Page 60 of Never To Forever

I dart across the room, yanking open the closet door. A small duffel bag sits on the floor, ready and waiting. I grab it and sling it over my shoulder.

Returning to the bed, I take hold of her and help her to her feet.

“Here we go. One foot in front of the other, yeah? I’m going to get you down to my car.”

Haven clutches my arm as we make our way out of the bedroom and reach the top of the stairs. Her breathing is shallow and uneven, and her grip tightens as another contraction ripples through her body. Her nails dig into my skin and bite back the sting and panic rising in my throat. Focus. Just focus. Get her out of the house and into the car and go from there. Stay focused.

“Christian,” Haven gasps between breaths. “You…you have to call Christian….”

My heart skips a beat, but I force a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. We’ll get you to the hospital, and I’ll work on trying to contact him. Right now, you are priority one.”

She leans against me for support. “I can’t believe this is happening now.”

“Me neither,” I admit, trying to inject a touch of humor into my voice. “But hey, this baby’s got its own timeline. Let’s just roll with it, okay?”

Haven manages a faint smile, but her eyes are clouded with fear. I don’t blame her. Inside, I’m a mess of nerves. The baby is early. What does that mean? Is something wrong? Maybe it’s because I’m pregnant now too, but this situation is freaking me out more than it should. It’s unlocking fears within me that I’m not sure how to deal with. So much can go wrong in a pregnancy.

What if something goes wrong with mine?

“Let’s take it slow,” I say, guiding her down the stairs as I push my spinning thoughts aside. With one arm wrapped securely around her waist, she grips the railing with her free hand, and step by step, we make our way down. My breath catches each time she pauses, bracing herself against another contraction. The tension in her body is palpable, and I feel it echoing in my own muscles.

“Almost there,” I murmur, more to myself than to her.

By the time we reach the bottom, we’re both trembling. Haven sinks onto the steps, as if she can’t hold herself up anymore, and I kneel in front of her, brushing a stray strand of hair from her damp forehead.

“You’re doing amazing,” I say, even though she probably doesn’t feel like it. “Just hang in there a little longer. We’re almost on our way.”

She nods, tears glistening in her eyes.

I give her a few seconds to catch her breath, but we can’t linger here for too long.

“Ready?” I ask, my voice steady even though my heart is racing.

“As I’ll ever be,” she whispers.

Supporting her with both arms, I help her back to her feet. Together, we shuffle toward the door. The walk from the front door to my car feels like a marathon, but we keep pace as we shuffle along.

I unlock the car and open the passenger door, easing Haven into the seat. She winces as another contraction grips her, and I hold her hand until it passes.

“You’re doing great,” I tell her. “Just hang on a little while longer.”

She gives me a faint smile. “Okay… I’ll try. Thank you, Marie. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t shown up..”

“Don’t thank me yet,” I reply with a wry smile. “Let’s get you to the hospital first.”

I close her door gently and hurry around to the driver’s side. Sliding into the seat, I start the car and glance over at her. She’s taking deep breaths and seems to be putting all her focus into sucking air in and pushing air out.

“Ready to meet your baby?” I ask.

She nods, her expression a mixture of fear and determination.

With a deep breath, I pull out of the driveway. The car hums beneath us as we speed toward the hospital, my grip on the wheel tight enough to turn my knuckles white. Haven’s shallow breathing fills the car, punctuated by sharper intakes of air every time another contraction hits.

“It’s going to be okay,” I say, half for her and half for myself.

“I… I need Christian.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he knows.” Grabbing my phone, I use voice commands to call Christian. It rings several times before going to his voicemail. Damn it! Come on, man. “Christian? This is Marie. Haven is in labor, and I’m taking her to the hospital. She needs you to head home, now!”

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