SAFEHOUSE

The baby flipped over within me, and I braced my hand against the brick wall as I realized something was wrong.

I felt a strong muscle cramp in my lower abdomen, making me double over in pain. I groaned, tears welling up in my eyes as I realized it was the baby. Something was happening. I swallowed hard against the lump against my throat, and looked around the corner to make sure the man was dead.

As far as I could tell he was, because he was keeled over, not moving, and his body was face down. I slouched against the wall, trying to shimmy myself down before I realized my pants were soaked. I reached down and felt between my legs, bringing my hand back up and realizing that my water had broke.

There was no way. All of this that had happened… I couldn’t…

And then the black stars formed in my vision, clouding it so that I could barely see out of my eyes. My head began to spin, and I knew that I had to hurry up and make it back down to the cellar before I passed out in the open. I tried to make my way back, but fell to the ground on my hands and knees. Trying to drag myself over to the door was nearly impossible, and the last thing I saw before I passed out was Julien’s face rushing up toward me.

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Chapter 39

Lights filtered through the window and hit my face at an odd angle. I blinked a few times before the room came into focus.

I coughed. my throat dry and scratchy. My eyes scanned the room to see if Julien was still with me, but the only one I saw was Dr. Thibodeau in the corner of the room, looking over a chart. I tried to turn my head and look the other way, but I was so physically tired I could barely move an inch. It was hard enough to keep my eyes open.

I waited for her to see me, wishing she would just hurry up and turn around already. I was dying of thirst as it was.

It only took a split second before I realized something was missing. I looked down and choked back a scream when I saw that the giant belly I had been used to carrying around for my pregnancy was gone.

I cried out the best I could, trying to catch her attention. Dr. Thibodeau turned around and quickly came by my side, patting my hand reassuringly.

“It’s okay… He is fine. The baby is okay, in fact I think he’s with his father right now. A lot has happened... Would you like me to go get Mr. Malveaux for you?”

I nodded my head the best I could, trying to motion for her to bring me some water as well. She gave me a quick nod and turned around to fill up a small Styrofoam cup with water.

So many things were running through my mind at that moment. I wanted to see my baby and hold him tightly against me, possibly never letting go again. They must’ve had to perform a c-section on me. My mind was reeling.

Dr. Thibodeau pulled out her cell phone, sending off a quick text.

She turned back to me, a sympathetic smile on her face. “I know you probably have a lot of questions for us. What I can tell you is that your baby boy is a sweet little thing.”

I gave her the best smile I could muster, trying desperately to keep my eyes open. I needed to see both

the baby and Julien with my own eyes, if only just to reassure myself.

When the door to the specialized obstetrics room opened and Julien came in holding a small wrapped up blanket, tears leaped out of the corners of my eyes. It wasn’t the ideal situation that I had been dreaming of, but we were all three here together, safe and sound at least for now.

Julien still looked haggard, his face in desperate need of a good shaving, but other than that’s still as handsome as ever. He being down at the small bundle he was holding carefully in his arms, pulling back a corner of the soft blanket to reveal a lock of curly, dark hair.

“Hello again, ma chérie. I’ve certainly missed you. And I’m not the only one,” he murmured to me, as he drew nearer. “I have someone who wants to finally meet his maman.”

“She may not be able to hold him just yet, Mr. Malveaux. She still rather weak from the medicines. Miss Jackson, are you able to talk yet?”

I tried clearing my throat, taking another sip of my water to help ease the dryness. “A little,” I managed to rasp.

Tears slid down my cheeks again, this time because I couldn’t hold my baby just yet. I knew it would only be a matter of time, but I needed to touch him, and make sure he was real and that I had just imagined the past nine months with him inside of me. Everything else could wait. I needed my baby.

To prove my point, I attempted to pull myself up to a sitting position, Dr. Thibodeau quickly stepping in to help elevate the top part of the hospital bed, so that I could try to hold my baby boy.

Julien looked at me steadily, checking to make sure that I could handle it.

“I can do it, Julien. Please let me see him. I waited for so long,” I whispered, trying not to hurt my throat.

He narrowed his eyes at me, but I knew it was only because he was wanting to make sure the baby was safe. He gently tucked a corner back into its place, before raising his arms to transfer the baby into mine. He was so tiny, but I remembered that I was only thirty-six weeks along when I went into labor. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

“Is he . . . okay? There weren’t any problems with him being so early, were there?” The panic was very clear in my voice. Even though he was right there in my arms, I felt the terrible pang of worry.