Mel's calm voice soothed my nerves.“Alright, I'll meet you there.Remember your breathing exercises, both of you.”
In the background, I heard Blair shout.“It's happening?!Baby time?!”
I ended the call, shoving my phone into my pocket and grabbing Olivia’s from the nightstand.When I returned to the end of the bed, she was hunched over, her face contorted in pain.A contraction, I realized with a jolt.
“Breathe, Sunny,” I murmured, rubbing her back in slow circles.“Just like we practiced, remember?”
Olivia nodded, her breath coming in short pants.As the contraction eased, she looked up at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears.“It's really happening, isn't it?”
“Yeah, it is.”I bent down and brushed her forehead with my lips.“You ready to meet our son?”
A smile broke through her pained expression.“More than ready.”
I swear we hit every red light on the way to the hospital.My fingers drummed on the steering wheel as I muttered curses.Every groan from Olivia sent a spike of panic through my chest, but I forced myself to stay focused.She needed me to be strong.
We pulled up to the hospital, and I pulled into one of the dedicated “expectant parents” spots.I'd practiced this trip a dozen times, but I'd never admit that to anyone other than Olivia.She'd teased me every damn time, but I wanted to be prepared.I barely remembered to put the car in park before I was out and around to her side.A nurse with a wheelchair appeared as if by magic, helping me ease Olivia into it.
“First baby?”she asked kindly as she pushed through the automatic doors.
I nodded mutely, the reality of the situation crashing over me.We were having a baby.Right now.
Nurses bustled around, hooking Olivia up to monitors and asking questions faster than I could process.I stood by her side, holding her hand and trying to remember how to breathe.
Mel burst into the room, radiating professional calm.“Alright, let's see what we've got here.”
She examined Olivia quickly, frowning as she studied the monitor.The change in her expression sent a chill down my spine.
“What's wrong?”
Mel turned to me.“The baby's heart rate is dropping with each contraction.We need to get him out now.”
The world seemed to lurch violently, the floor unsteady beneath my feet.“What does that mean?”
“It means we need to do an emergency c-section,” Mel explained.“Olivia, Carter, I know this isn't what we planned, but it's the safest option for you and the baby.”
Olivia's grip on my hand tightened, her eyes wide with fear as she looked up at me.“Carter?”
I swallowed convulsively, pushing down my own terror.“It's okay, Sunny.We've got this, remember?Whatever it takes to keep you and our little guy safe.”
She nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks.“Okay.Let's do it.”
The next few minutes were a rush of activity as nurses prepped Olivia for surgery.I was handed a set of scrubs and told to change quickly if I wanted to be in the operating room.
My hands shook as I pulled on the paper-thin garments.The fear I'd been holding at bay came crashing over me in a deluge.Images flashed through my mind—my mother's pale face in a hospital bed, her lifeless body on the bathroom floor, the mound of dirt on the day we buried her.
No.This is different.The doctors know what they're doing.
But the suffocating fear wrapped around my chest, threatening to overwhelm me.I braced myself against the wall, trying to steady my breathing.
A hand on my shoulder made me jump.I turned to find my father standing there.
“Dad?”I choked out.“How did you?—”
“Mel called me.Said you might need some support.”
“I can't lose her, Dad,” I whispered, feeling like a frightened little boy again.
My father's grip on my shoulder tightened.“You listen to me, Son.Olivia is strong.That little boy of yours is strong.And you?I’ve never met anyone tougher than you.You’re stronger than I ever was.”
