Chapter 7
Allen's POV
The hospital room was eerily quiet, save for the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor and the occasional rustle of fabric as Corine shifted in the hospital bed. Kyle lay in her arms, his tiny mouth latched onto her breast, his little hands curling into fists as he suckled. I stood by the door, arms crossed, watching them-watching her. She looked tired, more than tired. The dark circles beneath her eyes had deepened, and her usually vibrant complexion was pale, almost gray.
But it wasn't just exhaustion. It was something more. Something deeper. Something that made my stomach twist uncomfortably.
Corine had been quiet for hours, barely speaking since the doctor left us with news I wasn't ready to hear.
"She needs to be admitted, Allen," Dr. Reynolds had said. "Her episodes are getting more frequent and more severe. She's at risk-both to herself and to your son."
Those words had burned into my mind like a brand. But I had promised Corine I wouldn't let them take her away. I had sworn to her that she wouldn't be sent off to some psychiatric facility. And yet, standing here, watching her with Kyle, I couldn't ignore the gnawing fear in my gut.
She looked fragile. She looked lost.
I exhaled slowly, stepping closer. "Corine," I said gently, trying not to startle her.
She didn't look up. Her fingers trembled as she adjusted her boob in Kyle's mouth.
"He's so small," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "So perfect."
I nodded, kneeling beside the bed, my hand finding hers. "Yeah, he is."
Her fingers twitched under mine. "I don't think I deserve him."
I stiffened. "Corine, don't say that."
She blinked, finally meeting my gaze. Her eyes were glassy, unfocused, like she was drifting somewhere far away. "I-I don't feel like he's mine."
Ice crawled up my spine.
"He is yours, baby," I said firmly. "Ours."
She stared at Kyle, her breathing uneven. "I don't know, Allen. It's like I'm dreaming, and any moment now, I'm going to wake up, and he won't be real."
I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "You're not dreaming."
She let out a shaky breath. "I hear things. Whispers." Her fingers clenched the blanket around Kyle. "And I keep forgetting things. I don't even remember how we got here."
Panic flared in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm. "That's why we need help, Corine."
She tensed. "You're sending me away."
"No, I'm not."
"Liar."
Her voice was sharp now, laced with something almost feral. Her breathing became erratic, and suddenly, she was gripping Kyle too tightly.
"Corine," I said carefully, reaching for her. "You need to let go of him. You're holding him too tight."
She shook her head frantically, eyes wild. "They're going to take him from me."
"Nobody's taking him," I said, keeping my voice steady. "But you have to let me hold him for a second, okay?"
She clung to Kyle, her whole body trembling. "No."
I took a slow breath, pushing down the rising panic. "Just for a second, baby. Please."
Tears spilled down her cheeks. She was slipping-losing herself to whatever darkness had been clawing at her since the birth. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she loosened her grip just enough for me to carefully take Kyle from her arms.
The moment he was out of her hands, she collapsed against the pillows, sobbing. "I'm a horrible mother."
I cradled our son close, my heart aching. "No, you're not."
She turned her face away, curling into herself. "I can't do this, Allen."
I sat on the edge of the bed, shifting Kyle into one arm so I could brush Corine's damp hair away from her face. "You're not alone in this. We're going to figure it out."
She didn't respond. Her body was shaking so hard the entire bed trembled.
The door creaked open, and I looked up to see Dr. Reynolds standing there, his expression grim. He didn't have to say anything-I already knew what he was thinking.
I swallowed hard. "She can't go."
Dr. Reynolds sighed. "Allen-"
"I promised her."
"And I promised you she's a danger to herself and the baby."
My jaw clenched. "She just needs time."
"She needs professional help."
I shook my head. "Not like that. Not locked away."
"Then she needs to be monitored constantly. She shouldn't be left alone with the baby, not until she stabilizes."
I already knew that. I had seen the terror in her eyes, the way her mind twisted reality. And yet, the thought of taking her away from our home, from me, was unbearable.
The door opened wider, and Natasha slipped in, her expression unreadable. "Allen."
I exhaled slowly. "Not now, Nat."
She stepped forward anyway. "You don't have to do this alone."
I looked at her sharply. "You think I don't know that?"
She crossed her arms. "I think you're scared. And I think you don't know how to fix this."
I clenched my jaw, my hold on Kyle tightening. "Of course I don't know how to fix this."
Natasha softened, stepping closer. "We'll help. All of us. She doesn't have to be admitted, but she needs care-round-the-clock care."
I hesitated. "And if it gets worse?"
"Then we make the hard decisions when we have to," she said quietly. "But not today."
I looked down at Kyle, his tiny face peaceful, unaware of the chaos around him. He was my priority now. He had to be.
I turned back to Dr. Reynolds. "We're taking her home."
The doctor exhaled heavily, nodding. "Then you need a plan. A real one."
"I'll handle it."
As I said the words, I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince him-or myself.
Because the truth was, I had no idea how to save the woman I loved from the demons clawing at her mind.