Love Always Wins

38

Wednesday March 18th. Switzerland.

Her mind was very much elsewhere. Switzerland was in shutdown; schools were closed, restaurants were closed - everything was closed and only medical and essential services such as grocery stores, pharmacy stores and fuel stations remained open. Even the country's borders were being tightly controlled meaning that Seb's family in Germany were effectively cut off, phone calls and the internet were the only lines of communication. He was in regular contact with Hannah, keen to help with childcare and to spend as much time with his daughters as he could and, providing they remained in good health, Mia and Leonie would be staying for a few days from the weekend onwards. He'd also been in regular contact with Mattia in Italy and Britta (who was staying in Germany for as long the health crisis went on) and was due to take part in a conference call today when news about potential plans for the season would be unveiled. It was a worrying time and with the UK not being too far behind Switzerland in terms of the virus and it's effects on daily life, she was also worrying about her family back in Southampton. The knowledge that this virus hadn't reached it's peak yet and that disruption to everyday life could go on for a few months yet was unsettling and unnerving. living with uncertainty was going to become the new 'normal' and she was struggling to get used to it.
"You do realise the screens not on, right?" Seb chuckled as he peered over his wife's shoulder and slipped his arms around her front, sweeping his hands onto her tummy. "Did you order that stuff for the nursery?" He asked, patting her bump with both hands, one after the other in a drumming motion.

"Not yet, I've haven't quite made up my mind, though I hope you're good at assembling flat pack stuff."

"I'm more than good, I'm fucking excellent." He replied back cockily.

"We'll see." Chloe replied dryly.

"Ouch! Liebe that hurts!" He moved to stand beside her, placing his hand over his heart. "How can you possibly doubt my ability to assemble flat pack furniture?"

"Sorry, I was just....." She trailed off and pushed the iPad away from her on the counter.

He was quick to pick it up and unlock the screen only to find the BBC news app open. "I really wish you'd stop torturing yourself with this, you're not doing yourself any good."

"I know."

"You've spoken to your mum, they're all fine. Please stop worrying."

"It's just that if anything happens, I'm so far away." She sighed. "I feel so helpless."

He put the iPad down and pulled her close. Taking in the worried expression on her face, he sifted his fingers through her hair, brushing it back behind her shoulders before leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips. "Take some to time to think of yourself and our son, don't make yourself ill with worry. All either of us can do right now is check in with our parents daily to make sure they're ok. The rest of it is pretty much out of our hands."

She nodded and slipped her arms around him. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his shoulder and immersed herself in his scent, the warmth of his body and the comfort of his embrace. She felt safe here, loved and protected by the man who was the centre of her universe.

"Why don't we go back in the lounge and start on your birth plan?" He suggested, breaking their quiet moment.

Her eyes popped open, she'd watched too many birth programs on tv and now the thought of giving birth currently terrified her. She leaned back to look at him. "Do we have to do that now? I've got another eighteen to twenty weeks to go yet."

"We don't have to but you need to keep your mind occupied and this will help." He stepped back, took her hand and started to pull her along with him to the lounge. "You don't have to get the whole thing mapped out but we could start it."