Thunderbird - B. Bridgerton

16

„I.. I don't feel really well", Sofia suddenly says. She and Benedict have turned around to return to their home once again.
Anthony is still trying to push Selim back to his (or Lord Aras') side of the garden, while Benedict immediately looks at his wife as she speaks.
Sofia looks very pale and Benedict realizes that she's holding her flat, but existing belly as if she's in pain.

The second eldest Bridgerton doesn't hesitate, he picks his wife up and carried her home. Sofia doesn't even have the energy to contradict, she just let's her head fall down Benedict's chest and wraps her arms around his neck. Benedict carries her slowly to their bedroom - the one they're finally sharing again - and without being bothered by her mud and dust covered clothes, he carefully lays her down to her side of the bed. „You're not alone in your body anymore", he softly explains to Sofia, playing around with her hair, „you have to keep out of stress."

„I didn't search his company,  nor did I want to talk to him", she explains. Benedict nods. „I know", he assures her - and he's absolutely honest about it. It wasn't easy, but Benedict Bridgerton has learned to trust his wife in this case over the past months. The words he used to calm her down, were actually a warning to himself as well: this is not about him, or about Sofia anymore, this is entirely about their baby, that's about to come within the next three months.
„Sleep for a bit", Benedict continues talking, „I will arrange a dinner at Colin's house with the whole family."
„Ben", Sofia laughs, „you can't invite yourself and the whole family to someone else's house. Invite them to us instead." She tries to lift up, but Benedict carefully pushes her back to the cushion.

„We can't invite anyone over, we have a little baby on the way and you're not going to do any hard work."
„It's not like I'm going to cook, Benedict", Sofia remembers him, „invite them over."
„But you're going to rest for a bit, before you start preparing", Benedict arguments.
„Agreed. But I want you to lie here next to me."
Benedict smirks at his wife, while slowly taking hic place behind her. His arms have merely spooned Sofia, as he can here his brothers voices from behind the door.
„Looks like Anthony decided to look after us", he sighs.
„And he took Colin with him", Sofia adds.

Sofia and Benedict rise up. The couple stands up and Benedict shouts „you can come in now."
Colin immediately opens the door as if his hand was waiting on the door knob. „At least they waited until we called them", Sofia laughs.
„We were not afraid to step into something privat, when you were not talking to each other. But now, we're more cautious. Benedict would probably kill me if I ever saw you undressed", Colin smirks.
„Colin!", Anthony warns.

„I love your brutal honesty", Sofia remarks. „And now", she suddenly demands with an authority no one expected from her, „go and tell your families that we're going to have dinner here at our house today. Anthony - if Kate, Eloise, Fran and/or Hyacinth can come over to help, I would be really grateful. Colin, please ensure that Pen can happily stay at home and look after your baby, I don't think that it would be a good idea to leave that poor boy alone with you."

Anthony and Benedict burst into laughter. Colin opens his mouth to say something,  but Anthony has already started to drag him outside. „Oh, and Benedict", Sofia adds, „please go and invite Daphne and Simon as well. I'll be changing into different clothes in the meantime."

One and a half hours later, Mrs. Bridgerton is fully dresses for the dinner and she already talked to the kitchen stuff about the menu. Now she is searching for her dear husband to spend the time with him until the family comes.

Benedict is in his painting room, working on a picture for his daughter's nursery. „It looks amazing", Sofia states, making him jump a little. Benedict didn't hear her enter the room. Sofia once again falls in love with her husband's talent. Benedict has painted a little girl in a ballerina outfit from behind. Her face is not visible,  but her hair is exatcly the color of Sofia's hair.