34. Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Serena
A s I wait for our baby to grow, I live in the hospital room. It's challenging for someone like me, who is used to working and being active. Emilio and my family do their best to make things easier, but I'm struggling. The doctors want me to stay at least two more weeks, minimum. Two weeks in here will feel like two years.
The nurses try to make things easier for me, and I've even made friends with most of them. Sam, Everly, and Mom rotate daily. Emilio even tries to play board games with me, which is hilarious. He's a sore loser and he cheats.
Every evening my husband arrives and spends the night in my hospital room. He either cuddles with me in my bed or falls asleep in the recliner beside me. He's not sleeping well, and I can see the stress is getting to him. He hates leaving in the mornings, but I want him to have time to take off once Alessandro is born, so I push him to keep working.
If Antonio hadn’t been a kidnapping asshole, he would have alleviated a lot of the stress on Emilio.
Today marks my thirty-first week of pregnancy. Hopefully, it won’t be long until I get to meet my son.
At seven p.m., Emilio walks in and kisses me on the cheek. "How's my gorgeous wife?"
"Gorgeous? I feel like a whale and I'm not even full term yet," I whine.
As I sit and talk to my husband, I notice a cramp in my lower stomach. Reaching down, I give it a soothing rub and dismiss the cramping as part of pregnancy pains or maybe at worst, Braxton Hicks.
"I brought you your favorite Mexican food."
"Aw, you come bearing gifts. This is why I love you," I joke.
"You mean it's not for my big cock? I'm sad to hear that." Emilio mock pouts.
"Your giant cock is definitely part of the package." I giggle.
Opening the tray of takeout, I see a meal I've been craving. Enchiladas with rice and beans. Emilio always listens to my cravings and gets me whatever I want to eat. The hospital food is bland and tasteless, and the doctors have told me there's no reason I can't eat a normal diet. I'm probably going to gain a ton of weight because I've been craving lots of sweets and starchy foods.
Digging into the food, I moan at the goodness of the enchilada with the zesty red sauce. This restaurant makes their tortillas from scratch, and they are so good. The meat is seasoned just right, and the sauce adds that little bit of spice that I like. This is like heaven to a pregnant woman.
"It's good, wife, yes?"
My cheeks redden at the fact that I've forgotten anyone was even watching me eat as I pig out on this plate. Nothing has ever tasted better than food does while you are pregnant.
"Maybe you need a good massage?" Emilio smiles.
"Maybe my husband needs his giant cock sucked for being such a good boy." I giggle again. Flirting with my husband, since I’m unable to do much else, has been my soul source of entertainment lately.
As soon as I laugh, I feel a wetness between my legs, and it definitely isn't from flirting with my husband. I know instantly that something is wrong.
As I lift the blanket and look underneath it, I see a pool of red liquid and realize I'm bleeding.
"Emilio," I call frantically. Unable to stop myself, my mind goes to a dark place, full of worry for my unborn baby.
My husband looks up and notices the look of pure terror on my face, right as I'm hit with the most excruciating pain in my stomach.
"Serena, Serena. What's wrong?" As the color drains from his face, Emilio starts to panic. "What's happening, baby? Talk to me."
Before I can speak, I lose my breath, unable to even convey my desperate need for help. I hear my husband frantically calling for help from the nurses as they flood the room.
I can hear some of what's going on around me but I'm unable to respond. I see the nurses' panicked faces as one straddles me on the bed, putting a tube down my throat while the other is adding something to my IV.
"Call the doctor and get this patient to the OR, stat. She's bleeding out. Mother and baby are critical."
Another nurse frantically utters, "Type and cross. She's going to need a blood transfusion, and a lot of it."
A third nurse adds, "Her lungs have collapsed. She's going to need to be intubated."
As I lose consciousness, the last thing I feel is Emilio kissing my forehead. "Baby girl, I love you. You are going to be okay."
Then everything goes black.