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“Sweetheart, just breathe, you’re in labor, and you need to get to the hospital.”
Dad gives Will instructions then lets him know he and Mom will fly out
immediately and leave Ashton with Adriana.
Will grabs my hand to take me downstairs, ignoring the panic from his office staff when they see what’s happening.
We hop in a cab to take us to the hospital. Will’s instructions to the driver are to haul ass. For what should be a short cab ride, it feels like an eternity to get there.
As we walk through the ER doors, every step becomes more difficult. Will quickly abandons me to talk to the nurse behind the desk.
“Austin,” I barely breathe out. “Ask for Dr. Carter.”
I don’t know how long it all happens. Time is lost on me as the contractions come hard and fast, only minutes between each other. Finally, I’m placed into a wheelchair before Austin comes running out of the double doors, wearing his navy-blue scrubs.
“Ava?” Austin’s eyes are wide as he bends down to my level.
“Her water broke.” Will pants.
Austin glances up at him, confused. “Her water broke? What happened?”
“She came to my office, we were arguing, and then she started having pains. So I called Amelia when it broke. Amelia then called Lex, and now we’re here.”
Austin shifts his attention back to me, his expression softening.
“It’s going to be okay. I’m going to take you up to the labor and delivery ward so you can be examined.”
I grab his arm, clutching tight. “I can’t lose this baby.”
He touches my cheek with a reassuring smile. “I promise you won’t, but we need to take you now.”
My hands clutch my stomach while nodding. Austin wheels me through the hospital as Will follows. He is on the phone, and I assume he’s talking to Dad or Millie.
“Okay, we’re here.”
“Amelia is on her way. Your parents are on their way to the airport,” Will informs me, trying to control his panic, but it is clear he’s worried. “It’s going to be okay.”
I press my lips together, unable to respond besides the nod of my head.
Will clutches my hand, squeezing it tight. “I’m sorry for what I said. It was uncalled for.”
“It was,” I concur, squeezing his hand back but manage to smile faintly. “You’re still an asshole, though.”
“I am.” Will grins, leaning in to kiss my forehead before glancing at Austin. “Take care of my sister, please.”
Austin tilts his head, acknowledging Will. “I promise to. She’s stuck with me forever now.”
Twenty-One
Ava
“Ava, one more push.”
My hand squeezes tight as I buckle forward to push for the third time. The pressure is too much to bear, my entire body aching with this godawful pain that tears throughout me. I begged for pain relief the moment the contractions intensified, but it was too late, according to the nurse. With a team of medical staff around me, this baby is coming now.
A burning sensation causes me to moan until Austin’s face spreads into a wide grin. “The baby is here, Ava. It’s a girl.”
There is no cry, no sound besides people talking in medical jargon. My heavy panting refuses to subside, but I manage to tilt my head just enough to see the baby when the doctor raises her for just a split moment.
