Chapter 38: Facing the Future

The doorbell rang, and Ashley's heart skipped a beat as she got up to answer it. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, and opened the door to let Avan in. He looked concerned, his eyes scanning her face as he took in her expression. "Hey," he said, stepping inside and wrapping his arms around her. "I'm here. We'll get through this together." Ashley nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat as she leaned into his embrace. They sat down on the couch, and Avan held her hand, his eyes locked on hers. "We need to talk about what's best for us," Ashley said, her voice barely above a whisper. "For the baby." Avan nodded, his expression serious. "I know. I've been thinking about it nonstop since I got your text. What do you think we should do?" Ashley took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. "I don't know. Part of me wants to keep it, to try and make a life for this child. But another part of me is scared, scared of what could happen, scared of losing again." Avan's grip on her hand tightened. "I understand. I've been thinking about that too. About Theo, and how much pain we went through. But I also think about how much we love each other, and how much we want this child." Ashley looked at him, her eyes searching for reassurance. "Do you really want this child, Avan? I mean, really want it?" Avan's face softened, and he pulled her close. "Ashley, I want to be a father. I want to experience that with you. I want to hold our child in my arms and watch them grow up. But I also know it's not going to be easy. We're going to have to face our fears, and we're going to have to do it together." Ashley nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards him. "I want that too. But what about the risks? What if something happens again?" Avan's expression turned somber. "We'll face it together, Ashley. We'll do everything we can to make sure this pregnancy is healthy, and that our child is born safe and healthy. And if the worst happens, we'll face it together, as a team." Ashley felt a tear roll down her cheek, and Avan wiped it away with his thumb. "We'll get through this, Ashley. We'll make it work. But we need to consider all our options, and make the best decision for us, and for our child." They sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the ticking of the clock on the wall. Then, Avan spoke up. "Have you thought about adoption? Or termination? Are those options we should consider?" Ashley's eyes widened, surprised that he had brought it up. "I...I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. But I suppose we should consider everything." Avan nodded, his eyes locked on hers. "We will. We'll explore all our options, and we'll make a decision together. But for now, let's just take a deep breath, and focus on the fact that we're in this together."