49. Chapter 49
A ria
Lule and Rahul had to leave in the morning.
Their bags were packed before breakfast, their car idling in the drive as they said their goodbyes outside the Lion's Mane Inn.
There wasn't much talking, just tight hugs and a silent conversation between sisters that didn't need words.
Lule, however, couldn't help herself in the end.
She wiped quickly at one eye, then turned to Crispin with narrowed eyes. "Honestly, why did your mum name you Crispin? Did she lose a bet? That's a full ten out of ten on the douche-o-meter."
Crispin, who'd been loitering near the porch like an obedient retriever, took the hit as he always did recently with an easy smile.
But this time, he stepped forward. "The day you become my sister-in-law," he said evenly to Lule, "I'll have immunity. And then it's game on."
Lule blinked and then snorted. "Game on, Crispy. But fair warning, I don't like to lose."
Rahul sagely agreed .
She turned to Aria and hugged her fiercely. "Give him hell," she whispered only for her ears. "But don't forget to give him a chance."
Then she was gone.
Surprisingly, Aria's eyes stayed dry as she watched the car disappear up the winding road.
Crispin came to stand beside her. Gently, his fingers brushed against the back of her hand. She didn't move away. He took a little more liberty and his hand closed around hers, light but certain.
"She'll be back," he said. "She's like black mould. Impossible to get rid of."
Aria gave a short, surprised snort of laughter and looked up at him. "Let's go," she said, softly. "We've got an appointment."
Outside, a sleek silver Jaguar sat gleaming in the car park.
She blinked at him. "This isn't yours."
He gave her a sheepish grin. "The magic of the internet...and money. "
The drive to the district hospital was quiet. The Welsh countryside rolled past them, lush and green, speckled with sheep and white-washed cottages. He kept sneaking glances at her when he thought she wouldn't notice while Aria pretended like she didn't.
At the maternity unit, she was guided to a changing area. Crispin waited outside the scan room, hands in his pockets, trying to look calm and failing miserably.
When she reappeared in the hospital gown, he stood straighter.
The sonographer-a woman with steel-grey hair, smile lines around her eyes, and the calm confidence of someone who had done this thousands of times-greeted them warmly.
"And you are?" she asked, glancing at Crispin.
Before Aria could say anything, he said proudly, "I'm the dad." There was a nervous smile in his voice.
The woman smiled gently and patted the bed. "Alright then, let's have a look."
Aria lay back. The gown was raised over her growing belly.
Crispin had not seen her naked in a while, and she could feel his intense interest in the changes in her body .
"Cold gel coming," the sonographer warned.
Aria flinched as the icy gel squirted onto her skin, followed by the pressure of the probe. Thank God she no longer needed to drink the equivalent of a barrel of water.
The screen flickered to life. Crispin moved closer, staring with fascination.
"This is the anomaly scan," the sonographer explained. "We're looking at the baby's brain, spine, kidneys, limbs, and heart. We check the placenta and amniotic fluid, and take measurements, too."
She moved the probe with practiced precision.
Crispin stared, eyes wide with wonder.
"There's the head," the sonographer said. "Good size. Here's the spine, beautifully aligned. See this? That's the stomach. Kidneys...right there." She pointed at the screen. "And now...the heart."
"Do you want to hear it?"
They both nodded eagerly. Aria's lips parted in a soft gasp. Crispin just froze.
A rhythm filled the room. Rapid, fierce.
Whoop-whoop-whoop-whoop .
"Just a moment," he said, fumbling for his phone. "I need to record this."
The sonographer gave a knowing smile. She waited for a second as he recorded that epic moment.
"Heart chambers look normal. Great vessels are clear. Here's the diaphragm. Oh, look here. That little flash is the lens of the eye."
She showed them every angle-tiny fingers, tiny toes, flexing limbs, perfect symmetry.
"The placenta is a little low lying, and we will need another scan later. It may migrate as the uterus expands. Everything looks good. Just watch for any bleeding," she said finally. "Do you want to know the sex?"
They both looked at each other. Aria hesitated, Crispin raised an eyebrow.
"No," she said. "I would like for it to be a surprise."
He nodded, his expression softened by bliss and a slow smile creeping onto his face.
The woman handed Aria a few tissues. "All looks fine. Your baby's doing beautifully."
They stepped out into the corridor, the printed scan tucked between them .
Aria paused just outside the hospital doors, one hand drifting instinctively to her belly.
She felt it then-the fluttering that was a constant comfort, like the baby was speaking to her. A tiny kick.
She gasped quietly, hand pressing down.
Crispin's eyes followed her gesture. "What is it?"
"Do you want to feel the baby move?"
"Yes...yes, of course I do. Yes."
She took his hand, guided it to her belly, and held it there.
There it was. Another kick.
He went still, as if bracing himself in that moment and hoping for another one.
Aria's heart ached as she watched him. She wasn't ready to forgive him yet.
But from the look on his face, there was no doubt in her mind that this child would have his heart.
She wouldn't deny him this, not when her parents had been denied a lifetime with their children.