Chapter 90: Kicks of Hope
Mira’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected the baby to kick so suddenly. Of course, she had always felt the baby move before, those gentle shifts and flutters, but this was the first real, strong kick. She gasped, her hand instinctively flying to her belly. Did this mean the baby had heard her words? The thought warmed her heart, bringing a small, tentative smile to her lips.
For the first time in a while, she allowed herself to feel a glimmer of hope. The baby was really listening to her all this while, and so was this moment. It felt like a sign—a sign that she wasn’t alone after all.
As if on cue, her phone buzzed in her hand, and without thinking, she answered.
"Mira...hello, is this my wife?" Zamian’s deep, familiar voice came through the phone, soft but tinged with something she couldn’t quite place—concern.
The word "wife" sent a pang through her chest. He called her that, yet they were still on the verge of finalizing their divorce once he returned. Could he really mean it? Or was it just a word to him now, a reminder of a title that no longer held any meaning?
"Yes, it is," she replied, her voice soft and a little shaky, betraying the turmoil inside her.
There was a brief silence, and she could almost feel his hesitation through the phone. Finally, he spoke again, "How are you? How...is the baby?"
Mira froze. Zamian had asked about the baby. For the first time since they found out she was pregnant, he had actually shown interest. It was something she had been waiting for, hoping for, but now that the moment had come, she didn’t know how to respond.
"Fine..." she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper. Just before she could continue, the baby kicked again, stronger this time, as if to remind her that it was there, listening.