Typical.
“Where are your sisters?” Nancy asks Rylie after planting a huge kiss on her chubby cheek.
“They’re comin’.” She leans in to whisper into Nancy’s ear. “I still have some of Kyndall’s checkers, but don’t tell her, ‘kay?” Nancy gives me a questioning glance, and I just shrug my shoulders as though I don’t know what she’s talking about. It’s a long and unnecessary story.
Nancy sets her down and her eyes take in the living room. “This place is really coming along. It’s looks really great in here, Alex.” I look back over my shoulder, where my eyes find our most recently purchased item, the bright candy apple red lamp, a replacement for the one Blake shattered just months ago. I bought it with a bright color in mind so that it would always serve as a reminder to us of just how close we came to losing each other, but instead, we happily found ourselves immersed in one another.
My body twitches happily at the thought of our make-up session.
I turn back to face her. “Yep. It’s a still work in progress, but I couldn’t be happier with the way it’s turning out,” I say, fully aware that I’m speaking, not of the room, but of our marriage. She just smiles and continues to look around.
After a few seconds, the loud clamor of footsteps coming down the stairs causes us both to turn our heads. Kyndall and Nycole enter the room, all smiles, and rush over to greet their grandmother. More hugs are exchanged along with a kiss on the cheek for them all, including Blake.
I walk over and wrap my arm lovingly around his waist, leaning in to take a whiff, further feeding my addiction to his scent. Looking up at him from underneath my lashes, I see a flicker of desire pass through his eyes. I think our lunch date was just moved up.
A sinful smile spreads across my face and he laughs, the same thing obviously going through our minds at the same time. He leans down and whispers in my ear. “Meet me in the shower?”
“Yeah, I left the towels upstairs. I’ll grab two.” He nuzzles his nose behind my ear before bringing his gorgeous face into my line of sight. “I’ll get them for you. No reason for you to have to do it when I’m here to do it for you, right?” he asks, left eyebrow arched obviously for emphasis. “Just let me take the girls out and get them buckled up for Nancy first. You go start the shower and I’ll meet you in there.”
“Okay,” is all I can get out because it seems my ability to speak has been lost to particularly distracting thoughts of us, together, in the shower. A sly grin crosses my face, and I give him a quick wink, releasing my arm as I turn towards the girls. Telling them goodbye, I give them a hug and quick kiss, before doing the same with Nancy. As they open the door to head out, I turn on my heel to the bedroom.
Passing the baby’s room, I try not to peek in. I can’t believe that I only have a few weeks to go and we’re still at a standoff about the color. Making a mental note to pick up any color other than his putrid yellow, I continue down the hall.
I’ll take care of it this week.
Once in the bathroom, I turn on the shower, letting the water wash over my hand as I adjust the temperature. When it’s the perfect degree of warmth, I get undressed and throw on my old pink fluffy robe, just in case one of the girls decides to make a trip back into the house. This happens at least once every time they leave to go anywhere, so I expect to see one of them in a matter of minutes. Sitting on the bed, I run my hand over the comforter to smooth it.
Where is Blake?
I wait a little longer before going back into the living room. I move the curtain to the side and peek out the window. Blake’s laughing with Nancy, his forearm up on the top of her car door. Hello! Sex crazed pregnant woman waiting.
Fine, I’ll get the damn towels myself.
After a long and grueling climb, I’m finally able to retrieve the towels from Nycole’s bathroom where I left them earlier this morning. Over my heavy breathing, I hear the door shut and the sound of Blake’s bare feet heading into the kitchen. Which reminds me of the refrigerator and my constant craving for the orange juice inside of it.
“Bla–” I start, but my voice is lost when my feet shoot out from underneath me. My movements seem to be in slow motion as I reach for the railing now above my head. Casting a glance to the top of the stairs, my eyes lock on the one thing that I should have noticed when I made the trip up them.
It seems I have a new nemesis.
I now hate skates.
I I hear the shatter of something as it crashes on the floor in the kitchen. “Blake!” I cry out, squeezing my eyes shut as the pain radiates from my stomach down through my legs. I roll on my side and curl my body as tightly as I can.
The pain. It’s so overwhelming.
Inhaling, I try to replace the air that was just forcefully removed from my lungs, but it doesn’t work. Blake rounds the corner, full speed, and drops to his knees when he reaches my body.
“Alex! Are you alright? What happened?” His voice is trembling as much as his hands; I can feel them shaking when he places one behind my head and the other on the side of my stomach. I open my eyes and look up to see him scanning my entire body for damage. Once they meet mine, the only thing I recognize is pure terror. I shut my eyes again from the agony. “Blake, something’s wrong. I don’t feel ri–”
Before I finish my sentence, my stomach begins to contract and a stabbing pain shoots across my belly. “Blake! Call the ambulance! Please!”
Eyes still closed, I try to breathe through the contraction, or whatever the hell it is that has taken over my insides. I hear him shuffling around and then the sound of him dialing. Tuning him out, I focus on my breathing. I reach my hand forward, looking for my life line, and before my arm is even fully extended, he grabs onto it and squeezes tightly. “I’m here, Alex. I’m right here. Just stay still and try not to move. They’re on their way. Just hold on. I’m here…” he continues, but his voice becomes distant. I try to keep my hold on him, but I’m fighting a losing battle as my eyes shut—this time not from pain.
The next time I wake, I’m unable to open my eyes or move my limbs. I try to call out for Blake, but my mouth won’t move. All I hear is metal clanking and the scurrying of several people all around me. I try to stay awake, but my mind keeps streaming in and out of consciousness. I try to make out what they are saying as I fade in and out…
“…possible placental abruption…”
“…losing too much blood, get a clamp over here...”
“…stabilize the mother, we need to get him out of there…”
“…the baby is under distress…”
I fight to wake up. My eyes won’t open no matter how hard I try. Reaching for Blake, I quickly figure out that my arms won’t work either. I can hear him, though. He’s right next to me.
“Alex,” I can feel his lips quivering against my ear. “Where are you, baby? Open your eyes.” The second the words leave his mouth, my heart shatters. Those words. Those dreaded phrases, the same ones I used before Derek passed, absolutely shatter my heart. I know first-hand the fear and pain that he’s experiencing right now, and there’s not a goddamn thing I can do about it.
I fight to stay awake, but it’s no use. The more I struggle, the further his voice is from my ear…
When I come to again, I know I’m in a different place. I still can’t open my eyes or move my body, but there is a stillness...a peace that is a complete contrast to what I just experienced. There’s a presence surrounding me, but I can’t see it. It’s separate from my body, yet it seems to be intertwined with me somehow.