He grips the railing on the bed. “If I had to guess, you didn’t want me to know at all. What? Did the guilt get to you... leaving me like you did?”
It guts me to know how much I hurt him. “There are things you don’t know. I was coming to tell you... I need you.”
He leans toward me. His voice is deep and steady. “I needed you these last nine months, Gracie. I’ve been lost without you... You wrote me a damn note to tell me I wasn’t good enough for you.”
I can feel the pull in my lower belly as another contraction starts. It’s too soon. Didn’t the other one just finish? I grip my belly and try to tell him. “I had to, Aiden. I didn’t have a choice.”
His face tightens, and he’s so mad he spits the words out. “There’s always a choice, Gracie.”
“Ohhhhhh!” I scream, holding my belly. “Oh God!” I say as the contraction hits harder. Aiden grabs my hand, and I squeeze fighting through the pain.
“Breathe, Gracie. Keep breathing.”
He no sooner gets the words out than the door swings open. The doctor that checked me earlier walks in the room with Tate and Lakelyn following behind. “Well, it seems they are getting closer and more intense.”
I nod, grunting through the pain.
Lakelyn presses a cold wet towel to my head, which is surprisingly soothing.
I keep grunting, doing my best to work and breathe through the pain. All eyes are on me, and I try to take deep breaths until finally it subsides, and I fall back onto the bed.
The doctor is watching a monitor. “That one was a doozy. Let me check your dilation.”
Instantly, Tate and Lakelyn step back outside the room as the doctor sits down on a stool between my legs. Aiden is still holding my hand, and even though I know he probably hates me right now, I can’t let him leave me. Our daughter and I need him more than ever.
The doctor’s head raises, and instantly I see the crease of his forehead. “You’re still at three centimeters. We’re going to have to do a C-section, Gracie. I know you didn’t want an epidural, and it’s too late for that, but we will have to use an anesthetic for the surgery. Someone will be in shortly to get you prepped.”
“But I wanted to do this naturally.”
The doctor comes up and stands next to my head. “I know you did, but that monitor there is letting us know how the baby is doing. She’s starting to get a little distressed, and she is ready to come out. The safest way for you and baby is to do it this way.”
Everything is so confusing. I’m exhausted and trying to piece it all together. “And I have to be out?”
He smiles. “Yes, and trust me, you’ll want to be for this.”
I nod, and the doctor grips my shoulder. “I’ve done thousands of these. You and your baby girl are going to be fine.” He raises his head. “Are you the father?”
I cringe, waiting for Aiden’s response.
“Yes, I’m the father.”
“Okay, I’m assuming you want to be in there.”
Aiden gulps. “Yes.”
“Great, the nurses will instruct you on what you need to do.”
He nods, and I watch as the doctor leaves.
It hits me then that there’s not much time, and there’s so much to say. “Aiden, I know that you probably hate me. I know we have a lot to talk about, but I need you to make me a promise.”
He is still holding my hand, and there’s no trust in his eyes as he stares back at me. “What is it?”
“Well, I didn’t want to be out. I needed to have a clear head and be able to take care of our daughter, but if they’re putting me out, I can’t. I need you to take care of her.”
“Gracie, I don’t know how to take care of a baby, but I promise I will make sure she’s fed and taken care of. You’ll be back with her soon enough. You can teach me and show me what I need to do.”
“No, you don’t understand,” I say in frustration. “I’m telling you, do not let her out of your sight. If my father shows up, don’t let him near her.”
The nurse comes in and starts moving the IV poles, disconnecting and reconnecting tubes. “My father will sell her, Aiden. Promise me that you will protect her while I can’t. Promise me,” I ask in urgency as the nurse asks if I’m ready.
Aiden was mad when he walked in, but now he looks downright lethal. He leans down and puts his hand softly to my face. “From this point on, I will protect you and our daughter, Gracie. Nothing is going to happen to either of you. He won’t come near either of you ever again.”