Terror ricocheted through me at the same time another cramp did, and I let out a little whimper.
“Em?” Ivy’s voice rang out through the room, and I realized she’d followed me. “Em, are you okay?”
My entire body shaking, I pulled up my panties and jeans and hurried out of the stall.
One look at my face made Ivy pale. “What’s wrong?”
“We need to go to the hospital.”
41
Emery
I could still hear Ivy’s voice as she called Jack. She’d called him as we rushed out of Balance. Her words echoed around in my head.
“Jack, you need to get to Hartwell General. I’m taking Em there now. She’s cramping … and bleeding … I know”—her voice broke a little—“but I’ve got her, okay?”
I wondered what he’d said.
But I didn’t ask.
I was too busy being petrified out of my mind about losing our baby.
Ivy must’ve broken every speed limit to get us to Hartwell. She kept cool and calm when we arrived at the hospital, her voice authoritative as she explained to the emergency room nurse what was wrong.
They took me into a private room right away. Five minutes later, Dr. Britt arrived. I remembered answering her questions as if on autopilot. She examined me. Ran tests. But it was like I was outside of myself. Fear had caused some kind of dissociation. Fear that not only would I lose this baby … but in losing my baby, I’d also lose my Jack.
Before I ever got the chance to have him.
“Em, your heart rate is high. I need you to calm down.”
She’d just finished saying those words when Jack appeared, striding through the door. The sight of him was like a rubber band snapping at my nose. I felt present again. No less fearful, but present.
He reached my side, grabbing my hand between his. “Sunrise.”
“You’re here,” I whispered, relief flooding me to feel his firm hand around mine.
“I always will be,” he vowed, his voice gruff.
“Good timing, Dad,” Dr. Britt said with a smile on her face. “The baby is fine. Heart rate is normal.”
“But—”
“The bleeding was merely spotting. And the cramping happens sometimes for no nefarious reason. I’ll have you monitor things and come back in if you have any heavier bleeding, but I’m not concerned. And I don’t want you to be.”
The terror that had been building inside me unleashed in a fit of sobs.
Jack’s arms wrapped around me, the bed depressing as he slid onto it so he could hold me as close as possible. “Shh, sunrise, you’re killing me,” he said hoarsely. “Please, please, Em, you’re okay. We’re all okay.”
“I’ll give you a moment,” I heard Dr. Britt say.
We were all okay. Jack kept whispering it over and over until it began to sink in.
I needed to tell him. I needed to tell him before it was too late.
“Jack.” I pulled my face out of his throat and clasped his cheeks in mine, feeling the prickle of his stubble tickle my palms.
His blue-gray eyes were bright with concern and love, and so much more.