The Ghosts of Your Past Haunt Me

Hailey and I lay in the bed as she turned in my arms and nuzzled into my chest. Burying her face into the crook of my neck. I tighten my arms around her and rub her lower back smiling at the feeling of having her in my arms, “You guys shouldn’t have given up that hunt for us…” She stops and looks up at me.

“Hey now,” I look down at her slight anger appearing in my eyes. “You two mean a lot to Zak and I. We couldn’t let anything happen to you guys.” I told her.

She nods her head and looks at me her eyes glassy, as if she were on drugs or about to cry. I see a few tears slip out as I wipe them away with my thumb, “Honey don’t cry.” I tell her.

“I can’t help it,” She whispers to me.

“What’s wrong Hailey?” I ask her sitting up and looking her over.

“My stomach is killing me, worse than earlier.” She mutters clinching to her stomach.

She manages to push herself up as she starts to get out of the bed. I rush over to her and grab her helping her towards the bathroom. Right as we get to the bathroom door, she collapses into me. I hold to her as I panic. Quickly pulling her up into my arms I rush out and to the SUV. Laying her in the backseat I get in the driver’s seat rushing for the hospital.



I sit in the ER waiting area as Bruce and Alice rush through and stop at me, “Is she alright?” Alice asks frightened.

“The doctor hasn’t come out yet.” I say getting up and hugging Alice tightly and then hugging Bruce. I sigh heavily sitting down as Shannon and Aaron run in with Zak and Katie following behind. I smile weakly at the four and hug each one returning to my seat.

I sit tapping my fingers on the arm of the chair, worried. It’d been two hours and a doctor hadn’t come out to tell me anything. I sigh getting up from my seat and rub the back of my neck. I take a deep breath as the ER waiting door opens up revealing a man in his late sixties standing there. Short buzzed cut grey hair, green orbs with thick framed black glasses covering them. Light blue scrubs on as he looks at us, “Hailey Raines family?” He asks.

We all nod our heads, “She is resting right now.” He says.

“What was wrong?” I ask quickly.

“She hadn’t been following the orders her OBGYN doctor had given to her at the last check up.” He says.

“And that’d be?” I ask not sure of what was going on.

“Her OBGYN Mrs. Flowers told her not to do any heavy lifting, be stressed out, or over work herself. And apparently she’d done all three or one of them.” He says.

“She never told any of us that.” Katie says anger in her voice.

“I don’t know why she’d keep something like that from her family,” He pauses rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s in Maternity Room 4. You all may see her.” He says walking away.

I frown heading for the elevator to go up to the Maternity floor. Once the elevator doors opened up I raced to Hailey’s room to see her lying in the bed with an IV in her left arm, and her eyes shut tightly. She had an oxygen tube in her nose. I slowly made my way inside of the room to see her eyes snap open and look at me, “Hey.” She whispered.

“Don’t hey me babe,” I pinch the bridge of my nose trying to keep my anger calmed. “Why didn’t you tell me or any of us for the matter about what the OB doctor said?” I ask her.

“I didn’t feel like burdening everyone with it,” She sighs looking around the room at everyone that had just piled into the room. “I can handle this on my own.” She says being stubborn.

“Hailey you can’t. That’s why we’re here.” Bruce says to her.

“Quit being stubborn like your father, and let us help Hailey Marie Raines!” Alice snapped at her daughter.

Hailey looked at everyone tears pricking her eyes, “I am so sorry.” She whispered, “I didn’t figure this would happen that I’d over worked myself.” She said tears sliding from her eyes.

“Just tell us if the doctor says anything that we need to know.” I tell her.

She nodded as I leant down hugging and kissing her lips, “I love you Hailey.” I tell her.

“I love you too Nick.” She smiles.

I step back watching everyone take turns hugging and kissing her. I smile grateful that she is alright and nothing serious had happened. I chuckle at Katie lecturing her and Hailey laughing the whole time. I notice Zak stand beside of me as I look over at him, “Seems like we have two stubborn women.” He says.

I nod my head, “That we do.” I laugh.

“When are you going to ask her?” Zak looks down at me noticing what I was playing with in my pant pocket.

“Not really sure,” I truthfully say. “Maybe later on in the week or something. I want it to be special and romantic.” I tell him.

He nods his head. We stand there watching the three women along with Hailey’s mother chat. I chuckle as we four men step out of the room and go to get the girls some food and drinks.