Page 57 of In Name Only (Pine Falls 2)

“I’ll be right back.” She walked out through the curtains that were sheltering me in the recovery unit.

I touched my abdomen, feeling so empty. My baby’s life had ended so suddenly. How could I ache for the feel of her against my chest and suckling my breast when I never even got to hold her? It was a pain I couldn’t describe and was more excruciating than anything I had ever known. Even greater than losing Brock.

Speaking of Brock, I heard his voice outside the curtains. He was talking to Dr. Paulson. She was trying to assure him I was all right. But I wasn’t. How could I be?

The nurse came back with my water, Dr. Paulson and Brock following behind her.

Brock was the first to me. His white button-up and charcoal slacks were stained with my blood. I remembered him lifting me off the toilet and tenderly wrapping me in a blanket. I had been in so much pain, I’d curled against him and pleaded with him to make it go away. He had held me tight and through his own tears promised me he would make it all better.

“Dani.” Brock took my hand, gently lifted it, and kissed it. His eyes roved over me repeatedly, then glanced over to the monitors to check my vitals.

“I’m fine.” At least physically. I tried to reassure him.

Dr. Paulson took my other side. “Let’s sit you up.” She pushed a few buttons and raised the top half of the bed until I was upright. She took the water from the nurse and handed it to me. “You gave us quite a scare there for a while, but I don’t foresee any further complications. We were able to get the bleeding under control. With that said, given the amount of blood you lost, I would like to keep you overnight to monitor you.”

“That’s a good idea,” Brock agreed.

Dr. Paulson gave him a humoring smile.

He was going overboard on playing the protective husband. I knew, though, that it stemmed from his trauma. I was honestly kind of surprised he hadn’t already skipped home and called a divorce attorney. Except, he was a decent person. A good man.

“We’ll move you to your room shortly. In the meantime, if you need anything, push the button on your bed.”

I nodded.

Dr. Paulson and the nurse left, leaving me with Brock. I avoided talking to him at first by sipping my water. He took a seat next to me, his eyes never leaving me as if he were a guard dog.

I set my water down on the tray next to me. My movements were slow and labored. I could still feel the effects of the anesthesia and medication pumping through me. I turned toward Brock. The terror in his eyes was gone, replaced with worry. “You should go home and change.” He looked as if he had been through a war and lost.

“Jonah’s bringing me a change of clothes.”

Of course he was.

“Ariana, Kinsley, and your grandparents are in the waiting room,” he informed me.

That was good news. I needed them all. Though I imagined Grandma was probably not happy with me for keeping the pregnancy a secret. However, I couldn’t worry about that right now. “Brock,” I whispered. “You don’t have to keep doing this. It’s over. You can take off the ring.”

He looked between his grandfather’s simple gold band and me, his brows knit together. “Why would I do that?”

Wasn’t it obvious? “The only reason you married me was because I was pregnant.”

His eyes widened, but he didn’t get to respond.

The nurse popped back in. “We’re prepping a room in the south wing on the fourth floor for you. It will be ready in a half hour.”

“Thank you,” Brock and I said in unison.

As soon as she left, Brock took my hand and held it between his own. “Let’s not talk here. You’ve been through a lot today. You should rest.”

I was exhausted, and I supposed, for the sake of propriety, we should talk in a more private setting. I closed my eyes and nodded, knowing when I woke up it would all be over. And I would be lonelier and emptier than ever, but at least my puppet strings would be gone. I let the drugs take over and lull me into a place where the pain would only be delayed.

Brock kissed my hand. “I’ll watch over you.”

For the last time.

~*~

“Brock is livid.” Kinsley snuggled next to me in the hospital bed later that night. It felt like old times, except my guilt prevented me from indulging in the comfort she offered. Not to mention, some unknown employee of the hospital had blabbed to the press that Brock had carried his bleeding wife into the ER. Brock had just left to release a statement through Holland Industries’ PR team that I’d had a miscarriage and we were both devastated, and that we were asking for privacy during this difficult time. It was no wonder why Brock was livid—he had to lie about how distraught he was over a baby and a wife he’d never wanted.

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