Natalie
I pace my living room, unable to relax with the cramps wracking my body. I'm in tremendous pain. It feels like my entire nether regions are pulsating, but not in a good way.
I'm also lightheaded and dizzy, and my body is freezing even though I'm sweating like I'm running a fever.
Is this normal?
I don't know, so I called Linnea.
She is on her way here, and she can't come quickly enough. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I told her how I was feeling over the phone, and she thought I should go to the hospital.
Linnea said, "I think you're having a miscarriage," which broke my heart. I'm far gone in the pregnancy, and I should probably call an ambulance, but I can't breathe! I want another baby, and now I'm in tears because Alaric isn't picking up his damn phone.
Why isn't my soon-to-be husband answering?!
He is never there when I need him! I left a voice message, but the fucker probably won't call me back. Alaric is very passionate about his job. I love that about him, his inner fire, yet it can also get in the way of our relationship at times.
Another wave of pain surges right at me, and then the world turns to absolute darkness.
***
The next time I open my eyes, it's in a hospital bed. There is a beeping of some machine, and Noah sits in a chair next to the bed. He gives me a mischievous smile.
"Are you feeling better?"
I stare at Noah's gentle face and grimace. That's right. This isn't the first time I woke up. I talked to a nurse earlier, but I immediately fell asleep again due to exhaustion.
"I'm feeling much better physically," I tell him, moving my hand to my stomach with sadness churning deep within me. Tears are already prickling behind my eyelids. "But I take it I lost the baby..."
"I'm so sorry, Natalie..." Noah places his giant hand over mine and gazes into my eyes with a saddened expression.
Unwilling to cry in front of my ex-boyfriend, of all people, I bite my bottom lip and bottle up my sadness. I can scream later, but not here in front of Noah.
I change the subject. "Where is Emma?"
"I left her with Frank and Carmen," Noah says. "I looked up their numbers and let them know what had happened. Then I told the people working at the hospital that I'm your husband."
My jaw slacks to the ground at how easily Noah says those words, and my eyes lock with his. He is as gorgeous as usual with his brown hair and solid masculine features. He is sun-kissed, and his tight hoodie does nothing to hide the outline of his muscular pecs.
I avert to force my eyes away to not ogle him, but the slight twitch to his mouth tells me he caught me staring. Not that Noah would ever call me out on it. The guy is used to girls flocking to his football games only to drool over the sight of his tight ass in shorts.
"I see," I say, sighing. "Well, am I allowed to leave?"
"You are," Noah straightens in his seat, rolling his shoulders before giving me another smile. "And I'm driving you home."
My heart flutters, and a shy smile spread over my lips. I'm about to marry Alaric, but some feelings are impossible to control, like how fast my heart beats when I'm with Noah.
"You're very nice," I tell him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, and before I forget—" Noah hands me my phone with slight irritation in his eyes. "I talked to Alaric. He said he would contact you later this evening if given time."
"Later?" I question. "I know I'm not dying or anything, but the miscarriage made me pass out, and we—" there is no stopping the tears this time. "We lost a child, and that idiot isn't about to call me back before later? He should be on a flight home!"
Noah widens his eyes at the tears caught in my throat, but I don't care about sheltering my emotions!
Alaric is a selfish bastard!
If the tables were turned and he was the one in the hospital, I would be DRIVING home! I would be on the phone, and I would be crying, and I would be there for my partner!
How could Alaric even focus on anything like work right now? We both lost a baby and need to handle this together. I need Alaric by my side, and he goes and tells Noah he will contact me later if given time?!
How dare he!
We had already started to plan for a baby shower, and we had picked out names, and Alaric isn't even taking this seriously!
With tears taking my eyes, I clench my fists. "Alaric can go to fucking hell and never come back if he doesn't take this seriously!"
Noah takes a deep breath. "Some people handle grief differently. Alaric might need to be on how own—"
"Alaric should call and at least talk to me!"
Noah's face darkens. "You know what? I'm tired of playing Alaric's lawyer, and I will just go ahead and say it: he sucks."
Shock seeps into my bones, and I giggle—actually giggle at Noah for once in his life being pissed off. You often don't see it since the guy is a gentle giant. But right now, his eyes are cold, and his lips are caught in a frown as he approaches the hospital bed.
"He does," I say, agreeing before hot tears are back to running down my cheeks. "It really hurts that Alaric isn't here. This baby would have been so loved, Noah. I wanted Emma to have a sibling."
Noah approaches the hospital bed when I shake. My despair is rolling through me like a storm. I can hardly breathe and pause when Noah wraps his arms around me.
"I know... I know..." Noah says. "I'm so sorry, Natalie... I know how much you wanted and loved that baby."
I feel an all-too-familiar flutter in the lower part of my belly. It totally messes with my head.
A scene flashes through my head of me waking up in the morning to brew coffee and Noah walking into the kitchen shirtless. My hair is high on my head in a ponytail, and I'm wearing his t-shirt. He walks up behind me, slinks his muscular arms around me, and says, "Good morning," before kissing my neck.
Blinking a few times, I return to reality from my daydream. Noah leans back from me with a slight smile on his lips. "Let's get you out of this hospital, Natalie."