Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Please, God, let them be okay.
I make it to Gabby’s in record time, and there are no signs of either of them. The truck is barely in park before the door is flying open and I’m jogging to the front door, pounding. “Gabby!” I yell, trying to peer through the windows.
Nothing.
Silence greets me.
“Damn it!” I race back to my truck and fly out of her driveway, heading toward her parents’ place. Worry and fear grip at my chest. Where could she be? She’s miserable at this stage of her pregnancy, even though she tries to hide it, I can see how tired and uncomfortable she’s been. She has to be at her parents or mine. Those are my last two options. I can’t imagine her wanting to do anything but prop her feet up. Where else would she go? Maybe she went to the gym? That’s possible. We could be circling around each other. It’s a cluster fuck over there right now, but I’ll drive by and see if I can spot her car. Luckily, it’s not much of a detour to get to her parents’ place.
I have to find her.
My eyes scan the sides of the road, looking for her car all while praying I don’t find her broken down or worse. I grip the wheel tighter, so tight my knuckles are white, but I don’t let go. Instead, I press harder on the accelerator, pushing the limits of the law, and my truck. I don’t give a fuck. I’m not stopping for anyone but my wife. Not until I find her. My heart hammers in my chest as my fear of something happening to her grows. I try to tamp it down, but the anxiety is tangible, and it’s taken root.
About a block away from the gym, I see a car coming toward me that looks like hers. I slow as it passes and I know it’s hers, but she’s not driving, Chase is. His hand is out the window flagging me down. I slam on the brakes and do a U-turn. I couldn’t give a fuck that I’m breaking the law. Chase is pulled off on the side of the road, and already walking toward my truck when I pull in behind him.
“Where is she?” I ask, not bothering to get out of my truck. I can clearly see she’s not in the car with him.
“Gabby took her to the hospital. Her water broke,” he says.
I put the truck in reverse and begin to back up. “Meet me there!” I yell out the window. Shifting the truck into drive, I pull out onto the road. I don’t bother to look if there are any cars coming. Thankfully there aren’t. It’s reckless, I know, but I have to get to her. I refuse to miss my baby girl being born, and my wife needs me. They both do.
I’m dazed as I drive to the hospital. The fear of not knowing where she was or if she was okay is replaced by the fear of the unknown. I know women have been having babies for centuries, but with her gestational diabetes, I worry. She’s also a week early. Something Dr. Taylor told us could happen, but I worry about Sophia. Is she okay? A million fears and concerns race through my mind. When I finally reach the hospital, I take the first spot I can find. After yanking the keys from the ignition, I run as fast as my legs will carry me to the main entrance.
“Sir,” an older lady greets me at the front desk. “Can I help you?” she offers politely.
“My wife,” I pant. “Her water broke. She’s here.” I manage to find my words.
“Of course, how exciting,” she says. Her calmness is like a balm to my fear, and I suck in a deep breath. “What’s your wife’s name?”
“Gwendolyn Drake,” I say on exhale.
“She’s in the maternity ward.” She continues to tell me the room number.
“Thank you,” I rush to say, and jog off toward the elevators. I hit the button for the fifth floor and watch as the elevator seems to climb at a snail’s pace. At the fourth floor, I move close to the door, and as soon as they slide open on the fifth, I’m rushing out and down the hall. Her room is at the end of the hall, the door is closed, but that does nothing to hide her screams. I push open the door and take in the scene before me.
Gabby is by her side, holding her hand and her leg, while there is a nurse on the other side. Dr. Taylor is between her legs that are in stirrups. I’ve read that this takes hours, but as I process what I’m seeing, I realize the books aren’t always right.
“Harrison,” Winnie cries, and I rush to her. The nurse steps out of the way as I move in close and press my lips to hers.