**Chapter 90: Bed Rest and Breakdown**

Bed Rest and Breakdown A few days had passed since the scare, and Ashley was now lying in a hospital bed, her body on high alert as she struggled to carry her pregnancy to term. The doctor's orders were clear: bed rest, no stress, and no activity of any kind. Avan was her primary caregiver, tasked with keeping her calm and comfortable, but it was proving to be a challenge. At home, three-year-old Alex was struggling to cope with his mother's absence. His autism made him sensitive to routine, and with Ashley usually being the one to take care of him, he was finding it hard to adjust to Avan being the sole caregiver. Every day was a battle, with Alex refusing to do anything for Avan. As Avan sat beside Ashley's hospital bed, holding her hand and trying to reassure her that everything would be okay, he couldn't help but think about the chaos at home. Alex was in a full-blown meltdown, and Avan's attempts to calm him down were failing miserably. "I don't know how much more of this I can take," Avan said, frustration etched on his face as he turned to Ashley. "Alex is refusing to eat, sleep, or even play with his favorite toys. He's just lying on the floor, screaming and crying." Ashley's eyes filled with tears as she listened to Avan's woes. "I'm so sorry, Avan," she whispered, her voice weak. "I feel like I'm failing him." Avan shook his head. "You're not failing him, Ashley. You're doing what you have to do to save our baby. I'll take care of Alex, I promise." But as Avan looked at Ashley, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was in way over his head. Caring for a toddler with autism was already a challenge, but doing it alone, without any support or guidance, was proving to be almost impossible. As the day wore on, Avan's anxiety grew. He knew he had to find a way to connect with Alex, to reach him and calm him down. He thought about calling Sarah, their babysitter, to see if she could come over and help, but something held him back. He needed to do this on his own, for Ashley's sake as much as Alex's. As he sat beside Ashley's bed, holding her hand and trying to come up with a plan, Avan felt a sense of determination wash over him. He would get through this, no matter what it took. For Ashley, for Alex, and for their unborn baby, he would find a way to make it work.