Chapter 471

Giving birth to Gracie hadn’t been nearly as unbearable as this. The ache in Shermaine’s chest, the constant, throbbing tightness, made her feel genuinely miserable. She’d rather take a kick to the ribs or a knife to the gut than deal with this. When Joshua touched her earlier, he hadn’t even used much pressure, but the pain hit so fast and sharp that her entire body tensed. She was just too sensitive now.

Her ears turned slightly pink as she mumbled, “Don’t touch my chest.”

That was when Joshua finally understood why she’d needed painkillers. “It really hurts?” he asked gently.

Shermaine gave a quiet “mm.”

‘So that is it–postpartum chest pain,’ Joshua thought. He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly. “I’m sorry, Sheary.”

“It’s not your fault,” she said, sitting up. She raised a hand instinctively to massage her chest but paused when she noticed Joshua still beside her. Awkward, she slowly lowered her hand back down.

Of course, Joshua noticed. But he didn’t say a word.

“I’ll take the pills now,” she said.

“Eat something first.”

He’d already finished baking a chestnut cake which was light on sugar, since it was nighttime.

Shermaine had actually eaten with Jasmine earlier around six, but the moment she saw the cake, her eyes lit up. “You made this?”

“Yeah.”

She took the plate and scooped a small bite with the spoon. The texture was soft, the flavor rich with roasted chestnut.

Sweets really did lift the mood. The pain in her chest didn’t vanish, but it felt a little more bearable after that.

Joshua watched her eat, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Once she finished the cake, he handed her the pills from the nightstand.

Shermaine took them and then drank some water. The bitterness of the medication quickly overpowered the lingering sweetness of the dessert.

“Will the pain keep coming back?” Joshua asked.

“Probably,” she replied.

He frowned slightly. “So you’ll need painkillers every day?”

Shermaine set her glass down. Since he already knew and had likely guessed the cause, there was no need to pretend anymore. “Looks like I will.”

Which meant she’d be dealing with this pain daily. After all, painkillers didn’t cure the problem. They only masked it.

And if she took medication daily, Gracie wouldn’t be able to nurse directly from her. She’d have to rely on the breast milk Shermaine had already pumped and stored. If that ran out, they’d have to supplement with formula.

Thankfully, this cruise ship had everything. Supplies wouldn’t be an issue.

Joshua, ever the curious learner, asked, “Would massage help?”

Shermaine nodded.

It was actually recommended before bed, massaging to relieve the pressure and prevent swelling. But she was usually too tired and lazy.

She’d try for a few minutes, feel her arms get sore, and give up. Then she’d wake up the next day in even more pain.

“How exactly should I do it?”

Shermaine hesitated for a second, licking her lips, and then glanced at Joshua with a look that held more meaning than words.

He caught the silence. Without waiting for her to respond, he pulled up his optical computer and searched it himself. He clicked through a few blog posts and carefully read the step–by–step breakdown on how to ease postpartum chest pain with proper massage techniques.

Once he was done reading, he reached over, pulled her into his lap, and said, “Sheary, there’s nothing to be shy about.”

His tone was light but firm, his expression serious. “I’m your husband. Helping you through this is part of the deal.”

Shermaine raised an eyebrow, giving him a smirk full of heat and humor. “You sure you’ll help without expecting me to return the favor?”

She said it lightly, the kind of tease that came with equal parts innocence and invitation. If things escalated, she had no plans to take responsibility for putting the brakes on.

Joshua didn’t miss a beat, hands already moving with practiced gentleness. “I just know my girl’s hurting. I want to help.”

Everything else could wait.

And really, this… didn’t feel like a chore at all.