Chapter 15 - THIRTY-FOUR WEEKS
Two weeks later, Emily woke at 3:17 in the morning with pain.
Not fear.
Pain.
Real pain.
She reached for the bedside lamp.
Then another contraction came.
She grabbed her phone.
Raymond answered on the first ring.
“Em?”
“I think he’s coming.”
By 3:42, Emily was back inside the hospital.
This time there were no reporters.
No Preston.
No Vanessa.
Only nurses.
Doctors.
Raymond.
And Emily’s best friend, Hannah, who arrived wearing two different shoes.
The contractions intensified.
Her doctor examined her.
“Thirty-four weeks is early.”
Emily nodded.
“We’re going to try to slow labor.”
For six hours, they tried.
The baby disagreed.
At 10:26, the fetal monitor changed.
A nurse pressed a button.
The room filled quickly.
Emily saw concern moving between faces.
“What?”
Her doctor came closer.
“His heart rate is dipping.”
Emily’s breathing changed.
“What does that mean?”
“It means we may need to deliver.”
“Now?”
“Possibly.”
Raymond stood beside her.
Emily grabbed his hand.
For the first time since the hallway assault, she looked terrified.
“I’m not ready.”
Raymond squeezed her hand.
“Yes, you are.”
“No.”
“You found your mother’s insurance documents when you were twelve.”
Emily almost laughed through tears.
“You defended a teacher against the entire school board at nineteen.”
“Uncle Raymond.”
“You survived Preston.”
Her eyes closed.
Raymond leaned closer.
“You can do this.”
The doctor returned.
“We need to move.”
Emily was rushed toward surgery.
Before the doors closed, she looked at Raymond.
“Stay.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Twenty-seven minutes later, a baby cried.
Small.
Angry.
Alive.
Emily sobbed.
“Is he okay?”
The neonatal physician held him where she could see.
“He’s early, but he’s breathing.”
Emily reached toward him.
Her fingers touched his tiny foot.
“What’s his name?”
The nurse asked gently.
Emily looked at her son.
She had once planned to name him Preston James Whitmore Junior.
That name no longer belonged to him.
“Elliot.”
Raymond’s eyes filled behind the surgical mask.
“Elliot Saint Claire Whitmore?”
Emily looked toward him.
May you like
Then shook her head.
“Elliot Saint Claire.”
