“See, here’s the thing… No, I haven’t.” Before I can ask what the hell she means, she continues, “Wait, look okay, so I have been in so much pain that eating hadn’t even crossed my mind. I’ve had a few meals here and there but on the whole, not so much. It’s not like I have been doing it on purpose; I wouldn’t do that.”

“Ellis—”

“I know, I’m going to do better, shit you can force feed me if you have to. I never meant to put me or the baby at risk, I just wasn’t thinking.” She interrupts me but that’s not what I am mad about, I’m angry at myself.

“I’m so sorry Sunshine.”

“What are you sorry for?” Confusion laces her tone.

“I should have been paying more attention, I should have noticed you weren’t eating and I should have been there when you fainted and I wasn’t. I’m so sorry.” I kiss her head and feel her melt into my embrace. We don’t say much other than me checking she is comfortable until the door opens half an hour later.

“Hi Miss Ainsley, how are we doing in here?” The same doctor that showed me in comes back into the room with a smile.

“Ready to go home please,” Ellis tells her.

“We can do that, but there are some conditions.” The doctor checks over the baby’s heart monitor as well as Ellis’s and looks up with a smile.

“Okay…?” Ellis wants to get out of here. I can feel the need buzzing under her skin.

“There was no bleeding and the cramps were just a product of the dehydration; the baby seems strong. That being said, I think it would be best for both the baby and yourself if you go on bed rest.”

“Done,” I say at the same time Ellis says:

“I can’t do that!”

“I’ll go get the discharge papers while you guys talk it through.” Her lips thin as she tries to hold back a smile, leaving us alone in the room.

I turn to her. “Ellis?”

“Liam?” She is looking at me as if I am crazy, I know why she won’t want to do it, but this is for her, for our baby. I can hear her complaint before she opens her mouth. “I have a kid and a business, I can’t lie around all day.” There it is.

“You can and you will, the doctor recommends it and I’m going to implement it.” She can fight me all day long. She can fight me until she is blue in the face, but her health is my top priority.

“How do you plan to do that?”