Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“You aren’t going to lose her,” I tell her, and I stop talking and start praying. I don’t know how long we stay in that hallway, but I never move away from her. I stand next to her, giving her all the strength I have.
We see Evan walking down the hallway, and he walks out of the sliding door wearing his scrubs. He’s sobbing, and I grab Zoe. “We have a daughter,” he says, and Parker sobs out along with Allison and Karrie.
“What about Zara?” Zoe says, her chest quivering as she tries to get the words out.
“They are taking her to recovery,” he says, and then goes to Zoe. “She’s going be okay,” he says to her and takes her in his arms. “And wait till you see our little girl,” he says, sobbing with her. “She’s so beautiful,” he says, now smiling so big it’s going to break his face. “I’m going to go and get her,” he says, turning around and walking back inside the doors.
“Her clothes,” Zoe says. “She needs her clothes.” She looks around. “I need to go get her clothes.”
“You need to stay here with Zara,” I tell her. “I can go and get all the stuff. Just tell me where it is.”
She looks at me and nods. It takes her a couple of minutes to tell me where everything is because every single time the door opens, she stops talking, and the tears come again. “She’s here,” Evan says, tears running down his face again with a megawatt smile. The nurse pushes a cart on wheels with a clear plastic box on top, and in the middle, wrapped up in a white blanket and matching hat, is the baby.
Zoe just drops her hand, and her keys fall to the floor as she walks over to the little bed. Her hand goes to her mouth as she cries out. “Oh my goodness, look at you,” she says, and the nurse just looks at her with a smile. “Isn’t she the most beautiful baby ever?” she says, laughing and crying at the same time. “You can lie.” She stands, and Evan hugs her around her shoulder and pulls her to him and kisses her temple.
“She really is,” the nurse says. “Mom is going to be out in thirty minutes if all goes well.”
“Can I go and see her?” Zoe asks. “I promise not to be in the way.” The nurse nods, and she turns around to look at Parker. “She’s going to be okay.” She rolls her lips to stop from crying and tries to smile, but the tears come anyway.
Parker goes over to her, followed by Cooper, and I stand in the middle of the hospital wanting to hold her. Matthew comes over to me and slaps my shoulder. “She’ll be okay.”
I just nod my head. “I should go and get the stuff,” I say and then look at Parker consoling Zoe.
“Do you want company?” Max says, and I shrug. “We can get some coffee and stuff to bring back.” He looks at Allison. “It’s not like you guys are going to let me hold the baby now anyway.”
Matthew’s phone now rings, and he looks down and then up. “Did no one get Justin?” And just like that, everyone laughs. “Hello,” he says, walking away from us as he answers the phone.
“So, get Justin, the bag, and coffee,” Max says, kissing Allison and then looks at me. I take one more look at Zoe and then walk out.
We step onto the elevator, and both of us sigh in relief. The security guard sees us as soon as we step out of the elevator and walks over. “Here are the keys. You are parked just to the right.” He hands me the keys, and I just nod at him.
The doors open, and the crisp air hits us right away. “I don’t really need to come back,” I tell Max when we step out and walk toward the truck.
“You think that’s a good idea?” He looks over at me, stopping at the passenger door.
“It’s not time yet,” I tell him and look down and then up. “It’s not the time. I had a plan.”
“Well, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but sometimes, plans change,” Max says. He gets in the truck, and I follow him, getting in the driver’s side of the truck. I start the truck. “Do you know the first time I saw Allison again, I ran right over her and then called her a bitch under my breath?”
I chuckle. “Did she not hand you your balls on a platter?”
“No.” He laughs now also as I make my way over to Zoe’s. “I mean, she definitely didn’t like me much.”
“But you won her over with your charm?” I ask him, and he just shakes his head.