her heart sinks, ears ringing from the bitterness steeped in his tone and the omission of what he almost said, fairly certain the term wife would've slipped out if he hadn't held his tongue just in time. you're still important to me. she can feel how deeply he means each word, spoken not as an offhand statement, but as an ever-present truth. it's one she echoes, a shared sentiment that not even divorce can shake. but saying it back would only do more damage than good right now, in case it gets misconstrued for affection. they've come a long way in their divorce proceedings, have made countless strides in finding their way forward after separating, that she'd hate for a regression. though he raises an extremely valid point β how is she meant to look after a newborn and work to support the both of them on her own? she broke the news to nicolas because he deserved to know, but she never expected how supportive and present he wanted to be. he'd always been a giver, the kind of person who looked out for others ahead of himself; hence, why she fell in love with the man in the first place. in an ideal world, they'd still be married, happily so, and the baby would be looked at as an unforeseen miracle. though it's a stretch to call him or her a problem as she mistakenly did earlier, it's definitely an obstacle, bound to make life challenging in more ways than one. "we don't have to figure it out all at once," she reminds him, tone soft with reassurance. suddenly, theodora feels a renewed sense of appreciation for the career she chose. it gives her a major leg up, the knowledge on how to care for infants practically embedded in her psyche. they'll both be first-time parents, and there's still much to learn, things she's sure she'll pick up hands-on β but it's a comfort to know she has over a decade of experience with newborns that'll come in handy when the baby arrives. the idea of outsourcing any sort of help is odious to her, and she's quick to shake her head, shutting it down without further discussion. "i do want someone to be here, for the first few months at least. until i get my bearings. it's just a matter of who." aside from her bedroom, there were two more: one for guests, and she had plans to convert the office into the nursery. she contemplates nicolas, head tilting, inquiring, "maybe, if it's not too much to ask, you could move back in and help out? not now, but..." she thinks for a moment, then says, "sometime in my final trimester? close to my due date? just to be safe." if her sister didn't live in another state and have her own family to tend to, theodora would've asked her instead. but she had to make lemonade, and nicolas was right here, asking to be here for her. she might as well take his word for it.