Zack Baker
Hospital.
Zack sprinted to her side and dropped to his knees. “Are you okay?”
She sobbed hysterically, reaching for him wrapped her arms around his neck. She hadn’t expected him to react with anything but anger.
Instead, she found his gentleness.
He cradled her, offering promises that everything would be okay, promises she clung to through her panic.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Terror numbing her insides. What if she miscarried? She’d never thought she would be a mother; now her own foolishness might cost her that chance.
Sobs wracked her body. What if she lost Zack, too? Self-preservation instincts had blinded her to the reality of what she had—Zack. She loved him, but instead of finding that comforting, she’d allowed it to paralyze her. Now, faced with the possibility of losing everything, she realized how important it all was. Reaching toward his furrowed brow, she said, “I’m so, so sorry.”
“I know, Tegan. I know.”
In that moment, she believed he did.
“Where does it hurt?”
“I just feel jarred,” she said.
“We’ve still got to get you to the doctor.”
She nodded, needing his reassurance.
“It’ll be fine,” he said.
She clung to those words as well as his lucky penny through the agonizingly long drive into town.
When they arrived, Zack carried her into the office, the antiseptic smell stinging his nose and tightening his grip. Never breaking stride, he clipped an order to the nurse telling her to get the doctor immediately.
They were shown into an examination room, and Zack helped Tegan change into the lock gown.
Less than a minute later, Dr. Johnson hurried in instructing Zack to wait outside.
She gulped, wanting, needing Zack’s calming presence.
He held her hand for a few seconds, squeezing it before tucking her hair behind her ear. “It’ll be okay,” he swore again.
“Outside, young man,” Dr. Johnson reiterated.
She sobbed hysterically, reaching for him wrapped her arms around his neck. She hadn’t expected him to react with anything but anger.
Instead, she found his gentleness.
He cradled her, offering promises that everything would be okay, promises she clung to through her panic.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Terror numbing her insides. What if she miscarried? She’d never thought she would be a mother; now her own foolishness might cost her that chance.
Sobs wracked her body. What if she lost Zack, too? Self-preservation instincts had blinded her to the reality of what she had—Zack. She loved him, but instead of finding that comforting, she’d allowed it to paralyze her. Now, faced with the possibility of losing everything, she realized how important it all was. Reaching toward his furrowed brow, she said, “I’m so, so sorry.”
“I know, Tegan. I know.”
In that moment, she believed he did.
“Where does it hurt?”
“I just feel jarred,” she said.
“We’ve still got to get you to the doctor.”
She nodded, needing his reassurance.
“It’ll be fine,” he said.
She clung to those words as well as his lucky penny through the agonizingly long drive into town.
When they arrived, Zack carried her into the office, the antiseptic smell stinging his nose and tightening his grip. Never breaking stride, he clipped an order to the nurse telling her to get the doctor immediately.
They were shown into an examination room, and Zack helped Tegan change into the lock gown.
Less than a minute later, Dr. Johnson hurried in instructing Zack to wait outside.
She gulped, wanting, needing Zack’s calming presence.
He held her hand for a few seconds, squeezing it before tucking her hair behind her ear. “It’ll be okay,” he swore again.
“Outside, young man,” Dr. Johnson reiterated.