Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 556

"Stomach troubles? You need to rest," I said, glancing at Alicia as she clutched her abdomen. A worrying thought crossed my mind. "But hey, I gotta ask, is your period on schedule?"

Alicia paused, then burst into laughter, making no attempt to hide anything. "Spot on, as always. Just had it a few days ago."

I sighed in relief. The last thing she needed was a pregnancy complicating her already messy relationship with Sean.

With caution, I advised, "Whatever's going on with you and Sean, just remember, if you're getting intimate, you gotta stay protected. Ending things between adults is one thing, but a baby complicates everything."

"Ha, got it, got it. You think I'm a rookie? Always careful," Alicia reassured me with a pat on the shoulder, her smile wide. "When I finally hit it off with someone and get engaged, you'll be the first to know. It's been ages since we all hung out. Let's plan something soon!"

"Absolutely," I agreed, giving her a thumbs-up.

Just then, Alicia's phone buzzed. One look at the caller ID, and her expression shifted slightly. I immediately suspected Sean.

"Can you believe him?" she said, showing me the screen. "He's got a fiancée back in Ylandia, arranged by his mom. And his dad wants him to find someone locally. Men, always wanting what’s in the pot while eating what's in the bowl. Ridiculous, right?"

I couldn't believe Sean was engaged. What a jerk!

"You gotta stay strong, don't cave," I encouraged Alicia.

"Exactly. If this doesn't work out, I might as well join a convent and leave all this behind!" Alicia joked, proving she wasn't in too bad of a state.

We chatted a bit more before parting ways.

Back at Hiram's hospital room, I was surprised to find Faith still there. She had been with Hiram for most of the day.

Hiram was animatedly sharing stories about Transformers to Faith, his usually pale face bright with excitement.

Seeing me, Faith smiled sheepishly. "Irene, now that you're back, I'll head out."

"Grandma, I don't want you to go," Hiram said, grabbing Faith's sleeve softly.

Faith looked at him, a mix of helplessness and sympathy in her eyes. After all, Hiram wasn't her biological grandson, not carrying the Whitmore bloodline.