Divine Affinity

59

Eddie took a deep breath and slipped the ring back into his pocket. Eiry did not even imagined he carried that part of them with him almost every day for the past eight years. He turned around and prepared to join her again. As he walked down the corridor, his mind raced with thoughts of her, his heart swelling with a mix of love and anxiety. The hospital hallway was a blur around him, the sterile scent and muted colors fading into the background as he focused on her. His palms were clammy, and he wiped them on his jeans, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach. Reaching the door to Eiry's room, he paused for a moment, gathering his courage. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. The soft hum of the IV pump filled the room, blending with the quiet beeps of the monitoring equipment. Eiry was lying in bed, her eyes closed, her face serene. As she heard him enter, her eyes fluttered open, and a smile spread across her face, lighting up the room with its warmth.

"Hey, you." She greeted softly. Her voice filled with affection.

"Hey!" Eddie felt his heart skip a beat at her smile.

It was the same smile that had captured his heart so many years ago, and seeing it now, despite everything they had been through, made his resolve even stronger. He walked over to her, each step measured, as if savoring the moment. Reaching her bedside, he leaned down, his hand gently cupping her cheek. Their eyes met, and he pressed his lips to her. As he pulled back, Eiry's eyes searched his face, sensing the undercurrent of nervous energy in his demeanor. She tilted her head slightly, her smile turning inquisitive.

"Are you ok, boo? You seem... different." She asked. Eddie chuckled softly, a mix of nerves and excitement bubbling up inside him.

"Different good or different bad?" He asked, trying to keep his tone light.

"Different... like you have something on your mind." She replied, her eyes twinkling with curiosity and concern.

He took a deep breath, his thumb unconsciously brushing the outline of the ring through the fabric of his pocket.

"I was so scared when I got that call..." He said, his voice steadying with each word. After all he was not lying. Eiry's hand reached out to his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I was too." Eiry whispered. Then, she smiled. "But all is ok, and we've seen our little pea."

"All is gonna be different this time." Eddie held her hand in between his. "Our pea is gonna be born. We're gonna be fine. We're gonna have all we've always dreamed of."

"I thought you already had that." She teased him. However, he shook his head.

"I love music. But it can't be compared to how much I love you and how much I want you in my life."

"Why are you like this?" She blinked her eyes trying not to cry. "I hate you for this sometimes. I'm pregnant. My hormones are all over the place..." Eddie chuckled.

"It's our dream, love. Our dream..."

"I know." Eiry affirmed and he smiled at her. "I want to live one day at the time and try not to think about the worst, and I know I have the perfect person to help me with that by my side."

"I wasn't always that perfect person..." A pang of regret in his voice.

"Hey..." She squeezed his hand. "We're past that, right?" She looked up into his blue eyes. "We lived it. We tried to heal it. We talked about it and now we're past it. You even told me, you're not that person anymore." Eddie nodded.

"But it's hard to forgive myself for it, love." He confessed. Eiry felt her heart skip a beat. "What kind of a man leaves his wife alone in the hospital after losing what we wanted the most?"