Chapter 2

Orana’s point of view

I stared at the door of my doctor’s office. Knee bouncing and hands twisting in my lap. The sound of the child crying next to me caught my attention, and I watched the woman trying to soothe her. She gave me an apologetic smile because her baby had been crying for the last twenty minutes.

I returned her smile with a subtle shake of the head before shifting my attention back to the door.

“Orana Hubbard?” The nurse came out with a board, and I still used my father’s surname even after all those years.

“That will be me,” I was up on my feet already, looking at her.

“Dr. McCormick will see you now,” she said, and I clutched my bag before making my way inside.

“Oh, Orana. Good to see you,” Doctor McCormick beamed with a smile when she saw me. Always pleasant.

After so many years in her office, we had changed to a first-name basis.

“Hi Doc,” I smiled weakly, settling in the chair, my bag on my lap.

I sat across from my doctor, my hands clenched tightly in my lap to stop their shaking.

She hesitated. Her eyes roam around my face

That alone made my stomach drop.

“There’s… good news and bad news,” she said gently.

My throat tightened.

“Just tell me.” I wanted to get this over with.

I honestly couldn’t handle any more bad news, but at least she said there was good news too, right?

She nodded slowly, glancing at the file in her hands before meeting my eyes again.

“You were pregnant with twins.”

The words didn’t register at first. I blinked, my heart pounding hard against my chest. She must be joking. I thought.

“Twins…?” I whispered, tears threatening to fall. I lost not only one but twins.

She gave a small nod.

“When you came in last week, you did miscarry,” she continued carefully. “But… only one of the babies,” she said, the last part, and I froze. I felt like the rug was just pulled from my feet, and the world was tilting.

“What…?”

“You’re still pregnant,” she said, her voice soft and low.

The room tilted. I held her gaze, a ringing in my ears because this can’t be. Not when Callahan just dropped that bomb on me

“I’m… still…?”

“One of the twins survived,” she confirmed softly, with a smile on her face. “That’s why your symptoms didn’t fully disappear.”

A strangled breath left my lips, and tears I had been holding on to this entire time rolled down my

My baby was still alive.

My hand instinctively went to my stomach, trembling as it hovered there. So, I wasn’t imagining things these days? I felt the bubbles in my stomach.

“I know how you tried, Orana. I’m so happy for you,” She continued, “You’re still in your early trimester, so I would advise against any stress, and with your history, I would want to monitor your situation.”

There was a ringing in my ear that made me blink back my tears. “Why now?” I asked no one in particular, a hand on my abdomen.

“Some things just happen, Orana. And this baby just happened to be that,” she said to me, but that didn’t help.

Doctor McCormick continued talking, scanning, and also set appointments. And I sat there thinking of how my world was falling apart.

“I know this is a little overwhelming, so how about we discuss this another day? Can I set it up for next week?”

I nodded.

Then realization hit me, if he found out, everything would change, or worse.

He would try to take the only thing I had left. That was who Callahan Fitzgerald was.

And I didn’t know which outcome scared me more. Him taking my baby away, or him thinking I had trapped him with this baby.

He had concluded before that I trapped him with the pregnancy when I told him the first time.

When I was out of the place, I was moving on automatic mode. From there to the café, I went to get a sandwich.

I sat back in the chair, staring at my food, when I heard a familiar voice.

“Anything you want, Marissa.” Callahan’s voice came, a softness in it that he never used with me.

I froze, my heart racing so fast. I quickly grabbed my envelope, ready to leave, when my eyes met with Callahan’s.

For a minute, everything just froze; he stared at me from head to toe, then to the envelope in my hand.

Marissa was by his side, arm hooked around hers, beaming with a smile. Like she belonged there.

“Oh, Orana. So nice to see you,” She beamed with a smile, leaning on Callahan’s shoulder.

“Umm… Good to see you, Marissa. Please excuse me. I have a meeting to get to,” I lied, forcing a smile and praying Callahan didn’t see the scan, which I had been staring at on top of the envelope.

“Orana?” Callahan stepped forward, and my hand went behind.

He inhaled sharply, “Come to my office tomorrow. I have the divorce papers ready,” he said, and I nodded my head, before slipping away, walking away as fast as I could.

When I went back to the apartment, I had sunk to the ground, tears rolling down my cheeks. He was with her. Hours after he told me he wanted a divorce.

I don’t remember how I ended up on the bed or if I ate when I came back. But when I woke up in the morning, my whole body ached, and my throat was dry.

I placed a hand on my stomach and closed my eyes. I was going to take care of my baby.

“You’re going to be safe, little one,” I assuredly whispered before getting up and getting ready.