took a deep and shaky breath, her heart racing as the pressure inside her built. She could feel the panic creeping in, rising in her chest like a tidal wave she couldn't hold back anymore. "I just... I don't know what to do." Her voice cracked, the raw fear leaking out into the open. "I don't know how to fix this. What if i'm really pregnant? I can't -"

Rio didn't hesitate. He sat down beside her on the couch, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and gently pulling her into his side. His fingers found their way into her hair, brushing through the strands in slow, calming strokes. "Shhh," he murmured, his voice soothing, soft against the storm of her emotions. "It's okay, Luce. You're okay."

She collapsed into his embrace, her body trembling slightly as she pressed her face against his chest. The warmth of his touch, the steady rhythm of his breathing—it was the only thing keeping her somewhat sane in that moment, keeping her from falling apart completely.

The brunette's breath hitched as she pressed her cheek harder against his chest, her voice barely a whisper. "What if I really am?" Her fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly. "Would you be mad? Could we even make this work?"

He pulled her closer, his lips brushing her temple as he whispered, "Shh, ma. I'm not mad at you. I could never be mad at you for this."

Her heart pounded in her chest, the panic only partially soothed by his words. "But do you even want this? Do you want... a child with me?" She lifted her head slightly, meeting his gaze, her eyes filled with worry. "You already have Marcus and I don't know if I'm even ready—what if it's too much? Especially now with everything that happened?"

Rio's expression softened as he looked down at her, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. "Luce, listen to me." His voice was steady, filled with a calm resolve. "If you are pregnant, we'll figure it out. We'll take it one day at a time."

She stared at him, searching his face for any trace of doubt or hesitation, but all she found was the unwavering support she knew she didn't deserve. "Do you even want to have another kid, though? With me?" The vulnerability in her voice surprised her.

He felt horrible for the way she looked and sounded, so insecure, and he traced soothing circles over her skin. "Lucy," he said, his voice full of sincerity. "I never really thought about it, but yeah, I would. I wouldn't want to have a kid with anyone else. Marcus would love to have a sibling, and we'll figure out the rest as it comes."

His words wrapped around her and relief flooded through her veins. Rio gave her a small, lopsided grin, adding, "You already sorta live with me anyway. What's a little more chaos?"

Lucy rolled her eyes, the tension in her chest loosening slightly as she let out a breathy laugh. "You're impossible," she muttered, smacking his chest lightly.

He caught her hand and kissed her knuckles, the smile never leaving his face. "And yet, here you are." He glanced toward the kitchen island with the plates of uneaten food on them. "Alright, how about we get some food in our systems? You need your strength. I'll heat it up."

The idea of eating didn't exactly appeal to her after what had happened, but she knew he was right. She couldn't keep running on empty.

"And tomorrow," Rio continued. "we'll go to the doctor and figure this out for sure. No more guessing, no more stressing. Okay?"

She looked at him, the sincerity in his eyes wrapping around her like a safety net. "Okay," she whispered, letting out a shaky breath. "Tomorrow."

i wish i found someone like him ngl