“What’s her name?” Apollo whispered as he followed the nurse over to the woman.
“Luciana.” The nurse took the empty chair next to Luciana, leaving Apollo loom in front of them.
“Luciana, I’m Lieutenant Floros—”
“Is there news about Juan?” She seemed to shrink into herself. “Oh please, tell me it’s not bad.”
“He’s still in surgery.” The nurse patted her arm.
“Is there someone I can call for you? His parents maybe? Someone who could come and be with you?” Apollo asked.
The young woman seemed to retreat further. “There’s no one local. We’re new here. But just tell me Juan’s going to be okay. Please.”
This standing-over-her business wasn’t going to help Luciana relax, so Apollo dropped to a crouch, ignoring the protest of his back muscles. “It’s you we’re concerned about. The nurses have suggested you could go up to Maternity. There’s a triage room free—”
“I’m not leaving Juan.” Luciana cradled her belly. “I’m the one who’s fine. Just some cramps.”
Apollo exchanged a concerned look with the nurse. “When are you due?”
“A week from Tuesday. And I am not having this baby without Juan.” There was a stubborn tilt to her chin that said that Apollo might have to bodily carry her to Maternity. But it was the tears in her eyes that really unmanned him, made it hard to speak. He couldn’t promise her that wouldn’t happen, and that fact made him want to join her in weeping. “Juan’s only just back from deployment. He can’t miss this.”
“Would it help if I promise to personally bring you news from surgery? Juan would want you to take care of the baby, right?” Apollo tried to focus on what he could offer her, not all the promises he wished he could make. “And I have an idea. Do you have a phone with you?”
She nodded. “Yeah. It’s low on power—”
“I’ll have Carmichael procure you a charger. Don’t worry about that. But how about we make Juan a recording of the heartbeat? Then you can share that later.” Please let there be a later. Their surrogate had done the recording thing for them more than once, and Apollo still remembered the thrill of listening with Neal.
Neal. Apollo couldn’t stomach a future where Luciana might have to raise her baby alone.
“I’ll do one better.” The nurse offered Luciana a reassuring smile. “I’ll see if we can get a portable ultrasound in there, make a little video for him. But we should make sure everything’s okay with both you and the baby, maybe get you something to relax, a little rest. You can trust Lieutenant Floros to bring you news.”
Please let her be right. Apollo nodded, even though he didn’t feel the most trustworthy right then.
“Will you walk up there with me?” Luciana asked him, starting to cry in earnest again. “I’m not sure I can do this. Not without Juan—”
“Absolutely.” Apollo patted her knee. “And I’ll see that you have regular updates, no matter what.” He wasn’t sure he had the strength to bring her anything other than good news, but he forced his voice to be sure and steady. He might not have a team of men to command, but right then, Luciana was his mission, and Apollo was going to do everything in his power to keep her and the baby safe.
“Okay.” Luciana accepted a hand up, then grimaced.
“We’re getting you a wheelchair,” the nurse said decisively. “And I’m going to call up to Maternity, tell them we’re on the way.”
As Apollo followed the nurse and wheelchair down the long corridor to the elevators, he tried to calm his pounding heartbeat. He sent Carmichael a fast text as to where he was going, and tried to distract Luciana with a story about the twins as babies as they rode the elevator. God, he missed his girls. Wished he could hug them. He sent Dylan a text for good measure too, not able to tell him much, just needing to know he’d reached out, needing to know they were safe too.
Please let me keep everyone safe. Let me keep it together, just a little longer.
* * *
Dylan hated his phone, hated the hours of silence. Friday night, Pat and Marilyn insisted on bringing him and the girls pizza from Project Pie, which was a welcome distraction for the girls as Marilyn showed them the pictures and videos she’d taken. But Pat seemed subdued, a bit done in by the day, and they left before the girls’ bedtime. After the girls were tucked away, Dylan wasn’t able to resist checking the news on his phone.
A brief message from Apollo had his stomach turning. Situation bad. Won’t be home tonight. Will update when I can. A brief look at KNSD showed reports of something having gone wrong on a training mission and a helicopter down in the Arizona desert, but no official word from the base yet.