Chapter Sixty-Three
Linc
M arcus twists the last bolt into the crib, and we step back.
“There’s going to be a tiny human in there in a couple months.” Jax stares at the empty crib.
“I know. It’s crazy.”
“I’m so excited to have one of my own.”
I clap his back. “It’s awesome we’re going through this together.”
Jax turns to Marcus. “Should we start on the dresser?”
Marcus is already unboxing the pieces of the dresser when my phone buzzes.
I pick it up and see Audrey’s name on the screen. “Hey, Audrey. Do you want to talk to Jax?”
“Hey, Linc, no. I wanted to call to see if Melonie is on her way.”
“She should already be there; she left half an hour ago.”
“Oh. Well, she isn’t here, and she isn’t answering her phone.”
My heart rate picks up.
“Let me try to call her. I’ll let you know when I talk to her.”
“Okay.”
I disconnect the call and immediately dial Mel. I pace as the phone continues to ring until I get her voicemail.
Marcus sets the instructions to the dresser down, and I look at him.
“Linc, what’s up?”
“Audrey said Mel hasn’t shown up yet, and she isn’t answering our calls.”
Jax pulls out his phone. “I’ll try calling her.”
We stand waiting, and a few seconds later, he disconnects the call. “I got voicemail.”
“Guys, tell me this is nothing.”
“Maybe she just stopped somewhere to run an errand.” I see it in his eyes that Marcus is trying to calm me down, but my stomach is in knots and my gut is telling me something isn’t right.
My phone buzzes again, this time from an unknown number. I immediately answer it.
“Hello?”
“Hello, may I speak with Lincoln Hudson?”
“Speaking.” I look at Jax and Marcus.
“Mr. Hudson, this is Dr. Morgan at Massachusetts General Hospital. Melonie Evans arrived here a few minutes ago, and we have you listed as her emergency contact.”
“Yes, that’s my girlfriend. Is she okay?” Tears fill my eyes and I grab my hair.
“She’s been in a car accident. We can answer questions once you get here, and she’s been evaluated.”
“She’s pregnant.”
“Yes, we have obstetrics called in as well.”
“There’s nothing you can tell me right now?”
“Sorry, we haven’t received any communication from the attending physician yet. She was just taken back.”
“Okay, thank you.”
I hang up the call and turn frantic. “I need one of you to take me over to Mass General. Melonie was in a car accident.”
Marcus grabs his phone and pulls out his keys. “We can all go in my truck. Is she okay?”
I shake my head. “They couldn’t tell me anything.”
Jax grabs my shoulder. “Do we need to grab anything?”
“I don’t think so. I just want to get to her.” I stop in my tracks and look at the crib. “The baby.” My voice breaks. “What if something happened to Millie?”
Jax takes my shoulders and turns me toward the hallway. “Don’t let your mind run until we get to the hospital and get information.”
On the way to the hospital, Jax calls Audrey, while I call my parents and Mel’s dad. Everyone is on their way; Mel’s parents are driving in from Philadelphia.
I completely disassociated on the ride to the hospital. I don’t even remember speaking to the person at the desk, trying to find out where she was. I know I was told someone ran the red light and her car was totaled. That she was lucky the impact was on the passenger side. That there was bleeding. The thoughts running through my mind were horrific. I have no idea how bad the accident was. I have no idea if my girls are okay.
The past year keeps running over and over in my mind. The chances I missed, the kisses, the sight of her on a Sunday morning, the way she eats, the ultrasound pictures. Her laugh.
God, her laugh.
So many small moments with her that total up to where we are now. I knew the night I met her something in my life changed, and now I know it was because she is my forever. Why is this happening now? I’ve only had a week to experience her the way I’ve wanted to for so long. I feel so fucking stupid for not telling her every day that I’ve known her that I love her. It’s not enough time. Fuck, my mind is spiraling, and right now I’m wondering if I wasted months.
Images of Millie pass through my mind. What I have imagined she’ll look like in all the clothes that fill the closet back in the apartment, how she’ll look on the first day of kindergarten, teaching her to drive. I love her so much and haven’t even laid eyes on her.
When I start to inch my way back to reality, I feel like I’ve been out of it for hours. I look around and realize I’m in a chair with my mom’s arms around me.
“Mom, I’m really scared right now.” I’m trying my best to fight back the tears.
“There you are.” She runs her hand through my hair like she did when I was little. “The physician will be out in a few minutes, and they’ll have some answers for us.”
She lets me go, and I lean forward, my elbows on my thighs. I watch the clock as time passes by. Marcus and Jax take turns beside me as I sit holding my mom’s hand. It’s childish, but it might be the one thing keeping me grounded right now.
“Mr. Hudson?” a doctor calls from the set of doors.
I get up and walk to her. “That’s me. How is Melonie? How is the baby?”
“Are these people all family?”
I look behind me and see everyone standing around me, waiting. I turn back to the doctor. “Yes.”
“Alright. I’m Dr. Lisa McIntyre. I’m one of the obstetricians on duty. Melonie was in a severe accident. She was unconscious when she arrived, so she’ll be evaluated for a concussion, and we think she has a broken ankle. The priority right now, though, is that she has suffered a complete placental abruption.”
“What does that mean?”
“That means the placenta has completely detached from the uterine wall. We’ve slowed the bleeding, but she’s been taken to surgery for an emergency cesarean. With the placenta detached from mom, the baby won’t get the oxygen they need. I’m confident that the baby will be fine, since Melonie is already past the eight-month mark. Your little girl might be small, but she’ll be strong enough to survive just fine outside of the womb.”
“Can I see her?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Hudson—”
“Linc, call me Linc, please.”
“Linc, we need to get your baby girl delivered, so Melonie is already in surgery, and with the situation, we’ll need to ask everyone to wait here until afterward.”
I blow out a shaky breath.
“When can I see my daughter?”
“We’ll need to run some tests once she’s delivered, but it shouldn’t be long.”
“What about Melonie?”
“The surgeons will need to see how much damage was done, check for internal bleeding, and go from there. We’ll most likely do an MRI and some x-rays. She’s receiving blood, so she’s stable at the moment.”
I run my hand down my face. “Okay.”
“It looks like you and Melonie have a good support system here, so sit tight and we will come to get you as soon as possible.”
I nod. “Thank you.”
She walks back through the doors. I hate those doors right now. They’re separating me from my family, from the woman I love. I walk to a chair that’s close to the doors and sit, Jax on one side, Marcus on the other.
Jax puts his arm around me. “It’s going to be okay, Linc.”
I lean back in the chair, and my head tilts back and hits the wall. I’m done fighting the tears. “Fuck, Jax. My entire world is beyond those doors, in a room I can’t get to. There’s nothing I can do. I feel so fucking useless right now.”
Marcus squeezes my shoulder. “You can be strong for her. Talk to us, get it all out. Millie needs you to have strong, steady hands waiting.”
I take a deep breath. “You’re right. I just feel like I haven’t had enough time with her yet. All I can think about is time. I can’t get my mind to calm down.”
Jax keeps his hand on my back. “I know you will be strong and calm for Mel and Millie when the time comes. But whatever you need to get out, we’re here. It’s okay to be scared right now. We all are. Feel what you need to feel before you go meet your daughter. Let us take it, give it to us to carry.”
I feel like I finally have permission to let my guard down. I lean forward, palms to my eyes, and I cry. I feel surrounded and protected by my best friends. Fuck, I’m lucky to have them in my life. It doesn’t take long to feel a sense of relief from the pressure in my chest. My mom brings over tissues, so I wipe my face dry, take a few deep breaths, and focus.
“I’m going to meet Millie.”
Jax smiles. “You are.”
“Shit, we don’t have a bag. No clothes or anything.”
“Gigi’s already on it. I gave her your key.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Audrey steps in front of us. “Can I join you guys?”
“Of course.” Marcus pulls a chair over.
“Time is going so slowly. I need to stop looking at the clock.” Audrey puts her phone in her purse.
I look up at the ceiling. “It’s sort of crazy how your mind can replay an entire year in less than ten minutes.”
She places her hand on mine on the arm of the chair. “She’s strong, Linc. Everything is going to be okay.”
“I know she’s strong, but I’m not sure about myself right now.”
“I know you’ve got this. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”
She has more faith in me than I have in myself right now.