Begin Again

Chapter 23

Clark ran into the Emergency Room, barely stopping as he frantically searched the room for Leah.

"Clark!" Tita Jack ran over as soon as she saw him.

"Si Leah? Nasaan si Leah?" He asked, his eyes wild with panic.

Tita Jack pulled him over to a nearby nurse. "Para kay Leah Medina. He's the husband, the father."

The nurse nodded. "Halika po kayo, Sir."

Clark followed her down the curtained area until she opened one near the end.

"Leah!" She was lying there with Nanang at her side, looking pale and scared.

"Clark..." She reached out for him and he took her hand in his, pressing a kiss to it.

"Ma'm, pasensya na po, isa lang po ang pwede na kasama dito," the nurse said to Nanang.

Nanang nodded. "Sa labas muna ako mga anak." She gave Leah a reassuring smile and squeezed Clark's shoulder as she passed.

The curtain fell closed behind the nurse and Nanang, leaving Clark and Leah alone. He took in the IV connected to Leah and the small screen beside the bed, monitoring both Leah's and the baby's heartbeats.

"How are you?" He asked. "How's CJ?"

"Hindi ko pa alam. Hindi pa dumarating ang doktor."

"Are you still having contractions?" Clark tried to fight down the worry and panic he was feeling. He had to be calm. He had to be strong for Leah and for CJ.

Leah nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Hindi na masakit pero nararamdaman ko. Clark, natatakot ako. Masyado pang maaga para lumabas si Baby."

Clark squeezed her hand and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "It will be okay. Everything will be just fine."

He didn't know if it was true but he knew it was what Leah needed to hear. Seeing his son's heartbeat on the monitor reassured him though.

"Hindi ko kaya kung may mangyayari sa kanya, Clark. Hindi ko kaya..." Leah held her arm protectively over her stomach, like she could keep CJ inside through sheer strength of will.

Clark bent over her and put his hand over hers on her stomach. He looked her in the eye. "I know it's too early but if the doctor says he has to come out...it's not so early that he won't survive this. CJ is strong, I know it. He's a fighter like his Mom. It'll be okay."

Leah looked up at him and Clark could see that she was trying to believe him. His wife, the mother of his child...she was so strong and he loved her so much.

Right at that moment the curtain opened and two nurses came in.

"Kailangan po kayong ma-ultrasound, Mrs., kaya ililipat po namin kayo sa kwarto," one of them said.

They maneuvered Leah's gurney out of the ER and into a hallway. Clark walked alongside her, holding her hand. They situated her inside of a room with the familiar ultrasound machine, their window to their baby. Clark and the nurse helped Leah get from the gurney to the exam table.

"Papasok na po ang doktor," the nurse reassured them before leaving them alone in the room.

Clark and Leah gripped each other's hands, both of them silently praying for the safety and health of their baby. Finally, after what felt like several hours but was really just a few minutes, the door opened and the doctor walked in.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Medina. Ako po si Doktora Valdez. Ako ang on-call ER OB ngayon. Nakakaramdan na po kayo ng contractions at 34 weeks? Tama ba?"