Page 113 of Black Flag

“For now...they are both...stable.” he took a deep breath.

He didn’t look veryfucking convincing. If there was ever a point in my life where I thought,“Enough is enough,” it was right now. I couldn’t handle this. I couldn’t.

“Jameson, she fell downtwo flights of stairs and landed on her stomach.” He paused taking a deepbreath, his eyes looking up at me deciding if he should continue. “Her arm isbroken in three different spots, along with two bones in her hand and a fewribs. When she arrived, she was unconscious. There was a bad cut on her headthat required about nineteen stitches. Your mom and I arrived about twentyminutes after she got here. The MRI showed no skull fractures or anything ofthat nature, so that’s good. About a half an hour ago she woke up but they hadto sedate her when they told her they needed to run some tests on the baby. Theultrasound showed the baby is alive but it also revealed a placenta abruption,meaning that the placenta is separating from the uterus.” I gave a blank stare.“It’s caused the baby to go into distress and Sway has lost a great deal ofblood.”

I tried to understandwhat he was saying but it was difficult.

“Can I see her?” I asked,my voice trembling from my body shaking so badly. I could feel the warm tearsrunning down my cheeks.

“Jameson, you need tostay calm okay and no, you cannot see her right now. No one but doctors can.” Ishook my head violently trying to comprehend what he was telling me. “Listen tome son,” He demanded, framing my face with his hands, forcing me to look athim.

His brow furrowed asthough he was in pain too. “This is part of the reason I wanted to speak withyou alone. You need to stay calm for Sway and the baby’s sake. You can’t godoing anything stupid right nowbut...theyhave to perform another test...”he stopped mid-sentence when my eyes shot to his. “Jameson.” He warnedin a deep stern voice he reserved for threatening people. I knew the voice. I’dperfected it as well.

“Ohmy god.”I shook my head violently ripping away to pace the floor. “Don’t fucking say,pleasedon’t fucking say it!” I shouted back at him.

“They need to perform ara—”

I was out the doorbefore he could finish the sentence.

I was livid.Fucking livid.

Every emotion I’d feltsince they told me she’d been hurt was multiplied by a thousand and exploded ina burning incinerator. I was so fucking angry my entire body shook uncontrollably.Each step was an effort not to crumble to the ground. I reached down and pulledmy phone from inside my racing suit, dialing Spencer’s number.

He answered on thefirst ring, “Spencer?”

“Have you heard fromEmma?” He questioned immediately. I could tell he was concerned by the tone ofhis voice. “How’s Sway?”

“She’s being sedatedbecause the baby is in distress.” My voice was so cold, monotone, I wasn’t sureit was mine. “Where are you?”

“Alley and I just got afew hotel rooms for everyone. We’re in the parking lot. Should we come inside?”I could hear Alley in the background grilling him with questions to ask.

“Tell Alley to come in.I will meet you outside.” He caught on to exactly what I was getting at withoutsaying my intentions.

I could hear Alleyagain, “No, Spencer this is a bad idea.”

Neither of us listened.

When I got inside theYukon, Spencer drove away.

I had no idea where tofind Darrin, but I had to.

Once we were on thefreeway, Spencer spoke.

“I know what you’rethinking and I couldn’t agree more.” his blank stare focused on the road.

I felt my phone vibratedrawing me from my thoughts.

I saw it was Emma so Iquickly answered. “Where are you? Are you with Sway?”

Emma sniffed and Icould tell she was still crying. “Jameson,” her sobs marred her tone. “I’m sosorry. I should have never let her walk alone, I’mso sorry.” her voicewas trembling, ready to break any second if she thought I was upset at her.

“Emma, it’s not yourfault.” My voice cracked. “What happened? Do...youknow?”

“I haven’t seen hersince we arrived. When we arrived they took her away because the baby wasn’tmoving around.”

“That’s...” my own sobs broke through again.“That’s not what I’m asking Emma. No one will tell me what the fuck happenedand I know they are keeping it from me so please spare the goddamn bullshit andtell me what happened!” I was yelling by now and I really wasn’t meaning to butat that point, nothing could control me.

Emma inhaled a shakybreath before speaking. “Sway had said she had to go to the bathroom, so sheleft. When twenty minutes went by and she hadn’t returned, I went to look forher. When I found her in the stairwell, she was bleeding everywhere, from herhead, body. She just kept vomiting over and over again and then eventually shepassed out.” she paused. “Jameson?”

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