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“Sweet girl, let’s go,” he says, lifting me up in his arms and carrying me through the back of the store. “Keegan, you and my mom got the boys?”
“Of course. We’ll keep the store open for a little while longer. If anything changes let me know immediately and we’ll close up and get to the hospital. I’m calling Doc now to meet you there,” my mom responds as Anthony puts me in the truck with Lyric and Kevlar jumping in the back.
Anthony stops long enough to tell Venom what’s going on before he jumps in the driver’s seat and we head to the hospital. I cry the entire way there. Anthony holds my hand and Lyric reaches up from the backseat to rub my shoulders. I don’t pay attention to anything as a contraction rips through me and I groan out in pain.
“This is too early,” I murmur over and over again as the tears start to roll down my face faster and faster.
“We’re almost there, sweet girl. Doc will take care of both of you. You’re so fuckin’ strong and we’re gonna get through this no matter what happens,” Anthony says as he turns quickly into the hospital’s parking lot and parks close to the door.
He doesn’t bother shutting the engine off or caring where he parked as he rushes to the passenger side and rips open my door. Lifting me in his arms, he rushes inside with me, calling out for help the entire time.
“What’s going on here?” a nurse asks, rushing up with a gurney.
“My girl went into labor and she’s not due for about eight more weeks. Dr. Tallman should be on her way here now,” Anthony answers as another contraction hits.
“It’s too early,” I tell the nurse, knowing this is all I can say right now as fear grips me in a firm hold.
“I’m gonna get you in a room and call Dr. Tallman to see how far out she is,” the nurse says as she pushes me through to the back.
“No need. I’m right here,” Doc says, rushing up to my side. “We’re going straight up to labor and delivery. Kasey, I’m gonna check you over and see what’s going on. We’ll make our decisions about what happens next as soon as I do.”
“It’s too early, Doc,” I murmur, my voice breaking with the tears filling me.
“I know, Kasey. We’re gonna make sure everything is okay with your baby. There’s nothing you did wrong. I can see the guilt in your eyes. You’ve done everything I’ve told you to do since the accident and there was no indication you were going to go into labor early. This happens and we’re going to deal with it the best way we can. If there’s still time, I will try to stop your labor. But, I won’t know until I check you over. Who’s here with you, Anthony?”
“Kevlar and Kasey’s friend Lyric. Her bookstore opened today and everyone else is still there. They’re waitin’ for our call to find out what’s goin’ on. Though, I can almost guarantee Rage will be here before anyone else. He’s not gonna be away from Kasey knowin’ she’s afraid and in pain,” he answers her as we get out of the elevator and I’m pushed into the closest empty room.
The nurse asks Anthony to get me in a gown while she moves around the room and talks to Doc. Anthony does as he’s asked and strips me out of my wet clothing and lets it drop into the garbage can next to him. As soon as he’s done getting me in the gown, Doc comes over and checks me.
“I’m going to give you some medicine to see if we can get the contractions to slow down. If we can’t after two doses then we can talk about further options. However, I try not to do anything else after the first two doses of the original medicine because of my own personal reasons. If we can’t get the labor to slow down, Kasey, we’ll have a team in place to make sure nothing happens to your little princess. We will do everything in our power to make sure you are both healthy,” Doc says, telling the nurse what medicine to get.
I end up getting both doses of the medicine and they don’t do anything to slow down the contractions. Doc hardly leaves my room since she’s only here for me today. I know Anthony has called to let our parents know what’s going on and my dad has been here since shortly after we arrived. Anthony, my dad, Lyric, and Kevlar are all in my room with me. Kevlar and Lyric will be heading to the waiting room soon. My dad won’t leave my side until my mom gets here. She’ll be in here when the baby is born as she’s been with the boys. It’s always been Anthony and my mom in the room with me while my dad and Glock pace the halls right outside whatever room I’m in.
“Bestie, you got this. We’ll be right in the waiting room,” Lyric says, leaning over to give me a hug and holding me close for a minute before Kevlar takes her arms and leads her out.
“I’m sorry, Anthony,” I tell him, turning my tear streaked face toward him.
“For what, sweet girl?” he asks, leaning closer to me.
“Our baby girl is gonna be born early,” I cry as he pulls me into his arms.
“This isn’t your fault, sweet girl. You heard Doc. Sometimes this happens and the little one doesn’t want to stay inside any longer. We’ll get through this and our baby girl will be here before you know it,” he says, pressing a kiss against my temple.
Laying back against the pillows, I cry and breathe through each contraction. This shit sucks and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Doc is still here when my mom rushes in the room and gives me a kiss. I cry in her arms as my dad holds us both. Anthony holds me from the other side and we all simply take a few minutes to process what’s happening right now. I feel like a failure as a mom for this happening. I won’t voice that out loud, but that’s how I feel.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Shield
KASEY IS UNDERSTANDABLY upset by our baby girl being born early. She’s done nothing but cry since our little girl was delivered and then taken to the NICU here in the hospital. Rage and my dad are watching over her, though I know they’re both torn about where they want to be. Especially Rage. He wants to be with his daughter, but knows his granddaughter needs him more right now. Keegan and my mom have been splitting their time between Kasey’s side and being outside the NICU with their men. I haven’t left Kasey’s side. It’s not because I don’t want to see our daughter, I do more than anything. It’s because Kasey needs me right now. She’s almost inconsolable and won’t listen to anyone about this not being her fault.
Today I’m going to try to talk her into going in to see our little one. Doc has updated us and assured us she’s doing really good. She’s small and will have to gain weight, there’s been some breathing issues that are fixed with oxygen, and she’s fussy. Other than that, Doc doesn’t see her having to remain in the NICU for longer than eight weeks at this point. It didn’t really help Kasey because that means we won’t have our baby girl home with us for eight weeks. Our time will be spent between the hospital and home with our boys. It’s not going to be easy at all, but we’ll make it work. We’ve got a huge support system at our back and they’ll make sure we get through this.
“Sweet girl, why don’t we go see our daughter? Get you out of this room and let you see with your own eyes that she’s okay and still here with us,” I ask her, not sure if she’s going to agree with me or not.
“Okay,” she mumbles, looking up at me with tears in her eyes.
Doc made sure a wheelchair was left in her room last night since our daughter was born so late and we weren’t able to go see her then. I help Kasey out of bed and cover her up with the blanket that was folded over the back of the chair. There’s also one on the seat so she’s not sitting on the cold material there. Last night before she fell asleep, I helped her change from the hospital gown into a pair of loose sweatpants and one of my tee-shirts. Once she’s settled in the chair, I push her out of the room and we’re met in the hall by Lyric and Kevlar. They haven’t left the hospital yet and I don’t see them leaving before we do. Lyric has been in and out of the room to let Kasey know she’s here for her and not going anywhere. I really like her friend and I’m glad they met.
