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“It’s a girl,” the doctor announced as the baby immediately began to wail. They placed the baby on Angela’s chest. Angela—wide-eyed and crying—seemed overwhelmed by the presence of the baby. Charlotte knew it would probably take a bit of time for Angela to process motherhood. After all, at sixteen years old, Angela should be thinking about proms and SAT exams and innocent crushes. Now, her live was forever changed. Adulthood had arrived in an instant.
“She’s crying. That’s a good sign, right?” Angela asked Charlotte, her face filled with anxiety.
“Of course it is,” Charlotte said, watching as the staff worked on the baby.
“I’m going to call her Rose Charlotte,” Angela said, wiping away tears.
Charlotte reached out and squeezed Angela’s hand. “I think that sounds just lovely. I’m so honored.”
Within a few minutes, they handed the baby back to Angela, who cradled the newborn against her chest. Tears pricked Charlotte’s eyes. Although Angela kept thanking her profusely for being at her side during the delivery, Charlotte knew without a doubt she had been the recipient of a wondrous gift this evening. Was there anything more precious than a new life coming into the world? God had blessed Angela with a healthy baby girl and He had allowed Charlotte to witness the blessed miracle.
Thank you Lord. For the blessing of Rose Charlotte. May her life be filled with absolute wonder. I hope she always has faith, never gives up hope and knows the true value of charity. And above all else, may she be loved.
Once Charlotte ascertained that Angela was settled in her hospital room with Rose sleeping peacefully nearby, she said her goodbyes to the teenager, promising to return in the morning to see the duo. When Charlotte turned around from the doorway to wave to her friend, she noticed Angela’s eyes were firmly closed. She had already drifted off to a nice slumber. Charlotte smiled. From what she’s witnessed, giving birth was exhausting! But it was so worth it when you were blessed with a wonderful newborn at the end of it.
When Angela had let her hold Rose, Charlotte had snuggled her against her chest and sniffed the baby’s temple. If Charlotte had to describe the smell, all she would have been able to come up with was goodness. Pure, innocent, lovely newborn baby goodness.
“Charlotte!” The sound of her name being called in the silence of the hospital corridor was jarring. It immediately put a stop to her thoughts about baby Rose. Charlotte swung around toward the sound of the voice. Surprise rippled through her at the sight of Marc.
“Marc. What are you doing here? Is it your father?” She blurted out the questions one after the other as concern for Marc and his family consumed her.
“Yes, it’s my father,” Marc confirmed with a nod. He quirked his mouth. His face betrayed his fatigue. Tiny lines rested by his eyes and mouth. “He arrived here by ambulance after having some agonizing stomach pains. It turned out he had a blockage in his intestines. They took him to surgery.”
“Oh my goodness. That’s terrible.” Charlotte raised her hand to her neck. She knew Marc’s father was terminally ill, but it sounded as if his condition had taken a turn for the worse.
“Yeah,” Marc said with a sigh. “He’s been through the ringer. He’s a fighter though, although at this point he’s only fighting for a few more months.”
“Oh Marc. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that.” Compassion rose up inside her. Dealing with a loved one’s passing was gut wrenching. She still remembered the way it had rocked her family to its core when her cousin Rachel drowned. Having a parent slip away from you, day by day, would be agonizing.
“How are your mother and sisters holding up?”
Marc shrugged. “Everyone is just hanging on by a thread. I sent my mother and sisters home to get some rest. They’ll come back in the morning. For tonight, I’ll keep vigil at his bedside.”
Charlotte studied Marc’s handsome face. “What about you? How are you doing? You look pretty beat.”
“I’m good, although I could use a cup of coffee.” He ran a hand over his face. Charlotte didn’t buy his nonchalant act. The grave situation had to be tearing him up inside.
“Why don’t we go to the cafeteria? I’m sure you could use a break,” Charlotte suggested. “My treat.” Charlotte surprised herself by making the suggestion.
Marc looked so weary and incredibly sad. Her heart went out to him and the entire Cabron family.
He heaved a sigh, his shoulders slumping a bit. “That sounds terrific.”
“Okay, let’s go then,” Charlotte said, pressing the elevator going down.
The elevator stopped with a ding and they both got in. Charlotte felt Marc’s gaze resting on her. “Hey, I forgot to ask you. What brings you to the hospital at this time of night?”
“One of the girls I mentor through the youth program went into labor tonight. Her name is Angela. We’ve really bonded and she’s become like a little sister to me. She’s pretty much all alone. Her boyfriend bailed on her, and her family basically tossed her aside once they found out she was expecting a baby.”
“So you were with her during the delivery?” A stunned expression was etched on Marc’s face. “That’s incredible.”
Charlotte grinned as the weight of the delivery of a healthy baby girl finally registered. She let out a chuckle and shook her head. “I’m still in a bit of shock, but it was an amazing experience. God was definitely in that room with us. And Angela was such a brave lioness. She was pretty nervous, but she forged through it. And she delivered a stunning baby girl.”
Marc’s face lit up. Something about the expression on his face made her feel almost giddy. He was so incredibly good looking. To be honest, it hadn’t been until recently that she’d acknowledged it. For so long he’d been Case’s enemy, and hers also due to her loyalty to her brother. She’d viewed him as a monster. Now, she was discovering that he was anything but a monster. And it made her feel slightly uncomfortable. As if her judgement was way off base.
“You’re something else, do you know that?” Marc asked as they stepped out of the elevator and began walking down the hallway toward the cafeteria. The heady smell of coffee assaulted her senses. Another scent—something tangy and sweet—made her stomach clench with hunger.
“It was nothing. Truthfully, I’m the fortunate one.” she said. “Angela and the other youths in the program give me much more than I could ever bestow on them. I’m so glad that Olivia encouraged me to become a mentor there. The center was named for Olivia’s mother and she’s been able to really build it up over the past few years in her mother’s honor.”
