Claiming her babies

Nicholas POV

IN THE HOSPITALConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Two nurses rushed out with a gurney, their faces a mask of professional urgency. They carefully lifted Monica onto it, her body trembling with pain. Her face was flushed red, sweat beading on her forehead as she clutched her stomach, her groans filling the corridor. The sound was heart-wrenching, each groan a testament to her agony.

“My baby, I don’t want to lose my baby,” Monica repeated over and over, her voice cracked and filled with desperation. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the sweat, as she looked up at the ceiling with pleading eyes.

I followed closely behind, my heart pounding in my chest. Fear gripped me like a vice, each of Monica’s cries slicing through me like a knife. The world seemed to blur around us, the sterile white walls of the hospital closing in as we moved through the hallways.

“Please, help her,” I begged the nurses, my voice barely more than a whisper. They nodded, their expressions calm but focused, as they guided the gurney into an examination room.

The female doctor with kind eyes, placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’ll do everything we can,” she said before disappearing behind the swinging doors.

I, Ella, Anthony, Elena, and Greg were left standing there, feeling utterly helpless. The seconds dragged on, and my mind raced with a thousand thoughts, none of them comforting. The fear of losing the unborn child was a suffocating and fearful feeling.

Finally, I sank onto one of the hard plastic chairs lining the corridor, burying my face in my hand. I tried to steady my breathing, but the panic was relentless.

Every agonized cry from Monica felt like a punch to my gut. I clenched my fists, wishing there was something, anything, I could do to ease her pain. The thought of losing that baby, of seeing Monica’s heartbreak, was unbearable.

Minutes felt like hours, but the doctor still hasn’t given us any word. I could notice the continuous glare Elena kept throwing at her son but I just brushed it off and looked elsewhere.

“Don’t look at me, mum. I didn’t know she was pregnant and besides, it wasn’t my fist that landed on her stomach” Greg uttered shamelessly defending himself.

“Shut up Greg” Ella yelled sternly as she rose to her feet and I knew she wasn’t happy with the current situation. I remember the constant fear I saw in her eyes when we were coming to the hospital with Monica. “And you, all you had to do was to avoid your brother but you couldn’t and you let your anger control you”

“I’m sorry aunt. I didn’t mean to hurt Monica” I apologized sincerely, avoiding Aunt Ella’s eyes.

“Of course, I know that but you’re supposed to be wise enough to know that nothing good comes out of anger. You angrily intended to punch Greg and you punched Monica instead”

“It wasn’t my fault. Greg started it. He called her a whore and_” I tried explaining but Greg interrupted my speech

“You started it, Nicholas. You pushed me first and that made me_”

“Enough both of you” Ella yelled angrily, cutting Greg short ” I’m ashamed of you both. Arguing and fighting like kids in kindergarten”

“I’m sorry Aunt” Greg apologized.

An hour later, The doctor emerged from the room. Her face was serious, but there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes. I instantly rose to my feet as I rushed to stand close to the doctor.

“She’s stable for now,” he said, his voice calm and measured. “We’re monitoring her and the baby closely. It’s a delicate situation, but we’re doing everything we can. I’m thankful you were quick to bring her here because if you had delayed any minute than you did, she would have lost the baby.”

I nodded, swallowing hard, my throat dry. “Can I see her?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.

He nodded. “I’m sorry but you can’t. Right now, she needs a lot of rest”

“Thank you doctor ” Elena uttered as she glared at Greg who just sat on one of the plastic chairs with a serious face.

“Thank you doctor” I uttered, feeling relieved that everything was okay. I couldn’t imagine losing the baby or even losing Monica. Losing any of them would damage my chances of remaining the CEO and I couldn’t risk that.

Monica and the baby were the only ticket to keeping the company and I almost ruined it with my anger. The memories of our dance, the spark, the kiss, and our argument flooded my head instantly and I instantly regretted why I said those things to her.

I sighed as I placed my hands in my pocket, intending to leave the hospital and rest but Ella’s stern voice paused me on my tracks.

“And where do you think you’re going to young man?”

“Aunt I’m really tired and I want to go home and rest” My response earned a strange look from Ella, Anthony, and Elena.

“You want to do what? Are you serious?”Anthony asked in shock and disbelief.

“Your wife is lying there alone and it’s because of you that she is in that position but all you’re thinking of right now is the fact that you need to rest? Are you serious Nicholas?” Ella yelled, glaring hard at me but I still didn’t understand why they were all angry.

“I know that I’m responsible for what happened but I’m tired and I want to rest aunt” I uttered, defending myself.

“I’m highly disappointed in you Nicholas. Monica is your wife and the mother of your unborn child and all these while, you’ve been harsh and cold towards her” Aunt Ella raised her index finger at me as she glared at me “If anything should happen to her or that baby, I’ll never forgive you”

I raised my head instantly as my eyes widened. Looking at Aunt Ella, I could see the seriousness in her eyes. She took her clutch and walked out on all of us, leaving the hospital in sadness.