Making You Mine (52 page)

Sofia and Sarah were the only two left still waiting but Sofia was due first. She had less than two weeks to go while Sarah was only in her thirty third week. Unlike Sofia, who knew she was having a girl, Sarah and Angel wanted to be surprised. Though she was dying to know she wanted to wait until that beautiful moment in the delivery room she’d dreamt so often of when they told her what she’d had and she finally got to hold her baby.

Though her pregnancy thus far had gone pretty smoothly they’d had a few instances where Sarah had panicked because it’d been too long since she last felt the baby move. She’d called the doctor who advised her to drink something really cold and lie on her side. She didn’t think it would actually work but she did as she was told and several minutes later after feeling the baby jolt she felt incredibly guilty that she’d woken him or her that way.

Angel didn’t want her working full shifts at the restaurant anymore. He preferred to know she was home resting and staying safe. He wasn’t thrilled about her driving around too much anymore either. Even a fender bender might do her some harm and he said there was no sense in taking chances. So Sarah wasn’t going very far on her own these days.

That morning she’d gone to her mom’s for breakfast and now she was going to put a few hours in at the restaurant and then head home early. She was beginning to feel more and more tired now that she was getting bigger and it was starting to affect how comfortable she could get at night to sleep.

She’d just stepped out of her car in the parking lot when she heard him. “Lynni!”

Her heart leaped as she turned and saw Sydney step out of a cab. They rushed to each other and hugged. He picked her up off the ground, laughing. “God, this is perfect timing.”

They moved out of the way to let a car that had pulled into the parking lot go by. Raul waved as he drove by but looked at her a little weird. She turned back to Sydney. Her once-chubby childhood friend had grown into a rugged, handsome man. He’d let his hair grow out a little and he had a five o’clock shadow but not like he’d forgotten to shave. It was too clean like he was wearing it that way on purpose and it suited him. “What are you doing here? How come you didn’t tell me you’d be coming?”

“
I wasn’t,” he said looking her up and down. “I just had a stop here between flights and I took a chance. I actually gotta get back; my flight leaves in less than an hour. I knew it was a long shot that I might actually catch you here, but I’m so glad I did. Wow.” He rubbed her belly. “Look at you, Lynn. You’re absolutely stunning.”

She smiled, placing her hand over his and pulled it to the side of her belly. “Feel.”

His eyes opened wide as the baby tapped the side. “He or she’s been very active this morning.”

Sydney’s bright smile softened a bit. “I still can’t believe you’re going to be a mommy soon.”

“
I know.” She slipped her hand in his. “Can you come in and have something to eat?”

“
No, sweetie. I gotta go. This,” he gestured back to the waiting cab, “is crazy! I did this on a whim. Hopped in a cab and kept my fingers crossed that I might find you here. So when we pulled up and I saw you getting out of the car I nearly jumped out before it even stopped.”

Sarah laughed then pouted. “So you really have to go now?”

He pouted too and nodded. “But I’ll be sure to make it a point to come out just to see you—hang out for a few days. Maybe after the baby is born. It’s ridiculous that we’ve let this much time go by without visiting each other.”

“
It is.” She agreed. “You have to come back when the baby is born.”

“
I will. I promise.” He looked at his watch and frowned. “I gotta go. I’m so glad I got to see you.” He hugged her again holding her for a bit and she took in the smell of him. It brought back so many memories. He pulled away and smiled. “I’ve missed you.”

“
I miss you too.”

He kissed her hand then rubbed her belly again. “I love you, Sydney.” The words just came out. She hadn’t realized how much she missed him until she saw him.

“
I love you, too.” He promised he’d be back soon before saying his final goodbye and walking back to the cab. She watched and waved as it drove away, memories of running with him and their long ago lengthy chats on the phone danced in her head. Years of her life that seemed at times now gone, almost as if they never were. She walked through the parking lot lost in thought.

It happened so fast, she never even saw the concrete parking block she tripped on, before she could even try to break her fall, she hit the ground on her side
hard
.

A.S.A.P

It had been a while since Angel worked the bar. He’d been so preoccupied the last couple of weeks with baby stuff he’d messed up on the schedule and three bartenders were off today so he was helping out. Raul had walked in minutes ago and was in the back getting suited up. He could have him work the bar today and when Sarah got there he’d have her take orders though she wouldn’t be carrying any of them out.

It was actually good every now and again to get away from the back room. Lately he’d been glued to computer looking through catalogs of all the stuff he wanted to shower his baby with. The backyard play set Alex got for the twins was awesome and Sarah had laughed when she caught him on the website that had them custom made. She said what he should be looking into was starting up a college fund for the baby. School was expensive and the sooner they got started the better. That was true but those websites were boring.

Raul came out from the back but stopped when David, one of the other waiters stopped him to tell him something and they both laughed loudly. “Hey when you’re done messing around I’m gonna need you in the bar today.”

Raul walked away from David with a smile. “Sure thing boss. Did someone call in?”

“
Nah it was my fault actually. I messed up. I scheduled too many people off at once. I gotta double check next week’s, make sure I didn’t do the same thing. So I’ll need you to bartend today but not until Sarah gets here. I’ll have her take over your section.”

“
Isn’t she here already?” Raul asked.

“
No,” Angel wiped down the bar. “She was having breakfast with her mom this morning.”

“
She was out in the parking lot when I drove in. I thought she’d be in here by now. Unless,” Raul smirked. “that guy whose arms she flew into stole her away.”

Angel turned and peered at Raul not sure if he was serious. He had the stupidest sense of humor sometimes. But apparently he was serious. “What are you talking about?”

“
Some guy who got out of a cab and hugged your wife, man. He picked her up off the ground he hugged her so hard.” Raul pulled out the paper pad out of his apron’s front pocket and stuck a pen behind his ear. “I don’t know maybe he’s family. Does she have a brother?”

“
No, she doesn’t.”

Raul shrugged. “She’s probably still out there.” He walked away to his first table of the day.

That was strange. Who would be visiting Sarah in a cab? Then it hit him. Something began to warm his insides just as he saw her walk in. He fully expected to see Sydney walk in behind her but she was alone. He met her by the hallway leading to the back room. As soon as their eyes met he knew something was wrong. “You okay?”

She nodded but looked away quickly and kept walking to the back.

“
You sure?”

“
Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I’m just a little tired,” she said, sitting down with her hand over her belly.

“
You should go home then, babe. I don’t want you working if you’re not up to it.” Then he remembered. “Who was out there with you?”

She seemed dazed and it unnerved him. “Huh?”

“
Raul, he said he saw you out there. A guy in a cab hugged you.” He raised his eyebrow. “Picked you up?”

It was the strangest thing, she was looking at him and listening but it was as if she were a million miles away. She told him about Sydney swinging by between flights and how he couldn’t stay. If it hadn’t been for his concern over the way she was acting he might’ve been a little more ticked about the fact that Sydney had been so moved to see her he actually picked her up. Raul hadn’t been exaggerating since Sarah didn’t deny it. Instead he stared at her trying to figure out what this strange demeanor was about.

Angel got down on his knee in front of her and rubbed her belly. “Are you sure you’re okay, baby? You’re scaring me.”

Finally she looked at him and not through him like when she first arrived and smiled rubbing his hand on her belly. “I’m fine. But I think I will go home. I didn’t get very much sleep last night.”

“
All right.” He stood up and held his hand out. “I’ll walk you out.”

Even after he knew she was home and safe in bed he couldn’t shake that feeling that something was wrong. Then he got the call.

Sarah was crying. “Please don’t be mad at me?”

His heart began to race. “About what?”

She sputtered out the rest so fast and he got most of it even in between the whimpering. She’d fallen just outside the restaurant but didn’t want to alarm him for nothing. His heart had immediately spiked the moment he heard her say she fell, but the last part nearly made him stop breathing. “I’m not feeling any kind of discomfort or anything but I had some pinkish discharge and my mom says I should go to the hospital just to play it safe.”

She hadn’t even finished saying it and he was already rushing through the restaurant with his keys in his hands. He called Sal who told him not to worry he’d take care of the restaurant for him. Memories of when Sarah had miscarried the first time slammed into him and he choked back the lump that was already forming in his throat.

~*~

It was pink not red. Sarah kept telling herself. Not like when she lost the first baby. And she wasn’t cramping or feeling any kind of discomfort. After checking everything, all of her and the baby’s vitals were fine but the fact that they wanted to keep her overnight for observation still made her very nervous. Were they not telling her something?

Sarah smiled trying to be brave and squeezed Angel’s hand. Everybody else that had come by, her mother, his parents, even Alex and Valerie had left hours earlier. Angel wanted to stay as late as possible but it was almost midnight and he looked so tired. “You should go home, honey. Get some rest.” His eyes were as anxious as she felt. “And try not to worry; the doctors said they’re just being cautious.”

He leaned in and kissed her. “No way, baby. I’m not leaving. I won’t get any sleep anyway. Not without you there by my side.”

She smiled. “But you have to. You’ll need to be rested so you can take me home tomorrow.”

He gestured to the recliner behind him. “I’ll rest right here. I’m
not
leaving you.”

As expected she had a hard time falling asleep. After a few hours Angel had knocked out on the recliner. The nurse came in to check her vitals. “So there really is no other reason why they’re keeping me, right?”

The nurse smiled reassuringly. “The fact that you spotted on the day you fell could very well be coincidental, but since it did happen on a same day, the doctor just didn’t want to take any chances.” The nurse touched her arm lightly and winked. “You’re fine.”

After the nurse walked out Sarah grabbed her phone and texted Syd. When she’d first fallen the absurd thought that it was God’s way of punishing her for loving Sydney. Maybe it was wrong. Maybe she shouldn’t feel for him what she did. But now she realized that was silly. She loved him like she’s always loved him—like the very best friend anyone could ever ask for.

She explained to him what happened and assured him that she was fine then ended the text with a goodnight and again she told him she loved him. Then she finally fell asleep.

She woke up about five in the morning feeling strange. Angel wasn’t on the recliner but his keys and jacket were there; he must’ve stepped out. Something was wrong. They’d dimmed the lights in her room but even with the darkened room she could see something when she pulled up the blankets. She reached for the lights and thought she might faint when she realized she was bleeding. Swallowing hard and trying to hold it together she rang for the nurse. Within seconds the nurse was there.

“
I’m bleeding!”

The nurse quickly assessed Sarah’s condition then called the nurses’ station and Sarah heard the most frightening words she’d ever heard. “Get the doctor here ASAP, looks like Moreno is going to deliver.”

“
Deliver? I’m only thirty three weeks!”

“
I don’t know honey. Something’s happened and this baby is coming now.”

Sarah was already in tears. “Where’s my husband? I need him here.”

“
You just relax, we’ll get him for you.”

The doctor was there within minutes. After examining her he confirmed what the nurse had said that she would have to deliver. He explained that the most common damage a fall or any kind of trauma that occurs during pregnancy is tearing of the placenta. It’s what had concerned him and why he’d kept her. Apparently he made the right call.

Angel rushed in just as the doctor explained what would happen next. At this stage of her pregnancy he strongly recommended no pain medicines for the delivery. “It’ll make the baby sluggish. Any chance of survival, we’ll need this baby as alert as can be. You’ll have to do this on your own.”