Part 31 (2/2)

Sebastian came inside with a half-finished hamburger and dropped it on the floor on the way to the bed.

”What's wrong?” He asked desperately.

”I d-don't know!” I cried.

The nurse spoke some kind of nurse-speak to the other nurses who poured into the room, and then I was being wheeled out, leaving a frantic looking Sebastian in the dust.

I was moved into an operating room.

The room itself was large, and freezing.

I hadn't been in an operating room before. At least not conscious.

A baby station, similar to the one in the delivery room, was set up in the very corner.

The bed that they moved me onto felt hard and unforgiving, and I started to lose control.

”I need him. I need him. Please let me have him. I need him!” I was screaming; by the end of my tirade a nurse bent over me.

She looked familiar, but at the moment, I didn't really care if I knew her or not. ”Calm down, honey. I'll go get him. They're just going to get you set up for an emergency C-section, and then they'll get him. I promise. It's okay, calm down.”

”What's going on? Please tell me.” I pleaded.

The woman smiled sadly at me. ”Your baby doesn't have a heartbeat. Something's wrong, and they're trying to get him out as fast as they can.”

”I need my husband.” I whispered desperately.

Sebastian ”Why can't I go in there?” I pleaded.

”Mr. Mackenzie. They're just getting her prepped. As soon as it's ready to start, they'll call you in. Please.” The haggard nurse scolded me.

I didn't care who I had to p.i.s.s off. I was getting in there. She wouldn't go through that alone. I'd promised.

”The doctor knows about her bleeding disorder?” I asked again, clarifying.

”Yes, sir. You've told me, and I relayed the message. The doctor on call is aware of her problem. They won't forget. Her doctor's on her way, but it's not likely she'll make it in time. Now please, have a seat right there, and I'll come back for you.”

My wild eyes went to my father's, the calmness in them somehow settled me, made my rational brain come back online momentarily, and I nodded.

”Okay.” I nodded, heading for the chair she'd indicated at the end of the hallway.

The nurse came back a few moments later, handing me a pair of scrub pants, a s.h.i.+rt, and some booties that were never going to fit over my ma.s.sive boots, but I'd try.

The s.h.i.+rt was snug, and the pants were well over five inches too short, but I was wearing them.

When I exited the bathroom she'd pointed me to moments earlier, she was waiting there with an indulging smile on her face. ”You ready?”

I nodded, not trusting myself to answer, and followed her cautiously into the room.

My wife was on a table with a sheet that cut the top quarter of her body off from the bottom three quarters.

Her arms were restrained straight out, and she had an oxygen mask over her face.

When I entered, she was staring at the door, as if she was counting down the seconds until I came inside, and I was glad that I kept pus.h.i.+ng the nurse to let me come in, regardless of the fact that it was an emergency.

I didn't move, stopping just inside the door as I waited for the nurse to instruct me on where to go.

”Just go sit to her side right there, where the little blue stool is. Please don't move from that spot. No matter what.” She instructed.

Baylee's eyes followed me as I maneuvered my big body around equipment, until I came to a stop at the side of her head.

Bending down, I kissed her wet cheek and let my hand fall to her head that was covered by a hair net.

”This look is s.e.xy on you.” I teased, plucking the hair net with his fingers.

”They're letting me keep it.” She rasped.

”Alright, starting time is 2203 hours. Scalpel.” The male standing over my wife's body said.

His authoritative voice soothed something savage inside of me, and I calmed for the first time in twenty minutes, as I waited for my baby to be brought into the world.

I studied Baylee's terrified face as her body moved and jostled with the work they were doing behind the suspended sheet.

At one point, a spray of...something, hit the screen and I cringed, hoping that it wasn't blood that I'd heard, but knew in my heart that it was.

”Alright, careful now. I need suction. More. More suction. All right, baby's out. I need more suction.” The doctor's voice echoed.

I waited long moments for my child to cry, but the cries never came.

Then, as if in a dream, Baylee's eyes started to flutter.

”Baylee?” I asked urgently.

”I'll love you for the rest of my life.” She whispered weakly.

The operation room exploded in activity.

The nurse that'd directed me to sit came to my side and yanked me up, urging me frantically to move out of the way.

”Sir, I think it's best if you leave. Can you please back away? They'll need the room.” The nurse was repeating to me over and over again.

But rational me wasn't there anymore. Only reacting me. Emotional me.

And I saw my wife dying on the table.

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