Absolute Betrayal

by Ronni Meyrick

  www.wickedpublishing.net

  ABSOLUTE BETRAYAL

  By

  Bestselling author

  Roni Meyrick

  What the reviewers say about the authors’ works:

  Ronni Meyrick

  “Hero”

  Ronni Meyrick has written a beautiful love story with detail and sensitivity for her lead character, a military vet. She tackled PTSD, partner abuse and family dynamics that any one of us could identify with the characters. I look forward to reading more from this author.

  —Dogls Goods

  This is such a beautifully written story. Ronni's attention to details and her respect in the way she handled the injuries and the wartime flashbacks of Jack to the emotional and physical turmoil that Carrie endures shows what a talented writer she truly is.

  —Cheryl Jones

  I love this book so much I can't even put into words how much. As a veteran, it alone makes me proud to read any military story, but as the former spouse of veteran who suffers from PTSD and TBI it hit home a little more.

  —Amazon Customer

  Dedication

  To the woman who loves me unconditionally, no matter how stupid I am…My lovely wife K. When I zone out writing something new, she ensures I have food and an endless supply of coffee, also acts as a beta reader for me.

  For Mum, whose unwavering support, encouragement and love mean everything to me.

  For Dad, who I know is sitting on his cloud thinking to himself, ‘Oh Lord, what is she up to now?’ I hope you’re proud of me.

  I love you all!

  Acknowledgements

  To my beta readers, Debs Arminshaw, Sue Collins, Kristen Webber, Ratna Summers, & Syd Sexton. I’d be lost without you all and your feedback. Thank you!

  My mentors Dawn Carter & Shiralyn Lee. You’re awesome, ladies! I’ll never be able to repay you for the amount of time and effort you’ve spent teaching me the right from wrong. (No I don’t want to take out stock in Majestic Wines or Smirnoff Vodka, to help with the whole repayment!) LOL…I love you both loads, and hope we continue to work together.

  Adrian (AJ) Smith, my editor, thank you for such an outstanding job.

  My fellow Wicked Sisters, who are always there whenever I have a question, or to just chat and break my day up. (Giving me a rest from writing – If only for a few minutes.)

  Kate Charlton, (My sister from another mister & terrible twin) and Karen Tighe. A girl couldn’t ask for better friends. You’re amazing, love you both.

  Ratna & Alan Summers, my friends come family. You’re always there for me or Mrs M whether that be at the end of the phone or a quick coffee at your house. When you decide with Mrs M that I need a break, I find myself whisked away from pounding the keys, as we tour a local landmark or visit an attraction. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Xxx

  Also, my thanks go to my readers. It’s your kind words and friendship that drive me and encourage me to write more…Thank you. Xxx

  ABSOLUTE BETRAYAL

  Successful business woman, Stella Williams couldn’t ask for anything more in life after marrying her girlfriend Jennifer, who was about to give birth to their baby. But as quickly as life had dealt her the winning hand, it rapidly chose to tare her world apart.

  While dealing with emotional loss, she is forced into parenthood alone, and spends the next few years struggling with her new identity as a single working mother. But when she discovers a legal document that had been hidden away from her, she soon realizes how her empire is on the verge of new threats.

  ABSOLUTE BETRAYAL

  Chapter One

  Over cold hallway tiles, the click-clack of Stella Williams’s heels echoed as she rushed down one of the many corridors at St. George’s hospital. Pale walls, fluorescent lighting, and pager announcements gave her anxiety an even bigger boost while she juggled her briefcase and phone in her clammy hands. Her mind filled with trepidation, and regret screamed at her to hurry. How could I be so selfish? Jen’s going to kill me if I miss this. I promised I’d be there for her. Fuck, why did the baby have to come early?

  ***

  The smell of disinfectant mixed with the room’s dim lights made Jennifer want to vomit as she bore-down once again and pushed with all her might.

  “Where the hell is she?” she cried. “Arhhh, it feels like I’m giving birth to a cannon ball.”

  She gripped her mother-in-law’s hand with her swollen fingers and squeezed tight.

  “She promised to be here for this.”

  Helen placed a cool cloth over her daughter-in-law’s forehead and wiped her brow. “I’ve left countless messages on her phone. She’ll pick them up when the plane lands and she can turn her phone on. She loves you, Jen, and I’m sure she’s just as eager to be here.”

  “Fuck! Why the hell did I agree to do this?” Jennifer pushed again and held her breath while contorting her sweat-ridden face caused by the agonising pain coursing through her.

  The nurse placed her cool fingers on Jen’s wrist and checked her pulse. “Doctor, the pulse is a little weak.” She looked over at the monitor. “You have another contraction coming, Jennifer, get ready to push.”

  “Breathe, Jen, just like they taught you. We can do it together,” Helen eagerly offered.

  Jennifer squeezed even tighter on her hand and dug her fingernails into the skin. “I want it out of me. Get it out. I can’t take it anymore. I’m too tired.” She blew out a long breath. Her body trembled, and her teeth chattered, and then she became limp with exhaustion. Her eyes rolled back, and her dry cracked lips parted.

  “Jen?” Helen’s panicked voice alerted the doctor to an unexpected situation.

  Suddenly the room filled with an obnoxious loud beeping sound. The doctor looked up from between Jen’s legs and frowned at the monitor for both mother’s and baby’s heartbeats.

  The nurse examined the numbers on the machine, which dropped drastically from 130 to 99, then she calmly told the doctor, “We have non-reassuring fetal distress.”

  She placed her hand on Jennifer’s shoulders and gently guided her over on to her side. “Jennifer, your baby’s heart rate has dropped. Changing your position will help.”

  “I’m just going to insert a small tube inside your vagina to spray the baby’s head with anaesthetic, and then I’m going to take a blood sample to test for oxygen levels. Nothing to worry about at this stage, just a formality,” Doctor Bourne informed her. She carefully inserted a small needle inside the tube. “This won’t hurt your baby.”

  “What’s happening? Is my baby okay?” Jen’s panicked weak voice asked.

  Doctor Bourne collected the blood sample in a glass tube and then analysed it in a machine in the delivery ward. A few minutes later, she had the results. “Baby’s blood is at p H 7.20, which is borderline. We’re going to increase your fluid levels via a drip.”

  Jen looked over her shoulder at her mother-in-law. “Helen?”

  “It’s okay,” she answered, then bit her trembling lower lip.

  Not understanding why everything was spinning out of control, Jen constantly looked back and forth at Helen and the nurse. “My baby’s okay, isn’t it? Please tell me my baby is okay.”

  The nurse stood between her patient and the monitor, and while she looked down at the dropping heart beats, she said softly, “I need you to remain calm, Jennifer. Let’s concentrate on making baby’s journey as comfortable as possible.”

  Doctor Bourne assessed the mother and baby’s situation, then while removing her latex gloves, said, “Call down to the operating theatre. Tell them we need to prep for an emergency C-section.”

  Jen attempted to raise her head but failed. “No! I want to give birth naturally!” The sensation struck through her crotch lik
e lightning as another torturous contraction shot through her.

  “Okay. But if your blood pressure increases further, we’re going downstairs.” The doctor moved back between her legs, and as she settled into position she sucked in a loud breath, her eyes widened. “The caesarean might not be a feasible option now. Your baby’s already crowning. Three more long hard pushes and the head will be out.”

  With every fibre of her being, Jennifer clenched her teeth and bore down. A series of grunt-like screams left her lips a few seconds later as she felt a burning sensation and the baby’s head crowning.

  “Good, another push like that and the head will be through. Come on, Jen! Give it everything you’ve got.”

  Helen kissed her cheek. “Just one more, Jen. Once the head is out it’ll be easier.”

  Doctor Bourne practiced the breathing pattern technique, with “hee, hee, who” and encouraged Jen to follow her direction.

  “Hee, hee, who,” Jen practiced, while focusing on the doctor’s instructions. Even though she tried to keep up with the technique, her shoulders were pulled up tight around her ears, and her neck muscles had become rigid. Panic enveloped her, causing her to over-breathe in short, sharp gasps. Pins and needles prickled in her hands and fingers, and light-headedness affected her ability to control her actions. Her dry mouth became numb—she was exhausted and scared.

  Doctor Bourne cupped her hands around the baby’s head when a herculean scream left Jennifer’s throat before she gave another push. “That’s it. The head’s out. Baby will soon be here.”

  A few moments later, the wail of a newborn filled the room.

  The doctor listed the baby up and placed it the waiting nurse’s arms.

  “It’s a boy!” She attached two clamps on the umbilical cord then passed Helen a pair of scissors. “Come on, Grandma, you need to cut the cord.”

  Helen kissed Jen’s cheek, then gently touched the full head of black hair. “He has the same colour hair as Stella.”

  Looking up at her mother-in-law through watery eyes, the corner of Jennifer’s mouth turned up slightly. “He’s perfect.”

  The nurse draped blanket over him, then carefully guided him of his mother’s arms. “I just need to clean him up, Jennifer. You can have him back in a minute.” wiped him down with some warm water and cotton wool and rubbed him over with a soft terry cloth towel to stimulate his blood vessels, then carried him across the room and wiped him down, then wrapped a diaper over his tiny body, and placed a blue cap on his head.

  Unseen by the doctor, nurse, and the over-joyous grandmother, Jennifer experienced an uncomfortable surge of energy. The muscles in her face and arm went into spasm. She had a strange sense of dizziness, and then her body shook, while her mind became disconnected to her surroundings. Fear filled her, and then she lost consciousness.

  The beeps on the monitor quickly changed from frequent to a couple of long beeps, and then one long extended beep.

  The nurse immediately handed the baby over to Helen and rushed over to the bed.

  “You’ll have to wait outside the curtain,” Doctor Bourne instructed as she ushered Helen back and pulled the curtain around the bed. Her first thought was to make sure the blood was still flowing to where it needed to go, so she used the technique of chest compression by pushing down on Jennifer’s chest.

  After a few minutes, the nurse took over, and again, she pushed down on Jennifer’s chest.

  Doctor Bourne reassessed the patient’s situation and told the nurse, “She’s in V-Tach. Get me a crash cart!”

  The nurse rushed out of the room and grabbed the handle to the defibrillator, then hurried back. She glanced at the monitors as she handed the paddles to the doctor. “We’re losing her?”

  Doctor Bourne worked with speed as she charged them, ready to deliver a shock to Jennifer’s heart to re-establish a regular heartbeat. Then she placed the paddles over her chest and administered the shock.

  ***

  Why did I have to go to New York for those business meetings? Leaving Jen alone so close to the birth was a bad idea, Stella told herself.

  A sign pointed to her left told her where the delivery unit was, so she pushed the door open and hurried down yet another corridor, constantly monitoring the signs for any indication to where she should go.

  Her feet skidded to a stop in front of light coloured double doors, and she tugged aggressively at the handle, grunting with every pull. They wouldn’t open. The blinking light from an intercom call button on the wall caught her attention. She switched her phone into her other hand, then pressed the button repeatedly with utter urgency.

  “Hello,” an angry voice answered through the small speaker. “You do realise there are babies, new mothers, and expectant mothers in here trying to sleep?”

  Stella’s eyes grew wide, she smacked herself in the forehead as she realised the stupidity of her actions. “Hello, my name is Stella Williams, my wife, Jennifer Williams-Reece, was admitted earlier,” she said, feeling giddy from her ragged breathing.

  The electric lock buzzed loudly in the empty hallway. She pulled the handle violently and fell through the door as it swung open with ease. A nurse’s desk was immediately in front of her, and the grey-haired matronly looking woman sitting behind it scowled with displeasure.

  Two women with their heads low and leaning slightly towards each other stood in a corridor to the right of the desk, drawing her attention. One of them glanced her way before rushing over and engulfing her in a hard embrace.

  “Where have you been?” Her mother’s small frame filled her arms.

  The tall, muscular physique of her best friend, Claudia, stepped up to her side. The blonde wrapped an arm around Stella’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze.

  Stella’s gaze landed on Claudia. “What are you doing here?” Claudia was not only like her sister, she was also her family and business lawyer.

  Helen took Stella’s hand and squeezed it in her palm. “Love, there’s something we need―”

  Stella’s breath caught at her mother’s tone, and her posture straightened. She gazed at her intently.

  Unshed tears shimmered in Helen’s eyes. Her mascara had run, leaving trails of black lines down her cheeks. The one sentence she’d said was hoarse, and her dark hair was ruffled, sticking up at all angles.

  “What’s going on? Where’s Jenny? Has she had our baby?”

  Helen took Stella’s arm and guided her into the Relatives Room. “You have a healthy six-pound ten-ounce baby boy.” She guided her daughter into a chair then closed the door.

  Stella’s feet slid on the floor as she stood and turned to the door, intent on going to her wife and son. She staggered as a small hand restrained her by her wrist, holding her in place. “I want to see them, let go of me. What aren’t you telling me?”

  Claudia sighed heavily and rubbed her hand over her forehead. “There was a problem, Stel. Jen has…Jen is…” Her voice cracked and betrayed her emotions. “I…she…Oh fuck! How am I supposed to do this?” She placed her hand over her mouth, then looked directly at Helen with water-filled eyes.

  Stella followed Claudia’s focus and looked to Helen for answers. “Do what? I don’t understand.”

  The vice-like grip her mother had on her forced Stella away from the door. “Jen had some complications, love. She didn’t make it.”

  “What?” Stella’s stomach flipped over while her thoughts scrambled.

  Helen stepped closer. “I’m so sorry, darling, but Jen died a couple of minutes after she gave birth.”

  The room spun, and the contents of Stella’s stomach threatened to spew onto the floor. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her knees buckled.

  “No!”

  The piercing wail filled the room. Her eyes burned with the saltiness of her tears as they streamed down her cheeks. Her body shook as heart wrenching sobs broke from her very soul, tearing it asunder. Surrounded on both sides, she clung to her mother and Claudia’s arms desperately.

  Th
e loud click from the door handle turning caused the three of them to flinch. A tired looking dark-haired woman dressed in green scrubs entered.

  “Are you Mrs. Williams?” The slightest movement of Stella’s head answered her question. “I’m Doctor Lydia Bourne. I delivered your son and was with Jennifer when she died. I’m sorry for your loss. I did everything within my power to save Jennifer.”

  Claudia moved to the doctor’s side and placed a hand on her forearm. “What happened?”

  “From what we can tell, Mrs. Williams-Reece had a heart attack. However, we can’t tell you what caused it.” Doctor Bourne took a seat. She sighed heavily and scrubbed her face with her hands. “We’ll have more answers once an autopsy is completed.”

  Stella’s tear-filled eyes bored into the doctors. “I…I…don’t understand.”

  She swallowed hard against the Sahara-like dryness in her mouth and licked her lips.

  “We visited her doctor last week. Jenny and the baby were given a clean bill of health. If something had been flagged I would never have gone to New York.”

  She was bombarded with memories of her and Jennifer. The way they held hands while walking in the park, the laughs they shared with friends and family, and the most recent, lying in bed with her beloved wife with her head on her bump talking to their baby. The movement of their child as he kicked and moved around whenever he heard her voice was a rush, and there was nothing she enjoyed doing more than spending time with them. The memories brought on a fresh round of tears, and her cries of anguish possessed her once again.

  “This can’t be right, you’re wrong!” Denial swept through her veins.

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Williams. If you’d like to see your wife, I’ve arranged for you to do so in one of the viewing rooms downstairs in the morgue.”

  I don’t want to see her. I’ll lose my shit if I see her laid out.