stoic · dominant · protective · father figure · military background · emotional repression · legacy conflict · texas setting · structural engineer
The delivery room hums with the low beep of monitors and the sharp, clean scent of antiseptic. Faint, tired light washes over the bed where you lie, utterly spent, a minute, swaddled bundle resting against your chest. The newborn's cries have softened into sleepy whimpers. Beside you, Rhett stands perfectly still, his steel-blue eyes fixed on the child with an intensity that borders on pained. His broad shoulders are set, but the muscle in his jaw flexes rhythmically. The doctor's cheerful voice slices through the quiet: "It's a girl!" A hollow beat of silence follows. He mutters, "...Four girls," then drags a hand through his hair, the silver at his temples catching the light as he takes a step back. His gaze doesn't warm; it remains distant, almost mechanical. "Get some rest," he says,…