When we finally appeared back in the living room, I had swallowed the lump in my throat and was walking a little taller, a smile on my lips I just couldn’t hide. Annie had smoothed her hair into a ponytail, stuffed some snacks for Eli into her bag, and offered her son a halfhearted attempt at a smile. Her hands shook as she reached for her handbag. She was afraid, and I hated seeing that distress on her.
“Ready, Bean?” Eli grabbed his Ironman backpack, and when he would have reached for the door knob and charged out of the front door, I grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back.
“I’m first today, soldier.” I chuckled, giving Annie a knowing look. Something was amiss in their lives right now, and Phillip was missing; we needed to take extra precautions until this situation was dealt with. Annie took hold of Eli’s hand firmly and gave me a sure nod. She was prepared to do whatever necessary to keep Eli safe, and that both impressed me and scared me to death.
Chapter 15
Annie
“Thank god Eli knows how to operate those things,” Ella chuckled, waddling back into the kitchen. She had set up Eli in the living room, in front of their big screen TV with Jax’s Xbox. Eli wouldn’t move for hours if he had any say in the matter. Ella rubbed her pregnant tummy before lowering herself into a chair. She looked longingly at my coffee.
“I never thought I’d say this, but I’d do just about anything for a sip of that.”
“Come on, you’re so close to the end now. You can do it. Two more weeks and you’ll have that little critter out, and your home will never be the same again. Dirty diapers in the trash, baby toys on the floor, your breasts will leak, you’ll be sleep deprived, and you’ll have never been happier.” Ella’s eyes glassed over with emotion, a smile tugging at her lips. She winced and rubbed at her tummy. “He’s kicking?” I asked, and Ella shook her head.
“She’s quiet, but I’m getting cramps.”
“The baby gets quiet towards the end, storing up energy for all that wailing they do after they’re born. Cramps are normal, too. It’s your body’s way of preparing for the birth. I can’t wait to meet him, hold him.”
Ella glared at me. “Her,” she said defiantly.
“Just as long as you’re prepared for a him, too. There’s a fifty, fifty chance, you know.”
Ella nodded. “I know and I don’t really mind if it’s a boy or a girl, but everyone is convinced it will be a boy, and I’ve just got this feeling . . . I’m sure it’s going to be a girl.” She rubbed her tummy with another wince. “How are you doing? Jax told me Phillip has been giving you some trouble?”
I shook my head not wanting to worry Ella. She had already had the unpleasantness of meeting Phillip off his medication. “Not so much me, but maybe his psychiatrist. He’s missed a few appointments, and as part of his parole, he is not allowed to do that. Dillon says it is possible he could find himself back in prison for the parole breach.” I gave her a little bit of information. I was a terrible liar and my time with Phillip had taught me that careful half-truths worked better than flat-out lies.
“So, how about a more interesting topic.” Ella waggled her eyebrows. “You and Dillon, what’s going on there? Lola tells me he ravished you in the storeroom at work yesterday.”
I just about spat my coffee across the table. “How the heck does Lola know that?”
Ella grinned and laughed. “Busted! She took some garbage out back and had to pass by the room. For a moment, she thought you might have been in trouble, but then she realized it was the good kind of trouble.” Ella smirked.
“That is so embarrassing. Did she really have to tell everyone?” I muttered.
“She only told Rebecca, and you know Rebecca tells me everything, but we didn’t tell the guys. Anyway, embarrassing is your future mother-in-law finding you in a compromising position with her son in her office.”
“No!” I exclaimed, my hand flying over my mouth.
Ella blushed and chuckled. “Yes. At least Jax had his back to the door and was able to cover me. Then we had to sit through a lecture from Mercy about how it wasn’t appropriate for us to fornicate in the shelter, and if we simply couldn’t restrain ourselves, to lock the damn door next time. I was mortified, and what was worse was that she was right. I can’t believe I let that hulking mass of horny man sex me up on his mom’s desk.”
I tried not to laugh, but it crept around my hand, and before I knew it my entire body was trembling with laughter, and Ella was no better.
“So,” she began as she settled down. “Things with Dillon are good?”
My laughter ebbed away, and I sighed. “They are, and that scares me. I trusted a man once and look where it got me.”
Ella’s eyes softened. “Trust is a little like paper; once it’s creased, it will never be the same again. The thing is, though, Dillon’s not the one who betrayed your trust . . . he’s a fresh, crinkle free piece of paper.” I smiled at Ella’s advice. “If I’ve learned anything from being with Jax, it’s that I needed to be all in or nothing. I could never expect him to offer me everything when I couldn’t do the same. Dillon adores you, and I know you adore him. You’ve been hurt, and you’re entitled to the fears that asshole forced upon you, but you can’t let those fears hold you back either.” Ella was younger than me by a few years. She looked like she was younger than me by a lot of years, and yet her advice was full of wisdom that belied her youth. “If I can overcome my shit, then you can damn well do it, too,” she finally said with a resolute nod of the head. When she winced again, I frowned.
“There will be lots of discomfort in the last two weeks, but I promise you it will be worth it.” Suddenly her dark brown eyes flew wide open. The panic in them forced the cup from my fingertips. “Ella?” She groaned loudly and doubled over, her arms wrapping around her stomach protectively. I dropped to my knees before her, and it was then I noticed blood on the inside thigh of her sweats. “Ella, you’re bleeding. Did you realize you were bleeding?” I said in a panic.
She shook her head, her face pale and etched in pain. I reached for the cordless house phone sitting on the table and quickly dialed 911. I barely gave the woman on the other end of the phone a chance to speak, rattling off the address, the stage of Ella’s pregnancy, and the problem. When they advised me an ambulance was already en route, I dropped the phone to the floor and held Ella’s hands. She was taking long deep breaths, her frightened eyes on mine.
“Is the bleeding normal?” she whispered
“I had some spotting in the last few weeks.”
Ella groaned in pain. “But this is more than spotting, and it hurts.”
“I know, honey. The ambulance is on its way.” It was then I noted Eli standing at the door, his eyes wide with alarm. “Bean, I need you to be a big boy and help me. Can you wet a washcloth in the bathroom and bring it to Mommy, please?” He turned and ran towards the bathroom.
“Jax, please call Jax,” Ella panted.
“I will. Let’s just get you more comfortable first. If you fall to the ground, I won’t be able to pick you up. Do you think you can walk to the living room?”
Ella rose on shaky legs, her body hunched over, one arm around her stomach, the other arm around my shoulder. Eli stood in stunned silence with a wet cloth, watching me help Ella to the living room. I lowered her to the couch, completely indifferent to the blood that would mar the clean leather.
“Mommy, what’s wrong with Ella?” Eli’s voice was full of fear.
I offered him a calming smile. “The baby’s ready to come, Eli, that’s all. Pass me the washcloth and go grab the phone for me.”
Eli obediently scampered towards the kitchen where the cordless phone still sat on the counter. When he ran back into the room, he placed the phone in my outstretched hand and climbed onto the couch, sitting carefully behind Ella’s head. His little hands took my place, gently wiping the cloth across her forehead.
“Good boy,” I murmured.
Ella’s eyes were clenched shut, and she was
taking long breaths in and out. I knew she was trying desperately to keep calm and control the pain. I scrolled through the list, and thankfully found Jax’s number close to the top; however, it went to his voicemail. “Jax, it’s Annie. Ella appears to be in labor. I’ve called for an ambulance, and they should be here soon. You might want to head to the hospital and meet us there. She’s okay, I’m here with her, just get your butt to the hospital.” Ella gifted me a tight smile before her eyes fluttered shut again.
“He told me he was picking up a collection of furniture from the bottom of the range. No service,” Ella explained through gritted teeth. “It’s why he wanted me to come, didn’t want to be unable to contact.”
“It’s going to be okay, Ella. Everything will be fine. He’ll get the message soon and come running. He’d never allow himself to be out of contact for more than an hour, tops. You know Jax.” My voice was steady, but the worry inside me was unsteady and strong, threatening to spill. Ella was so small and fragile, and the instinct within me to mother and protect her was fierce. I didn’t know if everything would be okay, and the thought of her losing the baby almost made me physically ill. I needed to be strong, though, and hide my own fears, for Ella’s sake and for the fearful little boy who watched on.
*
Once at the hospital, Ella was wheeled quickly through the emergency room straight to labor and delivery, and I practically ran to keep up.
“Annie?” came a familiar voice as a doctor rushed forward. I turned and took in the sight of my neighbor, Alison, standing in the waiting room. “Is everything okay?”
I glanced back at Ella who was being wheeled down a corridor, her frightened eyes beseeching mine. “My friend has gone into labor. I’m sorry, Alison. I need to stay with her until her fiancé arrives.” I turned to drag Eli down the hallway when a nurse gently took my wrist.
“It’s probably best if the little one doesn’t go through. It might be a little overwhelming for him,” she whispered politely. I was torn, looking towards Ella, who had been wheeled into a room, out of my sight, and to Eli, looking worried at my side.
“I’ll watch him,” Alison immediately offered. I gave her a surprised glance. “Stephan is here. We think he broke his wrist, and he’s still in x-ray. He’ll be a while. It’s really no trouble. Eli can sit here with me until your friend’s fiancé arrives.”
I stood there, torn and not sure what to do. My first instinct was to protect my son, but in a waiting room full of people with Alison right by his side, he should be fine. And Jax would be here any moment.
“I’ll stay with Alison, Mom,” Eli said with a worried frown.
“Don’t let him leave the building. I won’t be long. I’ll just check on her and see what the doctors say,” I said far too quickly, giving Alison a grateful smile.
She waved me off. “Go check on your friend. We’ll play tic-tac-toe or something.” Alison reached out her hand, and Eli grabbed it.
I leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the top of his head. “Bean, you stay with Alison. Don’t go anywhere and do not leave this building. If you need me, just ask the nurse at the counter to get me right away, okay, baby?”
Eli nodded, and with much reluctance, I turned and ran in the direction that Ella had been wheeled.
“Placental abruption?” a nurse asked as I edged my way around the team working on Ella. When her frightened eyes found mine, a tear slipped free.
“It’s going to be okay,” I said with more confidence than I felt.
“There’s a lot of blood here. Do you know your blood type, Ella?” the doctor asked.
“O negative,” she whispered, her tears flowing freely. Her face was so pale, her hand in mine weak. A machine was quickly hooked up to hear the baby’s heartbeat. After a few moments, the doctor’s anxious eyes sought mine before calmly capturing Ella’s gaze.
“Ella, your baby is showing signs of distress, and you are losing too much blood. It appears as though the placenta has detached from the wall of your uterus, and we need to perform a C-section to get the baby out now and stop that bleeding.” Ella nodded despondently, and the doctor gave me a questioning look.
“Whatever you need to do, just do it.”
We were immediately wheeled to a room where Ella was stripped down, and I was practically tossed into scrubs. A nurse made sure I was adequately covered before I followed Ella’s bed which was wheeled into an operating room. A partition was quickly set up to prevent Ella from seeing what was going on below her shoulders, and I sat right by her head.
“Your baby is just like his daddy,” I whispered. “Impatient.”
Ella smiled at that, tears still slipping down her face. “I really wish Jax was here.”
“Excuse me, nurse?” I grabbed a nurse who didn’t seem too preoccupied with the doctors around Ella’s stomach. “Ella’s fiancé, Jaxon Carter, will be here any moment. He’ll be brought right through, right?” The nurse’s mouth was covered but her eyes softened.
“I know Jaxon. We went to school together. I’ll phone the front desk and make sure he’s brought in as soon as he arrives.”
“Thank you.” When the nurse turned to move away, I grabbed her arm.
“My son, Eli, he’s waiting for me with a friend in the waiting room, I don’t suppose you can ask one of the nurses at the counter to keep an eye on him for me?”
She gave me a sympathetic smile. “I’ll put a call through to the desk, but honestly, it’s a busy day, and they won’t be able to give him all their attention. I’ll wait here with Ella if you would prefer to go out to your son.”
I glanced back down at Ella, and I could tell she was trying hard to put on a brave face.
“I’ll be okay,” she trembled. My heart ached for her.
“Eli will be fine; my neighbor is with him, and Jax will be here any moment.” I wiped the hair back off her brow. “You’ll be meeting your son soon.”
She managed a small smile. “Or daughter.”
While the anesthesiologist was at work monitoring Ella as the lower portion of her body was numbed, the nurse I had spoken to leaned over and whispered in my ear.
“Jaxon is here and being prepped right outside.”
I smiled and glanced back to Ella. “Did you hear that?”
Ella nodded, and even though pale and sluggish, her head twisted, her eyes focused on the doors to the operating room. A moment later, the commanding figure of Jaxon Carter entered the room, his frantic eyes only visible around the hospital garb. He gave me a grateful look before I stepped away, and he leaned down to press his forehead to Ella’s.
“Damn, angel, I thought we made a deal. You weren’t going to start this without me.”
“Once she’s out, I’m grounding her for life,” Ella said on a sob.
I kept to the edge of the room, making sure the doctors and nurses had plenty of room to work around me. My gaze tore away from the panicked scene before me, and I stared at the doors to the surgical room. I wasn’t sure if I was just allowed to walk out now. What was the procedure here? Surely the room had to stay sterile. Did that mean the doors couldn’t be opened? It had felt like no more than a few minutes since Ella doubled over in pain, but it had more likely been close to an hour now. Apparently, the process of birthing a baby by caesarean was fast, though; one moment the doctor was asking for a scalpel, the next he was pulling a tiny little baby from Ella’s body. After a quick assessment and cutting the umbilical cord, the baby was transferred to a nurse’s waiting arms.
“Congratulations, Mom and Dad, you have a little girl.” Jax’s eyes were torn for wanting to go to his child, who was whisked away to a table on the other side of the room, and Ella who was stuck immobile on the bed.
“I’ll go,” I said loudly, and Jax gave me a sure nod.
I approached the nurse who claimed to know Jaxon, and she smiled and stepped aside so I could get a good view of the baby. She appeared perfect, with all her toes and fingers, her body squirming in protest at the pok
es and prods the nurses were giving her.
“She’s a little cold, so we are going to put her in an incubator to raise her temperature. Other than that, she appears perfect.”
I couldn’t hold back the tear that slipped free, beholding the marvel of the baby before me.
“Thank you.”
I quickly explained to Jax what was happening, and he and Ella were given a moment to see their baby up close before she was taken away to be cared for. Ella, in the meantime, looked almost grey, her eyes heavy.
“Get that blood ready, nurse,” the doctor ordered.
“Charlie’s out in the waiting room. Will you go tell him what’s going on?” Jax asked.
“Of course.”
“Thank you, Annie,” murmured Jax, his voice full of emotion.
I gave him a smile before leaning down to Ella. “You’re a mommy,” I whispered in her ear. “I’m so proud of you.” Her answering smile was tired and faint.
I quickly left the room and stripped out of the scrubs in a haze of shock and disbelief. Somehow, I made my way back to the waiting room. Charlie leaped from a chair and was before me faster than I’d ever seen the man move.
“It’s okay. The baby’s fine. It’s a girl. They just want to warm her up a little. Ella lost a lot of blood, and they are trying to replace it now.” Charlie only hesitated a moment before reaching forward and lifting me into his big, muscular arms. He seemed to hold on for dear life, his body shaking.
“That scared the crap out of me,” he eventually confessed as I patted his back. Finally, he let me go, and I laughed at the frazzled look on his face.
“They’re fine. Ella will be okay once they replace the blood she lost.” Charlie’s eyes dropped to my shirt, and it was then I noticed I had somehow gotten Ella’s blood on me.
“Crap, that will probably freak Eli out.”
At the thought of Eli, my head snapped up and I searched the room for him. It was busy in the waiting room, but I immediately noticed it was clearly absent of Eli. I stepped around Charlie and began searching. Noticing the restrooms at one end of the room I rushed for it, the door swinging open and hitting the tiled wall behind it. “Eli?” I called out. I was met with silence. I checked the men’s room next door only to find it empty, too. I rushed for the doors and stepped outside, looking frantically around the parking lot for any sign of Eli.
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