Chapter 63
I t was Christmas Eve.
Indie sat on the sofa and stared at the Christmas tree in thought. She’d never loved Christmas. She’d loved the buildup. The twinkling lights and watching Christmas movies. But Christmas Day had usually been filled with disappointment.
Santa had never come to her as a child.
Now, of course, she knew that was all because of her mother. But it still hurt. It wasn’t until she’d moved in with Slade and his father that she’d started to get presents. Her mother had likely felt forced to pretend to be a decent parent.
Thankfully, she’d managed to get the guys some gifts. She’d even bought some for Button.
Was that weird when he or she wasn’t born yet?
But it was just some clothes and a soft mat for tummy time. There were so many more things to get, but she felt overwhelmed by it all
She’d started to see a therapist. She’d only been to two sessions with her but already she was feeling more in control of emotions and reactions.
She was learning that she had a number of fears and beliefs that Billy had instilled in her. He’d made her think she was less than him. That she was stupid and inconsequential.
Of course, she knew she wasn’t. Most of the time.
But his emotional abuse had compounded what she’d been taught by her mother.
That she wasn’t good enough for love. That she was disposable.
Edward had invited them around for Christmas Eve drinks tonight. But Slade had told him they were busy.
She knew he’d done it because of her and she felt guilty about that.
Once she’d had the baby they were all going to visit Spencer’s family for a second Christmas.
His family had planned to come to London to have Christmas with them but one of his sister’s had just been in a bad accident and they didn’t want to leave her.
Indie had told Spencer to go visit her, but he’d said he’d wait until after Christmas.
Rock didn’t have any family. And Quaid only had his father who was a completely heartless bastard.
“Indie? Indie!” Spencer yelled.
Uh-oh.
She gave him a guilty look as he came running into the living room and nearly tripped over his own feet.
He always made her smile. Even when he didn’t mean to.
“I’m here.”
“What . . . how . . . who brought you out here? I thought they were all out?” he asked.
“I walked out myself.”
“Indie,” he growled. Then he pointed at her sternly. “That’s going in the book.”
She pouted. “Couldn’t you forget this once?”
“No. Naughty. Very naughty. You know I worry when I can’t find you.”
“Spence, we’ve talked about this. You can’t worry about me all the time. You’ll make yourself sick.”
“Well, then I’ll make myself sick. Because you’re the most important thing in my life. Of course I’m gonna worry about you. ”
He was so sweet that it brought tears to her eyes.
“What is it? What’s wrong? Hey, don’t be upset.” He rushed over and crouched in front of her. His hand went to her belly, rubbing gently. “Are you in pain? What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing. I’m just . . . reflecting on how different this Christmas is to the last few I’ve had. And the ones I had as a child before I moved in with Slade.”
He grimaced. “Not great, I’m guessing?”
“No. But I’m guessing yours were like something out of a movie,” she teased. “All magical and wonderful.”
“Sorry?” he said.
“No, don’t apologize. I’m glad one of us had a good childhood.
” She cupped the side of his face. “Sorry I made you worry. I just hope that I can give Button the sort of Christmases that you had. The sort of childhood that is magical and wonderful.” She placed her hand over her belly next to his.
Button kicked and she giggled at the sensation.
“You will,” Spencer told her solemnly. “We all will. There is nothing that this baby will want that won’t be provided.”
“So he or she will end up spoiled, huh?” she teased.
“Yep, just like their mama.”
Yeah, she was spoiled. Leaning in, he kissed her lightly. Then he stood and clapped his hands. “I think we need to get in the Christmas spirit. Christmas carols and hot chocolate.”
She had been feeling a bit off today so she wasn’t sure that her stomach could handle hot chocolate, but she smiled and nodded.
Spencer bounced off into the kitchen.
Indie glanced down at her hands. Did they look puffier than normal? And her feet . . . did they seem more swollen?
Shit.
Indie rubbed at her head. Flashes of light filled her vision.
No. No!
A sharp pain on her right side made her cry out. She gathered all of her breath. “Spencer!”
As he rushed in, she started to tremble and shake .
And then she knew nothing at all.
Spencer paced up and down the waiting room.
Terror filled him.
He’d never been as scared as when he’d rushed into the living room to find her lying on the floor, convulsing.
Spencer glanced up as the door to the waiting room opened and the guys rushed in.
He’d called the three of them on the way to the hospital.
“What the fuck happened?” Slade practically roared. “Where is she?”
For once no one tried to calm him down. Spencer suddenly realized how much calmer Slade had been lately. He’d barely lost his temper, hadn’t broken any glasses.
Because of her.
Their girl.
Please let her be all right.
Quaid strode over to him. “Talk.”
Spencer swallowed. “I was making hot chocolate when I heard her scream my name. I raced into the living room to find her . . . to find her convulsing on the floor and then she blacked out. I rang the ambulance and kept her in the recovery position. And that’s it.
That’s all I know. They took her away and I don’t know anything else. ”
A sob tried to work its way up his throat but he swallowed it down.
“Not your fault,” Rock told him.
“I left her alone . . . I left her and went to the bathroom and she walked into the living room on her own. Then we were talking about Christmas and how hers sucked as a child and I was reassuring her that Button would have everything he or she could want. And then I left her . . .” This time a sob did rip out of him.
And to his complete shock, it was Quaid who drew him into his arms. Quaid who held him and whispered reassurances as tears dripped down his face.
“Mr. Slade.”
They all turned at the woman’s voice, spotting Indie’s doctor.
Spencer wiped his eyes with his hand. “How is she? Is she all right?”
The woman was solemn. “I’m sorry, she’s very ill. And the only way to help her now is to deliver the baby.”
Spencer sucked in a breath. “But she’s not quite twenty-eight weeks.”
“Yes, I know. But twenty-seven weeks is still viable. The baby will need to stay in the intensive care unit for a while and there might be complications. But we have to do this to save Indie’s life and give the baby a chance.”
“Then do it,” Slade said.
They’d already set things up with their lawyer so that they were Indie’s emergency contacts and that Slade had power of attorney for medical decisions.
Slade signed the paperwork and the doctor rushed off.
Now all they could do was wait.
And he fucking hated it.