Page 41 of The Doctor

Taking her hand once we’re out of the room, I give it a gentle squeeze. “Are you ready?”

“I don’t really have a choice now, do I?” She clutches onto my hand in a death grip. I’m not sure if it’s from the pain or how scared she is.

I stay by Raine’s side as she’s taken to the OR. Her eyes are glistening with unshed tears as she stares at me like I’m her salvation.

A nurse wheels over a stool for me to sit on beside Raine’s head and gives me a small smile. This whole experience is surreal.

Leaning forward, I brush Raine’s hair out of her face, and then I sit down on my stool. “Talk to me.” Her voice quivers.

“What do you want me to say?”

“Anything to keep my mind off them cutting me open. Can you believe I’ve never been a patient in a hospital before?” A tear slides down her cheek.

It is strange she never mentioned it before, but the hospital can be a very scary place for some people. All I can do is reassure her everything will be fine.

“Hey, if I thought this wasn’t the best hospital for you and our baby, I would have insisted you go somewhere else. Nothing’s going to happen to you, I promise. You’ve got some of the best nurses and doctors here taking care of you.”

“Are you one of them?” She asks, not meeting my eyes.

“I’ll always take care of you if you let me.” Now that she can’t run away from me, it’s time for me to plead my case. “Raine, I want you to know that nothing was going on with Mandy that night or any night for that matter.” Her face scrunches up in anguish. “Don’t do that, just listen. The second you left, I kicked her out and told her I never wanted to see her again.” I suck in a deep breath and continue. “I told her how much I love you and our baby.”

A tear slips down her cheek as her chin quivers. “I felt so stupid walking in, and that woman had her hands on you. I… I might have overreacted by not listening to you, but in that moment, it felt like my world was crumbling down around me. That at any second, my lungs would cease to fill with air, and I’d be gasping onto life.”

With three sentences, Raine managed to shred my heart into pieces. To know she felt that way when she found Mandy in my kitchen guts me.

“I’m sorry, Raine. You’ll never know how much I regret not following you after you left. I should have shown up at your work and demanded you talk to me.”

“No, you were right to stay away. I wouldn’t have been receptive.” My insides fall to the ground. “At least not at first. I want you to know that I do believe you, and I’m sorry I’ve been so stubborn. Let’s blame it on the hormones,” she laughs and then goes still. “What’s that tugging?”

“It’s normal to feel some tugging. Dr. Steele is doing what he needs to do.” I’m not sure how much to tell her since she seems freaked out. “Do you want me to tell you what they’re doing or—”

“Yes, the or, please,” she lets out a sad laugh. “I don’t want to know what they’re doing to me. I’m just listening for her cry.”

The first cry of a new life is the best sound in the world.

“Did you pick a name yet?”

“Kind of, but you can nix it if you don’t like it. Since I was missing you, I came up with Kaylee.” Her nose scrunches up. “It’s kind of the female version of Kade.”

Kind of, but to know she missed me has me leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“I love it.” Moving closer, I speak only loud enough for her to hear since I’ve already aired enough dirty laundry to the people I work with. “I want you to come home with me when you get out of the hospital. No more being apart. I want to share my life with you and raise our daughter together.”

Turning her head, she cups her hand over her mouth, so I lean closer for her to speak into my ear. “I promise I won’t keep her from you.”

“I don’t want to be apart from you, Rainbow. Just think about it, and if you say no, I won’t ask again. I won’t try to persuade you. I don’t want you to come because you need someone around to help you, which you will, but because you want a life with me. This last month without you has been… I can’t describe it. There are no words, but I’ve been absolutely miserable.”

“He really has been,” Darcy says, letting me know our conversation hasn’t been as private as I wanted.

Cupping my cheek, Raine rubs her thumb over my cheekbone. “It wasn’t easy for me either.” She chews on her bottom lip for a moment and then gives me one of her blinding smiles. “If you want us to still come home with you when we’re released, I will.”

I can’t hold back any longer. I press my lips to hers and hold them there until a loud cry comes from the end of the table.

We break apart and smile at each other. Both of us have tears streaming down our faces. Our little girl is here.

“I’m a mom,” she cries, tears streaming down her face as she laughs and tries to look over the cover. “Can you see her?”

“I can. They’re checking her over, which is normal, and once they’re done, they’ll bring her over here for you to see and hold. Then you’ll get to see the second most beautiful girl in the world.”

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