Chapter Sixty Two

Chapter Sixty-Two

The drive to the hospital was the longest twenty minutes of Roman's life.

And the worst part?

Nobody was talking.

Not really.

The Christmas lights still glowed throughout Manhattan.

Families were still celebrating.

Children were still opening presents.

The world carried on.

While Roman felt like his had stopped completely.

Daisy sat in the passenger seat.

Pale.

Exhausted.

One hand resting against her stomach.

The dizziness hadn't improved.

If anything, it had gotten worse.

Roman's grip on the steering wheel was so tight his knuckles had turned white.

"Roman."

He immediately looked over.

"What?"

"I'm okay."

The lie was terrible.

Both of them knew it.

Roman simply reached over and took her hand.

Holding it tightly for the rest of the drive.

The moment they arrived at the hospital, everything moved quickly.

Far too quickly.

Daisy was taken straight through.

Monitors attached.

Blood pressure checked.

Blood taken.

Doctors called.

Specialists consulted.

Roman hated every second.

Because nobody was telling him anything.

And for a man used to being in control—

that was torture.

Hours passed.

Harper and Noah arrived shortly after.

The nanny had immediately offered to stay with all three children.

Lillie.

Poppy.

Theo.

Safe at home.

Protected from whatever was happening.

Now the four adults sat waiting.

Or trying to.

Daisy remained in a treatment room.

Roman refused to leave her side.

Noah and Harper waited nearby.

Both terrified.

The twins kicked constantly.

Stress.

Anxiety.

Too much emotion.

Harper wrapped both arms around her stomach.

Trying to stay calm.

Trying not to imagine worst-case scenarios.

Failing.

Eventually the specialist returned.

The second Roman saw her face, his stomach dropped.

Because doctors learned to read other doctors.

And that expression wasn't good.

"Daisy."

The specialist pulled up a chair.

Roman immediately sat straighter.

Noah stopped pacing.

Harper held her breath.

The room became silent.

"We need to talk."

Nobody liked those words.

Nobody.

The specialist looked directly at Daisy.

"Your blood pressure has risen significantly."

Daisy already knew.

She'd seen the numbers.

Seen the concern.

Seen the nurses moving faster than normal.

The specialist continued.

"We're becoming concerned about both you and the baby."

Roman's hand tightened around Daisy's instantly.

The room blurred.

Not for Daisy.

For Roman.

Because that sentence meant exactly what it sounded like.

Concerned about both.

Mother and baby.

Neither speaking.

Neither breathing.

Then came the words nobody was prepared for.

"I think we need to deliver."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Daisy stared.

Roman stared.

Harper covered her mouth.

Noah froze.

"What?"

Roman's voice cracked.

Actually cracked.

The specialist's expression softened.

"The baby is doing well right now."

Right now.

Nobody missed those words.

"But your body isn't coping."

Daisy looked away.

Because deep down...

She'd known.

For weeks she'd known.

Every appointment.

Every warning.

Every day spent lying down.

She'd known this was possible.

Knowing didn't make it easier.

"How early?"

Noah asked quietly.

The specialist checked the chart.

"Just under thirty weeks."

The room fell silent again.

Thirty weeks.

Too early.

Far too early.

Roman felt physically sick.

His daughter should still be growing.

Still be safe.

Still be inside Daisy.

Not fighting to survive in an incubator.

The specialist continued carefully.

"We've reached the point where keeping her inside is becoming more dangerous than delivering her."

Nobody wanted to hear that.

Nobody.

Daisy finally spoke.

"Emergency section?"

The specialist nodded.

"Tonight."

Roman looked down.

His hand still holding Daisy's.

The reality finally hitting.

His baby.

His little Violet.

Coming tonight.

Months early.

The fear was overwhelming.

For the first time since he'd become a father...

Roman felt completely helpless.

Hours later preparations were underway.

Nurses moved around the room.

Machines beeped.

Consent forms were signed.

Doctors explained procedures.

Everything became a blur.

At one point Noah stepped outside with Roman.

The hallway was quiet.

Roman stared at the floor.

"I can't lose them."

The words came out broken.

Noah's heart shattered.

Because Roman never admitted fear.

Never.

Not like this.

Noah gripped his shoulder.

"You won't."

Roman laughed bitterly.

"You don't know that."

"No."

Noah's voice was steady.

"But I know Daisy."

Roman looked up.

"And I know you."

Silence.

"That little girl is going to be just as stubborn as both of you."

A weak smile appeared.

Only briefly.

But it appeared.

Back inside the room, Daisy was trying to stay calm.

Trying being the important word.

Because every time she looked at the tiny baby clothes waiting at home...

She wanted to cry.

Every time she imagined Lillie...

She wanted to cry.

Every time she thought about Violet arriving so early...

She wanted to cry.

Then Harper appeared beside her.

Sitting carefully on the edge of the bed.

Neither spoke immediately.

Then Harper reached for her hand.

"You've got this."

Daisy laughed softly.

"You sound like me."

"I know."

The sisters smiled.

For a moment.

Just a moment.

Everything felt normal.

Then suddenly Harper froze.

Completely.

The smile disappeared.

Daisy immediately noticed.

"Harper?"

Nothing.

"Harper."

Her sister's eyes widened.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

"Oh no."

The words barely escaped.

Daisy's stomach dropped.

"What?"

Harper looked down.

Then back up.

Terrified.

"Noah."

The single word echoed across the room.

Noah turned instantly.

"What?"

Harper's voice shook.

"Something's wrong."

The room froze.

And then—

water spilled onto the hospital floor.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Harper looked horrified.

Noah looked horrified.

Roman looked horrified.

Daisy closed her eyes.

Because there was only one thing that could mean.

Harper's waters had broken.

And suddenly...

There weren't just one set of doctors running anymore.