Chapter Twenty-Five
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
MARIE
The clouds hang low and heavy in the sky as I steer my car toward Haven’s house. The grayness outside feels like a reflection of the fog that’s settled in my mind these last few days. Garrett hasn’t called and hasn’t texted, and to be fair, I haven’t reached out to him either. Still, after Haven promised to talk to him, I was half-expecting that he’d reach out and apologize or something.
Instead, the silence between us stretches longer with every passing hour, and with it, my hope dwindles. I haven’t even had the heart to throw him the graduation party I promised - it just feels weird to do so when things between us are so strained.
I shouldn’t have expected more from him. He’s so wrapped up in that damn promise… I don’t stand a chance against his determination to keep it. As he understands it, at least. The thought makes my heart twist. I push it away, focusing instead on the winding road ahead. I need to talk to Haven again and find out how her conversation with Garrett went. If she thinks there’s still hope, maybe I won’t give up… but if she doesn’t…
When I pull into the driveway, I try to shake off the weight of the anxiety pressing down on me. Haven’s car is in the driveway, but something doesn’t feel right… the house looks still—too still. The curtains are drawn, no lights shine through the windows, and I can’t hear any music or voices from inside. Something is definitely off.
I step out of the car, my footsteps crunching on the gravel as I approach the front door.
When I knock, no one answers. A sense of unease settles over me.
Trying the doorknob, I find it unlocked.
Opening the door, I call out, “Haven? It’s me, Marie.”
Silence.
My unease deepens. The house feels unnaturally quiet. My sneakers squeak against the hardwood floor as I make my way into the living room. No sign of her there.
What’s going on? I’m seized by a sense of foreboding.
“Haven, where are you?” My voice wavers as I walk toward the stairs. A faint groan reaches my ears, stopping me dead in my tracks. I freeze, straining to hear over the pounding of my heart.
Another sound—this time clearer—comes from upstairs. A second groan. It sounds painful.
Panicked, I bolt up the steps two at a time, my breath catching in my throat. “Haven!”
The groans grow louder as I approach the bedroom. Pushing the door open, Haven sits on the edge of the bed, her face pale and shiny with sweat. One hand clutches her abdomen, and the other grips the edge of the mattress. Her breathing is labored, and her eyes, wide with fear, meet mine. Relief washes over her face, but it’s fleeting, quickly replaced by a grimace of pain.
“Marie,” she whispers, her voice strained. “Oh, thank God!”
I rush to her side, dropping my bag to the floor. “Haven! What’s happening? Where’s Christian?”
She groans and rolls her eyes. “Oh, he had a work emergency in Houston. He wasn’t going to go, but I convinced him that he should and I’d be okay, so of course this happens…”
My gaze falls to her belly. “Are you?—”
She cuts me off with a gasp. “I think… I think it’s time.”
My stomach flips. “Oh my God. Okay. Okay, um...” I look around the room, my thoughts racing. I have to keep my cool. No matter what, anxiety and fear can’t overwhelm me because that’s not going to help Haven. Still, I wasn’t expecting this. The baby isn’t due for a few more weeks…
“You’re early,” I blurt out.
“I know!” she snaps, her voice laced with panic and pain. “Tell the baby that!”
“Right. Sorry.” I take a deep breath, trying to focus. “We need to get you to the hospital. Can you walk?”
Haven shakes her head, biting her lip as another contraction takes hold. She leans forward, her whole body trembling as she lets out a strangled cry. Fuck, fuck, fuck! She’s in so much pain!
I grab her hand, squeezing it tightly. “I’m here, okay? We’re going to get through this.”
The words tumble out because I have no idea what else to say. How are we going to get through this? Doesn’t matter, I’m going to do everything to help her right now.
She nods weakly, tears glistening in her eyes.
“Where’s Oliver?” I ask.
“With my step-dad,” she groans. “Christian called him when he finally decided to leave town…asked him to watch him so I could rest. We need to let Peter know what’s going on.”
“We will, we will,” I assure her, scanning the room. “Do you have a hospital bag packed?”
“Closet,” she manages through gritted teeth.
I dart across the room, yanking open the closet door. A small duffel bag sits on the floor, ready and waiting. I grab it and sling it over my shoulder.
Returning to the bed, I take hold of her and help her to her feet.
“Here we go. One foot in front of the other, yeah? I’m going to get you down to my car.”
Haven clutches my arm as we make our way out of the bedroom and reach the top of the stairs. Her breathing is shallow and uneven, and her grip tightens as another contraction ripples through her body. Her nails dig into my skin and bite back the sting and panic rising in my throat. Focus. Just focus. Get her out of the house and into the car and go from there. Stay focused.
“Christian,” Haven gasps between breaths. “You…you have to call Christian….”
My heart skips a beat, but I force a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. We’ll get you to the hospital, and I’ll work on trying to contact him. Right now, you are priority one.”
She leans against me for support. “I can’t believe this is happening now.”
“Me neither,” I admit, trying to inject a touch of humor into my voice. “But hey, this baby’s got its own timeline. Let’s just roll with it, okay?”
Haven manages a faint smile, but her eyes are clouded with fear. I don’t blame her. Inside, I’m a mess of nerves. The baby is early. What does that mean? Is something wrong? Maybe it’s because I’m pregnant now too, but this situation is freaking me out more than it should. It’s unlocking fears within me that I’m not sure how to deal with. So much can go wrong in a pregnancy.
What if something goes wrong with mine?
“Let’s take it slow,” I say, guiding her down the stairs as I push my spinning thoughts aside. With one arm wrapped securely around her waist, she grips the railing with her free hand, and step by step, we make our way down. My breath catches each time she pauses, bracing herself against another contraction. The tension in her body is palpable, and I feel it echoing in my own muscles.
“Almost there,” I murmur, more to myself than to her.
By the time we reach the bottom, we’re both trembling. Haven sinks onto the steps, as if she can’t hold herself up anymore, and I kneel in front of her, brushing a stray strand of hair from her damp forehead.
“You’re doing amazing,” I say, even though she probably doesn’t feel like it. “Just hang in there a little longer. We’re almost on our way.”
She nods, tears glistening in her eyes.
I give her a few seconds to catch her breath, but we can’t linger here for too long.
“Ready?” I ask, my voice steady even though my heart is racing.
“As I’ll ever be,” she whispers.
Supporting her with both arms, I help her back to her feet. Together, we shuffle toward the door. The walk from the front door to my car feels like a marathon, but we keep pace as we shuffle along.
I unlock the car and open the passenger door, easing Haven into the seat. She winces as another contraction grips her, and I hold her hand until it passes.
“You’re doing great,” I tell her. “Just hang on a little while longer.”
She gives me a faint smile. “Okay… I’ll try. Thank you, Marie. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t shown up..”
“Don’t thank me yet,” I reply with a wry smile. “Let’s get you to the hospital first.”
I close her door gently and hurry around to the driver’s side. Sliding into the seat, I start the car and glance over at her. She’s taking deep breaths and seems to be putting all her focus into sucking air in and pushing air out.
“Ready to meet your baby?” I ask.
She nods, her expression a mixture of fear and determination.
With a deep breath, I pull out of the driveway. The car hums beneath us as we speed toward the hospital, my grip on the wheel tight enough to turn my knuckles white. Haven’s shallow breathing fills the car, punctuated by sharper intakes of air every time another contraction hits.
“It’s going to be okay,” I say, half for her and half for myself.
“I… I need Christian.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he knows.” Grabbing my phone, I use voice commands to call Christian. It rings several times before going to his voicemail. Damn it! Come on, man. “Christian? This is Marie. Haven is in labor, and I’m taking her to the hospital. She needs you to head home, now!”
I hang up and try again, and again, no answer. Where is he that he’s not seeing all these calls coming into his phone?
I glance over at Haven between calls, her face pale and drawn, her fingers gripping the seatbelt across her chest. I hit redial once more.
“Come on, Christian. Pick up.”
For the fifth time, his voicemail clicks on. My frustration bubbles over, but I tamp it down. No time for that now. I wait for the beep and leave another message, keeping my voice calm but firm.
“Christian, it’s Marie again. Come on, man. Haven needs you. Call me as soon as you get this!”
I hang up and Haven gasps, “Try his assistant, Laura.” She rattles off a number, and I connect the call.
Please answer.
On the second ring, she picks up, her tone brisk but professional. “This is Laura.”
“Laura, it’s Marie, a friend of Haven’s. I’m trying to reach Christian, but he’s not answering. Haven’s in labor, and we’re heading to the hospital now. Can you get a hold of him?”
There’s a brief pause, and then she says, “Oh my—okay, I’ll track him down right away. Do you know which hospital?”
“Blue Ridge Falls Medical. Please, Laura, it’s urgent.”
“I’ll take care of it. Thank you for letting me know,” she replies before the call ends.
“We’re almost there, Haven,” I say, glancing at her. She’s biting her lip, her eyes squeezed shut against the pain, my heart pounding as the hospital’s lights come into view.
I pull up to the emergency room entrance and throw the car into park. Jumping out, I rush to Haven’s side and help her out.
We make our way inside, and a nurse at the front desk looks up.
“She’s in labor!”
Within moments, a team of nurses arrives with a wheelchair. They take Haven from my arms, moving quickly but gently. I follow closely, clutching the hospital bag, my adrenaline spiking.
Haven’s gaze locks onto mine as they wheel her toward the maternity ward.
“Marie,” she whispers, her voice shaky. Scared. “I can’t do this alone.”
My heart hurts and I force a reassuring smile as I hurry to keep up with her.
“I’m right here. “I’m not going anywhere.”
The nurses guide us into a delivery room. Haven clutches the side rails of the bed as another contraction hits, her face contorting with pain.
“You’re doing great,” I say, brushing her hair back from her damp forehead. “You’re so strong, Haven. Just keep breathing.”
Her grip on my hand tightens. I stay by her side, murmuring encouragement as the medical team moves around us, preparing for the baby’s arrival.
Through it all, my phone stays silent. No call from Christian, no word from Laura. I fight the urge to check it every five seconds, keeping my focus on Haven. Right now, she’s all that matters.