Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“And the baby?” Quaid asked.
The doctor gave him a strange look. He probably sounded bored and unfeeling to her. But Rock could see the way his hands were clenched into fists, the tightness around his eyes.
He was just as worried as the rest of them.
“The baby is on oxygen and in an incubator but that’s entirely expected with a preterm baby. The baby will have to remain in the neonatal unit for some time. You are all going to have to support mum well. This will be a lot for her and she’s bound to be emotional when she wakes up. Okay?”
They all nodded in agreement. That was something they could do. Take care of Indie. And the baby.
Relief flooded Rock. He was certain that they were both going to be all right.
“When can we see Indie?” Slade asked.
“I’ll have the nurse come get you when she’s moved to her room. Would you like to know sex the baby is?”
They all shared a look and nodded.
“Congrats, Daddies, you have a little baby girl.”
Holy fuck.
A girl.
They were all in so much trouble now.
Everything was so hazy.
Indie felt so groggy. Where was she? Why did it feel like everything was coming to her through a haze?
Indie attempted to raise her hand to rub her aching head, but it felt strange. Sore. Why did she feel so unwell? Did she have the flu?
Opening her eyes, she glanced around. This wasn’t her room. Where was she? Oh God. There were weird noises and strange smells.
Like antiseptic.
People talking?
The hospital? Was she in the hospital?
Button? Had something happened to Button?
A whimper escaped her as she touched her belly. Did it feel weird? Not as tight?
Where was Button?
Distress filled her until she felt a large warm hand engulf her other hand. The one that didn’t hurt. She turned her head and saw Rock standing there.
There was relief in his face. That was odd. Why would he be relieved if Button was gone?
“Button?” she croaked.
“Safe,” he said in a raspy voice.
Safe? Safe where?
“NICU,” he added.
“In the NICU?” she asked. “Button’s been born? It’s too early. Too early.” Tears dripped down her face. “I want to see the baby. Let me see Button!”
Distress filled Rock at her cries of fear and pain.
Shit. Why hadn’t she woken when one of the others were here? They’d be able to take care of her better. To explain things to her. That Button was in the safest place for her. That she was doing well despite being born so early.
That they wouldn’t let anything happen to either of them.
His poor girl had been so ill with preeclampsia. And now she was on a magnesium drip to prevent any seizures. The doctor had warned them that she might wake up dazed, confused, and feeling unwell.
Thank God she was awake, though. She’d been asleep for over twelve hours and he’d been starting to panic.
Tell her what’s happening.
This was when sign language would be an advantage. He was seeing that now. Why had he stopped using it?
The rest of them knew bits and pieces. Spencer knew the most. When Rock had gone to live with Spencer’s family they’d all started learning it.
He guessed he hadn’t wanted to be a bother to his friends or some shit like that.
Now he knew he wanted to be a full member of this family. And to do that he had to be heard.
Rock swallowed heavily, forcing the words from his throat even though talking more than a few words at a time was so painful that it felt like his throat was being sliced to pieces.
“Button well. Can’t see yet. You’re recovering.”
Fuck.
His throat burned. It was so bad that he reached for her glass of water and drank some down.
What was wrong with him? She needed to drink. When he turned to her with the glass, she was staring up at him in shock.
“Oh, Rock. That’s the most I’ve ever heard you say at once.”
He opened his mouth to speak again, but nothing came. Closing his eyes for a long moment, he breathed in and out slowly.
“That really hurt,” she said. “Don’t try again. It’s okay. I understand. I just . . . I feel so yuck and my head is all clouded and I just want to see the baby.”
It came to him then and he sent a message to the others. Something he also should have done as soon as she woke up.
A video quickly came back from Spencer. Opening it up, he showed it to her.
A sob escaped her. “My baby. So tiny.”
Shit. Had he made a mistake showing her a video of Button? She was tiny. And it did look scary seeing her in that incubator hooked up to machines, being tube fed.
Indie was still fragile. She wasn’t out of the woods yet. Was he making things worse?