Divorced Love (Stauren) {Book 1}

Chapter 15

All day, Steven had been attempting to persuade me to go home for the night. He must've noticed how sleep deprived I was, for my eyes were bloodshot with purple bags under them, and my face was a pale shade of white. Steven said that sleeping in our bed might make me feel better, but I knew it wouldn't. All being at home would do is remind me that my baby girl wasn't there with me. It would remind me that she was laying in a cold hospital bed, fighting for her life.

"No," I said for the tenth time.

Steven sighed, running his fingers through his hair once. "Lauren, please. You're pregnant, and you've barely slept at all for the past two days."

I thought for a moment, thinking about the growing baby that was relying on me to keep him or her alive. "Fine," I muttered. A small smile spread across Steven's face, but I continued on speaking. "But, only if you can convince the doctor to let us see our baby." Instantly, Steven opened his mouth to protest, and I carried on by saying, "Steven, it's been two days. They said she got out of her last surgery three hours ago, so we should be able to see her, right?"

He let his hand fall onto my shoulder. "I'll see what I can do."

•°•°•°•°•

The cold air of the hospital hallway seemed as if it were closing in around me as Steven and I walked to room 107.

107.

Bella's room.

As we walked, I found myself reaching my hand out for Steven's, and our fingers intertwined together. He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, and I could tell he was looking at me, but I continued to look forward.

Finally, we reached room 107. I went to reach for the door, but my hand stopped midway to the door handle. Steven noticed my hesitation, took my a hand back in his, and reached out for the door to open it.

As soon as I saw Bella, I stopped dead in my tracks. She laid on her back in the hospital bed with an IV in her left arm and two tubes going up her nose.

Steven kept his grip on my hand, gently pulling me towards the side of the bed where we both ended up sitting. I broke out of my state of shock and reached out to take Bella's hand.

It was so cold.

So cold and still.

"Bella, baby," I whimpered, trying to keep myself together. "We're here. Mommy and daddy are right here."

Steven's shaky hand brushed the hair from Bella's pale face. He didn't even know what to say as well as myself, we were speechless.

I turned and reached into my bag, pulling out Bella's pink jump rope with blue and purple handles. The jump rope she was playing with when the incident happened.

"I still have your jump rope," I said, trying to smile. "I know how much you love it." With that, I placed it on the bed next to her.

Neither of us hand any idea if Bella could actually hear us, but I continued talking anyway.

"You have to fight it, baby," I said as the tears finally rolled down my cheeks. "It's up to you. You're the only one who gets to choose, so you fight it." My eyes squeezed shut, and I bit my lip. "You've got to. For me, for daddy, and for your little brother or sister."

"You're going to be a big sister, peanut," Steven finally said, his voice a trembling cry. "You've always wanted to be a big sister, and....and we could never give you that because of what I did....because of how I abandoned you and your mom."

I glanced at Steven to see him about to break down, and I rubbed my left hand up and down his back while leaning my head on his shoulder.

"None of that matters now," I said to him, earning a small nod.

My attention turned back to Bella whose eyes still remained closed.

Every time I looked at her or blinked, there was a small hope inside me that I would find my baby awake with a smile on her face, but I never did.

"So fight it," I finished.

•°•°•°•°•

"We made a deal," Steven said as we made our way down the hallway and back to the lobby. "So, you've got to go home to get some rest."

"Okay," I replied. "But you have to come with me. I don't think I'll be able to sleep in our bed in that house alone."

Steven nodded. "Sounds like a deal."

"And we'll come back here first thing in the morning, right?" I asked, looking up at Steven who had his arm around my waist as we walked.

"Right."

Suddenly, yelling came from behind us. Both Steven and I turned around to see doctors all yelling at each other while surrounding a hospital bed. They all began pushing the hospital bed quickly down the hallways towards us. Blood was visible through the wall of frantic doctors. Blood stained most of the sheets on the bed.

I finally was able to make out what sow, of the doctors were saying.

"I've got no pulse," someone shouted.

"Get her to the operating room now!" Another yelled.

I desperately tried to see who was laying in the bed as Steven pulled me against the wall to make room for the mess of frantic doctors, but I saw nothing but red blood.

They finally made it down the hall, passing Steven and I, but something dropped to the ground from off the bed. None of the doctors seemed to notice, for the continued rushing down the hall. Little droplets of blood were left by whoever was in the hospital bed, and I made my way towards the object.

As soon as I saw what it was, I went limp and dropped to the ground. Steven must've seen it too, for he stood in shock, not even moving. Loud, uncontrollable sobs escaped my lips, and my breathing turned into quick gasps for air.

I closed my eyes, hoping that the object I saw on the ground would go away, hoping that I was only imagining it. But, when I opened my eyes, it was still there.

The jump rope.

The pink jump rope with the blue on purple handle.

The jump rope that was now stained with blood.

Bella's jump rope.

A/N
Did I make any of you cry?

I feel so bad for Bella, Steven, and Lauren
:(