Page 20 of Forbidden Love

“Mr. Collinson?”

I clear my throat. “Yes, but not the one you want.” I point over at my brother, who is standing with his hands in his pocket.

“I’m sorry. I just saw the blood-soaked clothes.” The doctor points to me.

“Clark.” The doctor holds his hand out to Colton, but he doesn’t move.

“I’m Clark.” I speak for my brother, and both doctors look between one another. “What’s going on?”

“Before we took Kally to theatre, she told us her next of kin was Clark Collinson. I assumed…”

“Is she okay?” I turn and give the doctor my full attention.

“She will be. Kally went into premature labor because of a placental abruption. This can be fatal to a full-term pregnancy. We did everything we could, but your daughter had an underlying heart condition that made things impossible for us. I’m so very sorry.”

Everything stops. I hold my hands over my face and try to count to ten to ease every emotion running through me.

Colton pushes in between me and Damien and shouts, “It’s my wife and daughter, not his.”

This can’t happen to Kally again. This will kill her. I stand up straight, ready for a fight, but Nancy wraps her hands around my arm and asks the doctor, “And Kally?”

“She’s just being settled into intensive care. You can see her when we have her comfortable,” says doctor number two.

“Is she awake?”

“She is, but she’s sleepy. She’s just had major surgery to deliver her child and to save her life.”

“But she can have more kids, right?” asks Colton.

“Are you for fucking real? Have you heard any of this conversation? Your daughter is dead, asshole!”

Damien turns me back to face the doctor and stands at my back. He must know my temper is holding on by a thread.

“It’s not impossible, but it may be difficult. We didn’t have to do a full hysterectomy, but we did have to remove one fallopian tube due to damage.”

“Does she know… about the baby?”

The doctor shakes his head. “We thought it would be best to break the news when she has family around her.”

“Can I see her? I want to be there when you tell her.”

“Of course.”

“Hold on. She’s my wife.” Colton pushes forward and knocks my shoulder again.

“I’m sorry, sir, but Mrs. Collinson was in control when she signed the consent forms. I have to go along with her wishes.”

My dad stands up, puts his hand on Colton’s shoulder, and pushes him back to the seat he vacated abruptly. He nods in my direction, and I follow the doctors. I wasn’t looking for my dad’s approval, but at least he did something right for once.

“I don’t think I need to tell you that Kally is lucky to be alive, Mr. Collinson,” says the doctor.

I shake my head. “I was there, Doc. I have the blood-soaked clothes to tell me how serious it was. I thought she was going to die.”

“Just through here, Mr. Collinson.”

“Please. Call me Clark. I don’t want to become my father any time soon.”

“As you wish.” He smiles weakly at me.

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