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The attorney Nico had helped me to find had filed for divorce and sent the papers to Edward. He had already signed the custody papers, surrendering all his parental rights for Willow, and granting me full custody, and the day before he had signed and returned the divorce papers too. It seemed he and Frank had really heeded Nico’s threats.
Things were going great for us, and we were both happy. My wrist and most of my bruising had healed up well, and I could once again look in the mirror without seeing the haunting reminders of what Edward had done. Even my pregnancy seemed to have calmed down, and I was starting to feel a lot more like myself, even if I wasn’t quite sure who that was after so many years in Edward’s shadow.
“Mommy. I’m bored!” Willow complained from where I had her set up coloring and drawing at the kitchen table. It was the first time since we arrived there that the two of us found ourselves alone.
Nico had been forced to go back to Chicago for three days so he could attend some important meetings. Hunter and Kai had gone out to the home improvement store to get paint for the nursery, which they were now ready to start paining after bringing in a contractor to create the doorway they had planned.
Sam and Garth had a day off, and had headed to some farmers market outside of the city, which was apparently their favorite thing to do when they took a day for themselves.
Cam was around, probably out in his workshop, so I wasn’t technically alone, but we were, apparently, too alone for Willow. She seemed unamused with my attempts to keep her busy. Clearly drawing with mommy wasn’t as exciting as having the guys throwing her around or chasing her through the house.
“And my arm won’t stop itching!” Willow pouted as she tried to poke her finger under her cast.
“I know, honey. You won’t have to wear it for too much longer,” I soothed as I grabbed her arm and poked the flat end of one of her crayons under it to sooth the itch.
“How about I make us some lunch?” I suggested once she had calmed some and picked her crayon back up.
“But you don’t makes it like Sam does,” she whined. She was tired. She’d been restless the night before with nightmares haunting her and she’d woken up at six A.M. refusing to go back to sleep.
“You never complained before,” I laughed.
“But now we gots Sam and he’s the bestest cook there is,” she told me with a smile.
“Well he’s not here today, so I guess you’ll just have to make do with my cooking.”
“I guess so,” Willow sighed loudly, clearly aggrieved. I couldn’t help but laugh as I left her at the table and rounded the island to grab ingredients from the refrigerator.
The second I bent to grab carrots from the very bottom shelf, I felt a dampness between my legs that instantly made my blood run cold. I stood up and took a deep breath, urging myself to stay calm.
“Mommy just has to pee, peanut. Can you wait right there for me?” I asked as calmly as I could.
“Okay mommy,” Willow agreed easily. I hurried to the nearest bathroom, the whole time my heart pounding hard and fast in my chest. Utter terror consumed me as I pulled my jeans and panties down, and for a moment I dare not look down. I couldn’t lose this baby. Not after all we had already been through together.
A cry slipped from me when I finally got up enough courage to look down and found way too much blood all over my white underwear.
I don’t even know how long I stood there staring at it as panic consumed me, but I was snapped out of it by the sound of Willow calling for me.
“Coming now, honey!” I called back, my voice shaking as hard as the rest of my body. I took a breath in and tried to stay calm as I pulled my jeans back up and washed my hands. I knew I needed to act fast. Maybe if I could get help, they could save the baby. He or she was at around thirty-two weeks. There was a chance they could survive if they were born now, right?
I could hardly contain my shaking body as I moved back through the house to check on Willow and get my cell which I had left on the kitchen counter.
“There you are mommy. I’m hungry,” Willow told me as soon as she saw me. She smiled sweetly and I was grateful she didn’t see how much I was freaking out.
“We need to go out, honey. Can you grab your shoes for me while I find you a snack?” I asked.
“Where are we going?”
“Nowhere exciting. Grab your shoes, peanut,” I repeated. I was relieved when she just nodded and clambered down from her chair, hurrying off towards the door for her shoes.
My hand shook so badly I could barely hit Cam’s contact on my cell, but I managed, and I tucked it between my shoulder and ear as I started searching for a snack to appease Willow when we left.
“Hey, Mads,” Cam greeted after a few rings.
“Hey. Wh-where are you?” I asked as calmly as I could.
“In the workshop. Are you okay?”
“No. I…I’m bl…” I couldn’t say it, a sob slipping free in place of the words.
