Chapter 264 Have a Child with you

Amelia's POV:

"Nothing that belongs to you," I answered, backing toward the door. "Mom will call you when she's ready to talk. I suggest you start packing."

I hurried out to my car, locking the doors as George staggered onto the front porch, shouting obscenities. My hands were shaking as I drove away, but a sense of grim satisfaction settled over me. Finally, Mom would have to face the truth about the man she'd sacrificed everything for.

That evening, after we'd put the kids to bed, I sat at the desk in our bedroom, staring at Helen's house deed. She'd called me in tears after seeing the video, finally agreeing to meet with the divorce lawyer. I hadn't told her I'd taken the deed—I'd return it once I was sure she wouldn't do anything impulsive.

I opened the desk drawer to hide it temporarily, rummaging for a folder to keep it safe. My fingers brushed against something unexpected—a small, well-worn book. Curious, I pulled it out and saw the title: "The Complete Book of Baby Names."

Flipping through the pages, I noticed several names had been highlighted or marked with small stars. Names like "Ethan," "Charlotte," and "Benjamin" had notes in Luke's precise handwriting: "strong meaning," "goes well with Carter," "classic but not common."

My heart squeezed in my chest as realization dawned. Luke wanted a baby—his baby. Though he'd never said anything, the evidence was right here in my hands. He'd embraced Lucas as his own without hesitation, but deep down, he dreamed of having a child that was biologically his from the beginning.

I was still holding the book when Luke walked in from his shower, towel wrapped around his waist.

"What's that?" he asked, then froze when he recognized the book in my hands.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" I asked softly, not accusingly.

His shoulders slumped slightly. "I didn't want to pressure you. You already have so much on your plate with Lucas, Sophia, your career..."

I stood up and walked over to him, placing my hand on his chest. "Luke, do you want to have a baby with me?"

His eyes met mine, vulnerable in a way I rarely saw. "I love our family exactly as it is, Amelia. But yes, sometimes I think about what it would be like to have a child with you. A little boy or girl that's part of both of us."

I took a deep breath, surprised by the certainty I felt. "I think I want that too."

Hope flickered across his face. "You do?"

"Yes," I smiled, my voice soft with emotion. "I want to have a child with you, Luke. Our child."

Luke's eyes brightened as he pulled me closer. "I want that too. I've wanted it for a while now," he admitted. "I want to be there for everything this time—from the first ultrasound to the birth. I want to experience all of it with you."

The next evening, after dinner, Luke and I exchanged a knowing glance. We'd agreed it was time to talk to the kids.

"Sophia, Lucas," I said as Luke cleared the plates, "we have something we'd like to discuss with you both."

Lucas immediately straightened in his chair, his eyes wide. "Are we in trouble?"

I laughed. "No, sweetie. Not at all."

Luke returned to the table and sat beside me, taking my hand in his. "Your mom and I have been talking, and we're thinking about... adding to our family."

Sophia tilted her head, her expression thoughtful but unreadable. Lucas, however, furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Like getting a dog?" Lucas asked hopefully.

"Not a dog," I smiled. "A baby. We're thinking about having a baby together."

"Oh." Lucas's expression shifted from confusion to contemplation. "But aren't babies really loud? Don't they cry all the time?"

Luke chuckled. "They do cry quite a bit when they're first born."

"Won't that be annoying?" Lucas pressed, looking genuinely concerned. "And wake everybody up?"

I reached across the table to touch his hand. "You know, you cried a lot when you were a baby too."

His eyes widened. "I did?"

"All the time," I confirmed with a nod. "Especially at night."

"That must have been so hard for you, Mom," he said softly, surprising me with his empathy.

My heart melted at his concern. "It was sometimes, but I didn't mind. That's what moms do. It was worth every sleepless night because I loved you so much."

Lucas seemed to consider this deeply. "But you had to do it all by yourself then."

"I did," I admitted. "But this time would be different because Luke would be there to help."

"I'd be there every step of the way," Luke added, squeezing my hand.

Lucas nodded slowly. "I guess that would be better." He brightened suddenly. "Would I be a big brother? Like, for real?"

"You already are a big brother to Sophia," I reminded him. "But yes, you'd be a big brother to the new baby too."

"I'd be the middle kid," Sophia said quietly, speaking for the first time. Her face remained neutral, giving away little of what she was feeling.

"You would," Luke confirmed gently. "How do you feel about that, sweetheart?"

She shrugged slightly. "It's okay. I've never had a little brother or sister before."

I noticed the caution in her voice. After all she'd been through, Sophia still approached big changes carefully.

"Having a baby doesn't change how much we love either of you," I assured them both. "Our hearts just grow bigger."

"So when is the baby coming?" Lucas asked excitedly, apparently warming to the idea.

"Not for a while," I explained. "First, we need to make sure we're healthy enough. Then it might take some time before there's actually a baby growing."

"And we wanted to talk to you two first," Luke added. "Because we're a family, and big decisions affect everyone."

"I think..." Lucas began, looking contemplative, "I think I'd like a brother. Or a sister. Either one is fine."

I laughed. "Well, we don't get to choose that part. But I'm glad you're excited."

I glanced at Sophia, who was tracing patterns on the tablecloth with her finger. "Sophia? What are you thinking, honey?"

She kept her eyes down, her shoulders tensing slightly. "It's okay. You don't need to worry about what I think."