This was it. Her day of reckoning.

“Okay, is everyone ready?”

Sofia knew that her ideas were good, that their work was solid, but would Farha and Gautam agree? Would they love the house as much as she did?

Saturday had been a marathon of work, and yesterday had flown by in a blur of furniture and accessories for staging. She hadn’t had a chance to talk to Adrian at all. When she’d woken up in his arms, being carried effortlessly, she’d wanted to swoon. That kind of weakness was not allowed. She didn’t like the way she’d left things with him, but she couldn’t tell him that. So she’d spent another late evening arranging the Shahs’ keeper pieces and the new furniture in each room, while shoring up her defenses. She wanted everything to look perfect for the cameras, and she needed to feel a bit stronger before she talked to him again. He’d knocked off with his guys once the crew was done with the last-minute grouting and clean-up. She’d missed her opportunity, and now was not the time to regret it.

No fewer than four cameras were aimed at her and the Shahs, ready to catch the next thirty seconds from every angle. Not the best time for her to be angsting.

Jake gave her the thumbs up, and she turned to the couple holding hands and covering their eyes.

“Farha and Gautam, let me be the first to say, ‘Welcome home!’ Open your eyes!”

The simultaneous looks of shock and delight confirmed what she’d always known. This moment was what she worked for, and it was worth every hour of stress and trouble. The wide eyes and open mouths pleased her immensely. She began talking about the changes to give the lovely couple a chance to find their words.

“You can see that Enzo has removed the old scraggly shrubbery from in front of the house, so you can see the porch now. You’ve got some nice drought-resistant native plants that are hardy enough to survive our dry years and still bloom beautifully with a little care and attention. We also painted the exterior a light taupe for a brighter, fresher look.”

“It’s beautiful! Is that the same house?” Farha turned to look at the mailbox. “The numbers are right. This is our house!”

Gautam hadn’t spoken yet, but his emotions were clear in his pressed lips and watering eyes. He hugged Farha close and planted a kiss on her temple.

Farha stepped into the gap left by Gautam’s silence, understanding his loss for words. “We’re home. This is more than I imagined could be done with paint and plants.”

“You haven’t even seen the inside yet. Let me show you.”

“And cut.” Jake’s voice broke through the moment. “That’s great. Gautam if you could be a little more verbal inside that’d be great. Break for fifteen, so we can set up the cameras for the living room/kitchen reveal.”

Farha turned to Sofia and pulled her into a tight hug. “I am so excited! Not driving by the past few weeks has been so hard, but this is totally worth it. Please tell Enzo that he did a marvelous job. I love the yard and how eco-friendly it is. That floating bench built off the side of the porch is just begging me for a book and a big mug of tea.”

“It’s made of reclaimed redwood. I’ll tell him you loved it.”

“She mostly loves that this garden will be hard to kill. She has a bit of a black thumb.” Farha hit Gautam on the arm, and he laughed. “Hey, if you don’t believe me, go look at the herb garden she started at our last place.”

“Shhh, or Enzo won’t come back and do the backyard next year when we can afford it.”

Sofia laughed along with them. “Just hire his crew to maintain them, and you’ll be fine.”

Natalie approached with her brushes and began touching up their powder while they spoke, to hide the fact that they were beginning to sweat in the bright California sunshine.

“Unfortunately, after everything we poured into this house, Gautam is our grounds crew for the foreseeable future.”

“I know you’ve put a lot of your savings into this project. I think you’ll be pleased with the inside. It has definitely added value to your house. You bought the place for $985,000, and put in just over $100,000 in improvements, but I think market value is closer to 1.3 million.”

“The equity is great, but is it a home where I’ll be happy to have my children grow up?”

Jake bellowed across the lawn and waved them in.

Sofia took Farha by the hand and escorted her to the front door. “Let’s find out.”

They closed their eyes once again, and at Jake’s direction, Sofia opened the door and followed the couple inside.

Dropped jaws, squeals of laughter, and jubilant hugs filled her heart with satisfaction, even as the nerves threatened to overwhelm her mind.

“Look at this space! It’s so open! I can see all the way into the kitchen. And look at all this light. I don’t see our TV cabinet, but I don’t even care. I love the new couches.”

“Don’t give up on your cabinet yet. Those couches were a steal from a showroom sale, and they are completely scotch-guarded so if the baby spills on it, it will wipe right up.” Sofia ran a hand over the espresso brown tweed two-seater, proud that she’d found a couch set similar to the one they wanted for under a thousand dollars for three pieces.

“Is this the laminate that we picked? It looks so real.” Gautam crouched down to inspect the floor.

She let them wander the room, pointing out details as they neared each feature. Their approval was apparent, so why didn’t she feel happier? She felt like she had to justify every choice she’d made with their money. Was that Adrian’s influence or was it her own insecurities bleeding through? Enough.

“I know you could spend hours in here, and you will because it’s your house, but I really can’t wait for you to see the kitchen!”

After a quick pause to position cameras, they rounded the edge of the framed entry to their new kitchen.

“Oh it’s gorgeous. Look at the cabinets, and I love the mosaic marble tile in the backsplash, and oh! There’s our cabinet!”

“I knew how much that piece meant to you and it went perfectly with the decor in here, so we repurposed it as part of your island. Seth added some side cabinets to expand the storage and some custom legs to help support the breakfast bar side of the slab. I’m so pleased with how it turned out.”

Farha sat down in one of the new barstools and placed a hand beneath her belly for support.

“I’m not pleased. I’m freaking ecstatic! This is just how I pictured it, but better.” She leaned back on her stool and looked up at the ceiling. “Oh look! You found the funky geometric chandelier. Wait, are there three?”

“There are three pieces hung together as an art fixture, with bulbs installed and recessed lighting above. Those were a gift from your friend who made the sculpture in your current house. I contacted her, and she took several pieces she had been working on and tweaked them as a housewarming present for you.”

Tears were openly running down Farha’s face now as she continued to swivel her head trying to take it all in.

Gautam was busy inspecting every nook and cranny. “This looks amazing. The finish work on this is so clean. You wouldn’t believe the ridiculous things we’ve found in our old house. Drawers that can’t open because of appliances, gaps between the tile and the cabinets they just left open, odd cuts of flooring that don’t line up. I mean look at the attention to detail on the diagonal floor. Each cut is so precise. If it wasn’t, it would drive me nuts! Please thank Adrian and his crew for me. His work makes my engineer heart happy.”

“Are you ready to see more?”

“I think I need to sit down a minute.” He dropped onto the stool next to Farha as if his knees had given out. “This is all so much to take in.”

“Wait just a second. I’ve got the perfect place for you to rest.” She pulled Jake aside and asked him to set up the smaller crew in the nursery. She made a cup of herbal tea at the craft services table outside and brought it in for Farha while they waited for the okay.

“This has been such an overwhelming day. I don’t know how many more surprises I can take.” Farha sipped the herbal tea and grimaced.

“Hang in there. We’ve only got a few more rooms to see and then you and Gautam can relax all you want in your new home. At least until you bring that baby home.”

“That baby is kicking up a storm right now, likely because her mama’s heartbeat is jumping like crazy.” Farha took Sofia’s hand and pressed it to the top of her belly near her rib cage, and Fi could feel a little foot firmly pressing back.

So moved, she rubbed the little bump until it receded, forgetting that she was also rubbing another woman’s stomach. “Sorry, I got a little carried away.”

“It’s okay. You got her to stop pushing. I’ll take it. Sometimes she gets stuck up under my ribs and ouch! And now, my back is killing me. I’m so done with being pregnant.” Farha laughed as she said it, but Sofia could see the strain on her face as she rubbed her back.

Sofia leaned over to talk to the baby. “Hello, little girl. I know your parents are doing all they can to get ready for your arrival. What do you say we go see your new room?” The little foot kicked again, and Sofia gave the baby a little high five. “I think that’s a yes.”

She was very glad that she had chosen a soft reclining rocking chair, because the minute Farha walked in, she collapsed into it. Instead of darting her eyes around the room as she had in the kitchen, Farha’s gaze fixed on the mural of the little girl reading that Sofia had painted on the wall. Tears filled the woman’s eyes, and Sofia’s heart swelled with pride.

“Oh! Sofia, it’s perfect.” Farha reached for Gautam’s hand, and he was quick to give it, his smile stretched from ear to ear. “Where did you get that picture? How did you know?”

Gautam placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’re not the only one who has design ideas. I wanted our daughter to grow up knowing where she came from and where she can go. She should see how brilliant her mum is every time she picks up a book, so she can grow up to be just like you.”

Sofia’s heart tugged. This couple was so sweet together, each so supportive of the other. With her professional hat, she was delighted to give them a house they could raise their family in. With her personal hat, she was deeply envious of that bond and wondered if she’d ever find it for herself. She sure didn’t feel it with Adrian. He didn’t support her in her chosen career. She doubted he’d ever say that she was brilliant or smart or important. It was more likely that he’d complain about her ideas being a pain to implement than offer a compliment. She sighed. Was it too much to ask to be seen for who she was and who she aspired to be? And be appreciated as is?

“Sofia?” Jake broke into her rambling thoughts. “Do you think we could talk about the rest of the room now?”

“Oh, yes. Of course.” She gathered her thoughts and put her camera-ready smile in place. “You had chosen the coral and brown color theme based on the crib you picked out and the bedding you liked. You’ll see we built the crib for you and got it all set up. You’ve got the changing table next to it that will transition into a toy caddy when the baby gets a little older. Nick and Seth, our custom builders, designed the window seat bookcase and Adrian built it in. And I made those custom coral and white cushions, so Baby Girl Shah will be cozy when she reads.” She’d been over the moon to find the fabric on clearance and thanked the Lord that her mother had insisted she learn to use a sewing machine in her youth.

“That is all lovely, Sofia, but the mural… The mural is my heart.” Farha clasped one hand on her heart and the other on her belly.

“We have a little more to do. Are you ready to see your bedroom, or do you need to rest awhile longer?”

“I think I’m done resting for quite awhile, as you said. These contractions are getting stronger, and I want to see it all before we have to head to the hospital.”

“Oh my God! You’re having the baby! We’re having a baby!” Sofia turned to the film crew. “Let’s go! You heard the woman. Go set up, so she can see her master bedroom and bath! Hurry!” She didn’t wait for Jake’s approval to hustle them along. Turning back to the expecting mother, Sofia’s hands were shaking with adrenaline. “Do you need anything? Water? More tea? An ambulance?”

Farha laughed.

“No, I’m fine. The contractions are about ten minutes apart still, so we have time to go home and get our bag and drive to the hospital.”

“You are so calm. I can’t believe you are this calm.”

Farha laid her hand over Gautam’s on her shoulder. “We’ve been waiting a long time for this. I’m ready.”

“Well then, let’s go!”