"Shall we get hitched as soon as the mourning period is over? Just get it done?" I blurted out, breaking the silence between us.
Gregory stared at me for what felt like an eternity, his emotions flickering through his eyes like scenes from a movie. Disbelief, joy, excitement, and a hint of annoyance that I had stolen his thunder by popping the question first. But he remained silent, simply pulling me into an embrace.
I wanted to pat his back to comfort him, but remembering his injury, I gently tapped the back of his head instead.
"Go beam with joy over there; I need to have a word with Mr. Smith," I said, gesturing for Gregory to step aside, making room for Mr. Smith.
I turned to Mr. Smith. "I'm at a loss here. I need a solution, and I'll follow your advice to the letter. I just want to make sure this baby stays safe."
Gregory quickly added, "We can keep the baby, but not at the expense of Jane's well-being."
Mr. Smith stroked his beard thoughtfully before asking, "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes," I replied, a slight smile tugging at my lips as I recalled a dream about promising my grandmother that I'd bring the baby to visit her, calling her 'Great-Grandma.' "I can't go back on my word."
"All right then," Mr. Smith nodded. "As long as you're willing to follow my guidance, I can assure you and the baby will be fine."
Unable to get out of bed, I could only lean forward to express my gratitude to Mr. Smith.
"Save your thanks for later. You two owe me a big one once this is all sorted," he said, his tone light but firm.
"Of course," we both agreed.
...
Gregory was once again taken aback by my sudden apology, but he understood the reason behind it.
"It seems you haven't taken my words to heart. You've done nothing wrong, Jane. We shouldn't let the wrongdoings of others bring us down."
I reached out, placing my hand gently on his face, looking into his eyes with earnest. "But Greg, I do owe you an apology."
"You've apologized to me more than once," he replied.
I asked, "So, do you accept my apology?"
Gregory's hand covered mine, enveloping it entirely. He looked back at me with equal sincerity and said, "Jane, with me, you'll never have to apologize."
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