Spring [Completed]

FORTY-SEVEN

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HER

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per•tur•ba•tion
noun
1. anxiety; mental uneasiness.

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"Page Dr. Lee, she's waking up," a woman says as I feel a pressure pushing down on my arm. Fingers. They leave as soon as they're introduced, and my nose twitches involuntarily as I try my best to lift my heavy eyelids.

"Mmm," I groan as my eyes grow accustomed to the light. My bones feel heavy as I weakly raise a hand to shield my eyes.

"Imani," a voice whispers, and Josh's form looms over me.

"Josh?" I frown, watching as his hazel eyes study me with concern. "What's the matter?"

Josh's doleful eyes lock with mine, as he takes a deep breath and presses his lips into a firm line. I furrow my brows, anxious nerves rolling off of me with every second of quiet that passes. Josh opens his mouth to speak and quickly closes it, seemingly at a loss for words. When he doesn't respond, I run my hand along my stomach and my heart drops.

It's flat.

"Josh," my voice trembles as I glance around the hospital room. "W-what happened?"

Dreadful agony poisons my blood as it runs cold with the realization that my baby is no longer with me. My chest tightens and the walls close in around me as grief and fear have their way with me. Hyperventilating, I gasp for air, searching for some sort of respite, but nothing soothes the pain of this kind of loss. The loss of a life not yet lived.

"Imani," Josh says, his voice weary as he places a tentative hand on my shoulder. "Don't panic-"

"Where's the baby, Josh?" I try to sit up, but he holds me in place.

"Imani, everything's going to be okay."

"Where's the baby?" I swat his hand away as tears prick my eyes. "Tell me where the baby is." The heart monitor mirrors my anguish, beeping louder as I raise my voice. "Tell me where my baby is!"

"Imani-"

"Is the baby dead?" I sob, clutching his shirt in my hand as he leans down to my level. "Oh my poor baby-"

"Listen to me, Imani..."

I can't focus on anything he says as the pain consumes me. I don't want to listen, I don't want to rationalize. I want my baby. I need my baby.

"Where's my baby, Josh, please-"

"Calm down, Imani." Josh's stare pierces into my own and I hiccup, choking back a cry as I try my best to comply. "It's okay," he says, and the small smile that pulls at his lips is enough to ease my nerves. "The baby's here in the hospital-"

"Oh thank God." I let out a shaky breath of relief as I close my eyes. "Okay, is the baby alright?" My voice trembles like the rest of my body and I try to grip the sheets for support. "Please tell me the baby is healthy."