Chapter 44: Home 2
"What happened!" Mr. Shepherd Sr. shouted, his voice filled with panic as the rest of the brothers gathered around, their faces tight with worry.
"I told you we needed to be careful," Stefan said, his tone firm yet concerned. "She doesn’t remember everything after she went missing."
Steve didn’t waste a second. He scooped Mara into his arms and carried her upstairs to her old room, moving with urgency but careful not to jostle her.
"Check on her, Stefan," Stanley whispered, his worry evident in his voice.
Stefan quickly assessed her, checking her blood pressure and pulse. After a moment, he exhaled in relief. "She’ll be fine. She’s pregnant, and the stress must have been too much for her. The memories, the shock, it was overwhelming. She just needs rest. She’ll wake up soon," he assured them as he packed away his medical tools.
A deep sigh of relief passed through the room, but then Mr. Shepherd Sr. chuckled, shaking his head.
"I’m truly blessed," he said with pride. "Imagine seeing my great-grandchildren before any of you have even settled down! None of you, at your age, have gotten married, let alone given me grandkids. But my Stafania... she has always been a blessing."
The brothers exchanged glances, a mixture of amusement and exasperation in their eyes. But at that moment, nothing mattered more than the fact that their lost sister was finally home.
Steve clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. His grandfather, Mr. Shepherd Sr., was still unwell, too frail to handle any stress. So for now, Steve swallowed his anger, keeping it buried deep inside.
"I’ll tell Maggie to make Stefania’s favorite food," Mr. Shepherd Sr. said cheerfully before walking out of the room, his steps lighter than they had been in years.
Stanley, however, wasn’t fooled. He caught the tension in Steve’s posture, the way his jaw tightened.