SARAH
JESS
The rhythmic beeping of the monitor brought me back to reality. That sound–I knew it too well. My heart sank. I’d been here before, more times than I cared to count. The hospital smell, the tightness in my chest, the oppressive weight of worry pressing down on me. Why the hell was I back here?
My body felt heavy, sluggish, as though it wasn’t mine anymore. My throat was dry, raw like I’d swallowed sandpaper. I tried to move, but even that was a chore. Blinking, I shifted my hand instinctively to my belly–except it wasn’t there.
Panic surged through me. Shit. Something was wrong. .Something happened.
His
Tears rolled down my cheeks before I could stop them, and I bit back a sob. A warm hand brushed them away gently. I turned my head, my vision blurry, and saw Luke sitting beside me. face was pale and drawn, but his eyes–they were steady, grounding me in a way I desperately needed.
“Did I lose her?” My voice cracked as I forced the words out.
Luke shook his head quickly, squeezing my hand. “No, babe. She’s healthy and beautiful, and I can’t wait for you to hold her.”
I stared at him, my mind struggling to catch up. “She is?” My voice was barely above a whisper, but Luke nodded again, his lips twitching into the faintest of smiles.
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SARAH
“She is.”
Relief flooded me so quickly I thought I might faint. I blinked. hard, letting the tears fall freely now, and whispered, “What happened?”
Luke shifted in his chair, his jaw tightening. “You had a placental rupture,” he began, his voice low and steady. “It caused you to bleed–a lot. Jess, you scared the hell out of me.” He paused, exhaling shakily. “The doctors think it might’ve been from
stress, or maybe when Sarah pushed you. Honestly, it doesn’t matter anymore. They managed to stop the bleeding, and you’re going to be fine.”
I processed his words slowly, my head spinning. “The baby?”
“She was in distress, but they did an emergency C–section. She’s in the NICU right now, but she’s stable.” His voice softened as he added, “Our baby girl’s a fighter, just like her mom.”
A new wave of tears spilled down my cheeks, but this time they were a mix of relief and overwhelming emotion. I swallowed hard, nodding as I tried to take it all in.
The door creaked open, and Josh stepped inside, his tall frame looking almost hesitant. His face was tired, his clothes wrinkled, but his lips curved into a small smile when he saw me awake.
“Laura?” I asked immediately, my voice shaky.
Josh blinked, his eyes softening. “She’s stable,” he said. “They got the bullet out and stopped the bleeding. She’s going to be okay.”
A sob escaped my lips, and I reached out for him. He crossed
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the room in a few quick steps, pulling me into a gentle hug
“Careful,” I murmured, wincing as a jolt of pain shot through me.
“Sorry, sis,” he muttered, pulling back but keeping a hand on my shoulder. His gaze flickered to Luke, “You two almost killed us, you know that?”
“Sorry,” I whispered, my voice breaking.
Josh gave me a crooked smile, his eyes glassy. “You’re fine, she’s fine–that’s all that matters.”
Luke kissed my forehead, his hand never leaving mine. The warmth of his touch grounded me, keeping me steady.
I took a shaky breath. “What happened with Sarah?”
Luke’s face darkened, his jaw tightening again. He looked at Josh, who gave a small nod, then leaned closer to me.
“The police came while you were in surgery,” he said. “They told us Sarah’s been in and out of psych wards for years. She used to be a nurse, but she got addicted to fentanyl and other drugs. It got so bad she overdosed a patient.”
I stared at him, my mind reeling. “But she was staying with us. She was at the hospital–how?”
“She’s been admitted to a psychiatric facility now,” Luke said softly. “She’s not going to hurt anyone else.”
“One thing is for fucking sure. You are not naming your sweet baby girl Sarah, alright?” Josh smiled, and in spite of everything – I wanted to laugh.
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