AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She lifts one hand, slapping the side of my face harder than she means to. “I’ll walk in your darkness for the rest of my life.”
Her statement kisses my ears. Fuck, this woman.
She takes two-fully-working-lung fulls of gas and air.
I leave another kiss on her head. Grateful. So fucking grateful. “And I’ll stand in your light, no longer fearing mydarkness.”
The doctor turns as Mads appears to drift away, high. Will she remember any of this? “We’re going to need to examine the baby’s position, Madison.” Mads doesn’t reply. “We need you to turn for us.”
With some protest and a lot of effort, Mads—unknowingly, turns to lay flat on her back. The heart rate monitor is placed on her bump, and we all look at the screen, bar Mads. I don’t know what I’m looking at, but the slowing of the line definitely coincides with the more noise Mads makes. It happens a few more times before the doctor conducts an internal examination.
Can’t say seeing another man touching my girl doesn’t make my hackles rise, but it’s essential. “I’m going to go ahead and make the call for a section.”
My heart rate suddenly runs wild.
“Madison?” He pauses before he continues when she simply nods. “We’re going to take you to theatre. Baby’s getting distressed, I think it’s best we get little one out now.”
Mads nods but she isn’t with it.
The doctor turns to the nurse. “Baby’s heart rate’s too low for an epidural. Call the anaesthetist.”
The midwife nods, taking her orders.
I don’t know what’s happening, but the doctor stands. “This way, Mr Carter.”
I follow the doctor as two porters come in to wheel Mads out. Everything happens so quickly, I’m not entirely sure what’s happening.
Taken into a side room, Mads is pushed past me, and I watch her go, my nerves fried. “Will she be okay?” I ask the nurse before she walks away.
“She'll be fine. One of us will come and get you once the baby's delivered.”
I won't get to be there?I feel the usual worry, but oddly, thenormal tightening of my chest doesn’t come. Fear doesn’t rise. Panic doesn’t slip through the gap. Instead, I feel like my life is waiting for me.
I sit, waiting, knowing that soon the little girl in my dreams will be in my arms. My future—my life, truly begins the minute she enters this world. She’ll never know fear, or hate… not in the way that I do. She’ll never want for anything. I’m going to give her the entire world. Every star in the sky, I’ll make it hers.
There's a subtle knock on the door a while later. “Congratulations, Mr Carter,” one of the nurses says stepping into the room.
“The baby? She’s here?” I ask, my heart suddenly racing as I stand.
The nurse smiles and nods.
I follow her down the corridor as another nurse wheels out a small glass cot from the theatre room. My tears make me unable to see the tiny baby wrapped up inside. I step closer. The smile on my face hurts. The hole in my heart is suddenly filled.
My daughter is no bigger than my forearm. She has a mask over her face; the nurse giving her oxygen. “Is she okay?” Fuck, my voice wobbles.
A full head of dark hair just like her mum, my little girl cries louder with each breath she’s helped to take. “We’re going to take her to NICU, but she’s doing great.” The nurse has her wrapped in blankets to keep her warm.
“Can I hold her?”
“As soon as she’s stable, you’ll be able to.” She turns, releasing the brakes on the trolley. “Do you want to follow us?”
I look back at the theatre room, wanting to see Mads.
The nurse reads my mind. “Madison's fine,” the midwife reassures me. “They’ll stitch her up and bring her to the ward as soon as the anaesthetic’s worn off.”
My emotional eyes look back down at our daughter. I canonly just see her face. She’s fucking beautiful. I nod because all words fail me. Walking behind the nurses, I smile knowing she got all her looks from Mads, feeling like the luckiest man on this planet.
Chapter Fifty-One
