Chapter 60
Emma stood by the glass, her hand resting on the barrier as she looked down at her son. His fragile body, barely larger than her hand, was surrounded by a maze of wires and tubes. His chest rose and fell with each mechanical breath, a miracle in motion but a reminder of how tenuous his life was.
Her daughter lay in the adjacent incubator, just as small, just as vulnerable. Emma’s eyes burned with unshed tears as she whispered, “Please, keep fighting, my loves.”
Thomas stood a few steps behind her, his presence quiet but grounding. He hadn’t left the hospital since the twins’ birth, dividing his time between supporting Emma and managing calls from work. He knew better than to intrude on this moment, but his gaze softened as he watched Emma, her strength evident even in her exhaustion.
“You’re doing everything you can, Emma,” he said gently.
She didn’t turn to look at him, her voice soft but steady. “I know. But it doesn’t feel like enough.”
Thomas stepped closer, his voice firm.
“It is. Just being here, fighting for them, is everything they need from you right now.”
Emma nodded but said nothing. She couldn’t find the words to express the storm inside her—the overwhelming love for her children, the crushing fear of losing them, and the tangled emotions that came with Alex’s recent reappearance.
She turned away from the incubators, her arms crossed tightly as she faced Thomas.
“I don’t know how to do this,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “I don’t know how to be strong enough for them and still figure out everything else.”
“You don’t have to do this all right now,” Thomas replied. “Steb by step. You also have me, Jack, the doctors—”
He hesitated, then added carefully, “Even Alex. If you’ll let him, of course.”
At the mention of Alex, Emma stiffened, her expression hardening.
“Alex made his choices. And I’ve made mine. I told him to leave, Thomas. I can’t let him back into my life—not when he’s already caused so much pain.”
Thomas nodded, his gaze searching hers. “I understand. But… I also know that love isn’t something you can just turn off. No matter what he’s done, he’s still the father of your children.”
Emma’s chest tightened. She hated how true Thomas’s words were. Despite everything, there was a part of her that still loved Alex, that still longed for the man he had been when they first fell in love.
But then she thought of Thomas—the steadiness he brought to her life, the way he looked at her as though she were the strongest person in the world.
Before she could respond, a nurse approached, her expression warm but professional.
“Ms. Barrett, it’s time for your rounds. The doctors want to update you on the twins’ progress.”
Emma nodded, casting a grateful glance at Thomas before following the nurse. The updates were brief but filled with cautious optimism. Both twins were stable, but their condition remained critical. The next 24 hours would be pivotal.
As Emma returned to her room, her mind swirled with thoughts of the future. She couldn’t afford to let her emotions about Alex or Thomas distract her from what mattered most—her children.
By the time evening fell, Emma found herself back in her hospital bed, her body weary but her mind restless. She stared out the window at the city lights, her hand resting on her belly out of habit.
The knock on the door was soft but firm. She turned to see Alex standing in the doorway, his expression hesitant.
“Hi, Emma,” he said quietly. “Can we talk?”
She sighed, her exhaustion evident. “What do you want now, Alex?”
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
“I wanted to check on the twins. To check on you.”
Emma crossed her arms, her gaze wary. “They’re stable for now. But you could’ve asked a nurse if that’s all you needed.”
Alex winced at her tone but didn’t retreat.
“I know you don’t want me here, but I need you to understand—I’m not walking away this time. I’ll do whatever it takes to be there for our children. And for you, if you’ll let me.”
Emma’s lips tightened. “I’ve already told you that several times—it’s too late for that, Alex. You don’t get to decide now that you want to be involved. You’ve already missed too much.”
“I know,” he said, his voice raw. “But I can’t change the past. All I can do is try to be better moving forward.”
The room fell into a heavy silence, the tension between them almost suffocating. Finally, Emma spoke, her voice laced with exhaustion.
“I don’t have the energy for this right now, Alex. My focus is on my children right now, on their lives and definitely not on you.”
Alex nodded, though his shoulders sagged slightly. “I understand. But I’m not giving up, Emma. Not on them, and not on us.”
With that, he turned and left the room, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts once again.
Later that night, Thomas returned to check on her, bringing a small tray of food and a quiet smile.
“I figured you might’ve skipped dinner,” he said, setting the tray on her bedside table.
Emma managed a faint smile. “You figured it out right.”
Thomas sat beside her, his presence calming as they ate in companionable silence.
As the clock ticked past midnight, the peaceful moment was shattered by the sharp ring of Emma’s phone. She grabbed it quickly, her heart racing as she saw the hospital’s number.
“Ms. Barrett?” the voice on the other end said. “We need you to come to the NICU immediately. There’s been a change in one of the twins’ conditions.”
Emma’s blood ran cold. “What kind of change?”
The nurse hesitated. “I’ll explain when you get here. Please hurry.”
Emma dropped the phone, her hands trembling as she threw off the blankets and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Thomas was on his feet instantly, his hand steadying her.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice urgent.
“It’s one of the twins,” Emma said, her voice shaking. “Something’s wrong.”
Without another word, Thomas helped her into the wheelchair by the bed and pushed her toward the elevator.
As they reached the NICU, Alex appeared at the end of the hallway, his face pale and stricken as he hurried toward them.
“What’s happening?” he demanded.
Emma’s heart pounded as the nurse met them at the NICU door, her expression grave.
“We’re doing everything we can,” she said softly. “But you need to prepare yourselves for the possibility—”
Her voice faded as Emma’s vision blurred, the world narrowing to the fragile lives of her children and the impossible choices that lay ahead.
