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Sarabeth and Alejandro grabbed blankets from a shelf and spread them out on the other gurney in the room. Leo scooped Amelia into his arms and placed her on the clean bedding. He wrapped her snuggly, lifted her, and held her tight against his body.
He told her, “I’m going to get you to a real doctor. It’s going to be alright. I’m so sorry, Amelia.” Walking through the clinic, he said, “Gil, you can take Augusta’s car. I’m getting Amelia out of this butcher shop.” As he got in the backseat with Amelia, he barked at Baylor, “Get us there. Get us there fast.” The man nodded.
Baylor closed him inside and his mother got in the back with him, supporting Amelia’s lower body on her lap.
Blood was already soaking through the new blankets and it took everything inside Leo to keep from screaming in terror.
“Amelia, you have to stay with me, honey.” Her face was slick with sweat, her hair plastered to her skin. If he hadn’t held her so firmly, the tremors rocking her frame would have pulled her out of his grip. “It’s going to be alright. Stay with me, Amelia.”
Her eyes rolled back in her head but she tried to focus. “Leo…it hurts. You came for me. You came for me, Leo.”
Placing his forehead against hers, he fought tears and lost. “Of course I came for you, Amelia. I’ll always come for you. I love you. I know you’re hurting and tired, but you have to stay awake. Stay awake and fight. Do it for us, honey. Stay awake and fight.”
Her voice was weak and hoarse from her earlier screams. “I love you, Leo. Loving you is the thing I did exactly right from the start.”
“You did. You loved me exactly right.” Tears running down his face, he smoothed her damp hair away from her ghostly face, “We’re almost there. You can fight for me, Amelia. Fight for me.” Two state troopers pulled in front and behind them. One led the way going almost a hundred, full lights, and sirens blaring. “Baylor, please get us there. Please.”
There was hospital staff waiting at the ER entrance when they pulled in. Amelia passed out with a scream as they lifted her to the bed that was already rolling inside. They were calling details to one another while a nurse stepped up to take her information.
Leo and his mother were covered in Amelia’s blood. Sarabeth held his arm and it was obvious she was in emotional shock with no clue what to say.
Gil entered a few minutes later but Augusta was strangely absent. Pale and shaking, he gave the hospital staff their daughter’s medical history. He explained what he knew about how she’d come to be in her current condition.
Leo announced loudly to everyone in the hallway, “Amelia is going to need blood. Her dad, my mother, and I are all matches. We’re safe for her, take what you need.”
The nurse led them to triage and Leo watched their fathers through the glass talking to one of the doctors and the police officers who’d escorted them to the hospital.
The next hours passed slowly.
Near dawn, a specialist was called in to try and repair the massive damage done to Amelia’s womb by the supposed doctor who had performed an antiquated abortion on her.
Leo would commit murder if the man was available.
Head in his hands, he pulled at his hair. Then he shouted, “If she was going to do this - take our child from us - there were safer options. She didn’t have to take Amelia to some slaughterhouse in the middle of the fucking night with a quack. He might as well have used a coat hanger!”
His mother rubbed his back. “I don’t know, Leo. It didn’t have te be this way.” He lifted burning eyes to look at her and she smoothed his hair from his forehead. “I wanted ye both to have a chance te live but,” she shrugged, “things happen. Ye’re in love, ye’re both smart. That baby woulda been fine. I can’t understand.”
Alternately pacing and sipping orange juice, Leo waited outside the operating wing. Gil came to sit beside him, his body slumped in defeat. “I know you’ll never forgive me, Leo. I’m sorry. I’ll never let her down again.”
Leo said nothing. There was nothing he could say.
As the sun was rising, Augusta swept into the hospital as if she owned the place. She’d clearly showered and changed her clothes. She’d even taken the time to style her hair.
“You there. I’m here to see Amelia Whitehall.”
Leo glanced at his parents and Gil - all of whom were in shock and looking much the worse for wear. “You needed to put makeup on, Augusta?” His voice was low, vibrating with rage. Baylor stepped slowly from the wall. “You went home and took your time getting ready in case there was a photo op?”
“I’m not here for you! I’m here to see my daughter. Stay out of my way…”
Leo threw his cup of orange juice in her face and she started screaming about her hair.
“Fuck you, Augusta. You don’t have a daughter in this hospital. I filled out a detailed police report. If I have anything to say about it, you’ll never be allowed within a mile of Amelia again. You’re an animal.”
“How dare you…”
Leo wrapped his fingers around her throat and held her against the wall beside the nurse’s station. “I dare because you almost killed Amelia. You killed our child.” He dropped his voice and added softly, “If I were to kill you right now, I could definitely get away with a crime of passion.” He pulled her away from the wall and smacked her against it again. “I want to choke the life out of you. I want to watch the same terror in your eyes that you made Amelia feel.”
“Leo,” his mother said gently. She placed her hand on his arm. “Let her go now, son. This won’t help. Think about Amelia, Leo. Ye don’t have time te fight a murder case. Ye’d win...I’d make sure o’ that...but we don’t have time, son. Let her go now.”
