Sydney sobs openly, and Colin rests his forehead against hers.
“We got this, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Colin–” I start, looking up at him sharply.
“No… I– I need to be there…” he stammers, looking broken.
“You know that I can’t let you back there. If this were a normal section, that’s differen–”
“I can’t leave her alon–” Colin breaks, the first tear falling. I know he’s struggled with the fact that Jenna was alone. This is hitting him fucking hard. Holly walks around the stretcher and slips her hand into Colin’s. He pulls it away, reaching for Sydney.
“She will not be alone. I won’t leave, even when Wideman shows. I have to take them. Colin, every second is counting now. Three, Colin–I have three lives. I don’t want to choose. I need to come out with all three. Do you understand me?”
Colin’s tears flow as he looks down at his wife, memorizing her.
“You are my world. You showed me how to live and love again. So you fight in there! You got me, Princess?”
Sydney nods, a wracking sob tearing from her as another sounds from Holly as we start moving down the hall to the OR elevators. I can’t stand that this is how they have to say a potential goodbye. It’s cruel.
“I love you so much, Colin. No matter what.” Sydney whimpers, and my heart fucking breaks.
“I love you too, baby. Stop the cart.”
Colin pulls Sydney’s lips to his one more time, wrapping her in his arms as tightly as she squeezes his neck. There’s not a dry eye in this corridor.
“We have to go,” I choke out as the elevator dings and opens. Katie holds it, hand on the button.
Colin presses one more kiss to her hair. Bleary, red-rimmed eyes find mine as Sydney’s wheeled inside. I’ll see those for the rest of my freaking life.
“Jaxon, save them.”
I nod, unable to promise, and watch as my friend falls to his knees as the doors close.
Chapter 32
Holly
Watching Jaxon war with the emotions of what is happening versus his professionalism hits me square in the gut. His misty eyes flicker between his friend on his knees beside me up to mine that split second before the elevator doors close, stripping away my wall of strength and my best friend.
I drop to my knees next to Colin, pulling him into a hug that he fights as he stares at the metal doors. His heart wins and gives in, finally letting me surround him and pull him tight against my chest as his fist clenches my shirt and his first sob pours from his lungs, cleaving my heart in two. I cry with him, holding him tighter as his big palm grabs onto my arm for dear life. He’s spiraling.
A commotion down the hall snags my attention, and I look up to see Trystan and Brynleigh arguing with a nurse. He sees me in that moment, and his face falls, his hand coming up to his mouth as if he’s scared to even know what is going on. Brynleigh is still insisting loudly for someone to find us, but Trystan reaches back to grab her hand and get her attention.
The nurse steps out of the way when she figures out that they are here for us. Upon seeing the state of Colin and me, she lets them pass. I don’t think she could’ve stopped them from rushing down the hallway to us if she had truly wanted to anyway. Trystan stops just shy of us, and Brynleigh lets out a cry when she sees how wrecked Colin is. She was there when they lost Jenna, so this is raw for her. She looks to me, and I hold out a hand to squeeze hers. Between losing babies and losing friends, this group has been through it, in one way or another.
Trystan grabs Colin’s shoulder, squeezing hard to let him know he’s not alone, that we’re all going to be here no matter what comes next. Colin lets go of me only long enough for Trystan to pull him to his feet and wrap him in a bear hug.
Brynleigh reaches for me, and we just take a minute to let out all the emotions. A woman dressed in street clothes, whom I recognize as Dr. Wideman, comes running down the hall. My shoulders sag in relief. Jaxon will have more OB help. I assume the attending ER doc is also down there, but seeing all hands on deck, running to help, makes it slightly easier to breathe.
“Dr. Wideman! Thank goodness you’re here.”
Wideman hits the down button rapidly in succession, like it will somehow make the metal box move faster. Her big eyes find mine and Colin’s, and she recognizes him right away.
“I’m hurrying, Colin. We’ll do everything we can,” she says with a no-nonsense face as she steps into the box and disappears from sight. It’s crazy what all can happen in less than fifteen minutes.
Colin nods and leans back against the wall. His head is tilted back as if he’s about ready to fall asleep. The man is emotionally stretched to his limit right now, and there’s no end in sight for the moment. A nurse tries to get my attention from the background.
“I’m supposed to give you these keys. Also, there’s a family room I can take you all to while you wait to hear what’s going on. Are you guys expecting more people? Because, well, there are several others in the waiting room insisting they are with you all.
