Thunderbird - B. Bridgerton

19

No matter how much Sofia Bridgerton might try, she's not getting any sleep in this night. After some time of turning around in the bed, she finally decides to go to the kitchen and have some warm milk. She is aware of the fact, that her husband is not sleeping as well - she has watched him sleep often enough to be able to tell when he's faking it - but he doesn't open his eyes to talk to her and she appreciates it. It takes Benedict every inch of self-control that he has, but he manages to give her the privacy she needs right now.
Plus, it's not only her who has a lot to think about.

Despite knowing that he's awake, Sofia still tries to be as quiet as possible while leaving the room, just to not make it too obvious that she knows.
To her surprise, she realizes that she's yet still not alone in the kitchen: Selim is sitting there, a cup of what looks like warm milk in his hands.
Benedict has insisted on letting him live with them for a while.
„Couldn't sleep either, I see", he says as soon as she enters the room. He doesn't speak Turkish with her, just like she asked him a while ago and she appreciates it.

„My mind is refusing to rest", she says while sitting on the chair next to Selim.
„I warmed up some milk. Let me pour a cup for you as well", Selim answers, standing up already. „You were actually the one who taught me that warm milk is an amazing medicine for sleepless nights", he remembers. Sofia is not sure what to say, so she just waits for him to hand her the cup and mutters a „thank you."

„It's still weird, seeing you like this", Selim suddenly says as he sits down again. Sofia looks at him, visibly confused. Selim points at her belly to explain what he meant.
„If anyone had ever told me that I would have a child with someone else...", Sofia starts, before she can think about it.
„I would declare this person must have lost their mind", Selim ends the sentence. It's true... there was a time where none of the two could ever imagine that a life without the other would be possible. There was no Thunderbird without the farmer's boy and vice versa. That's why their lovestory became a legit fairytale in Turkey. A fairytale that every child is nowadays hearing from their parents at night. If these people would only know, how the big love really ended, if they could only see Thunderbird and the farmer's boy now.. next to each other, but yet centuries apart... forever separated and yet bounded together for eternity...

„There is no chance for you to forgive me, is it?", Selim suddenly asks, breaking the silence. His voice is shaking and Sofia, who's stubbornly looking on the cup in her hands knows that she would see tears in his eyes, if she looked him in the face.
She takes her time to think about her answer, her hand wandering on her belly. „That depends on what you understand as forgiving", she finally says, „if you mean by that term, that I forget what happened and we both live our lives happily and without any grudge.. I can do that. But, if you're actually asking me to forget everything and start a new life with you, like nothing ever happened... I am not going to leave Benedict for you."

„I don't have the rest to ask you to do that, I guess", Selim says with a sad smile on his face.
„No, you certainly do not."
„Is he making you happy?"
Sofia thinks again for a while. „Yes, he is. I am not really a good wife, I'm afraid, but he's trying his best. He's going to be an amazing father."
„I can totally see him being a good father", Selim assures.
"He's already an amazing brother and an even better uncle", Sofia agrees. She gets silent for a while, before adding: „He deserves nothing less than the best."

„What do you think is going to happen now?", Selim suddenly asks. Sofia understands what he means. The Bridgertons may be peaceful and sure that everything is going to be alright from now on, but Selim and Sofia know Karan. They know that he's not someone that gives up easily.
„I don't know", Sofia answers honestly, „but I am scared that something really bad might happen."
„It won't. I would never let anyone harm you, or your family"
Thunderbird looks up at him, surprised by the intensity of his voice. Tears are running down Selim's cheeks. „I owe you a good life, after everything I put you through."
„You owe me nothing, Selim. It happened years ago and it doesn't matter anymore."
He wishes away his tears. „It does matter, at least to me. Don't feel bad or don't worry for even a second. Everything is going to be fine."
„Yemin?" (Swear?"
He looks directly into her eyes so that she can see that he's serious: „Yemin." (Swear).