Captive(67)
There was only one person in front of me in the ER, but I still could have jumped out of my skin with impatience. Harmony glided up next to me while I was waiting.
“I don’t want to talk,” I cautioned. “I’m sorry. I just don’t. I want you here, but please don’t say anything.”
She nodded. The man in front of me stepped aside and I rushed up to the desk.
“Name and nature of emergency?” the woman behind the glass asked.
“Kate Ryker. I’m an OB patient. I’ve already checked in and done all the paperwork. I just need to go up to OB, please.”
“Are you in labor?”
“No.”
“Is this an emergency?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll need to see someone in the ER for evaluation if it’s not a delivery-related issue. So you will need to fill out this intake form—”
I was starting to feel shaky with fear. “Look, I’m sorry if I seem crazy, I really am. But I’m on the edge right now. I’m pregnant, I’ve lost two pregnancies already and I haven’t felt this baby move in four hours.”
The woman’s face softened when tears started rolling down my face.
“Okay. I know it’s hard, but intake through the ER is different.”
I sighed deeply, deciding it was time to do what I had to do. “My husband is Jason Ryker. We’re big donors to your hospital’s foundation. I’ll write you a check for whatever amount you want to make sure you guys get paid, and I want to be seen in OB right now.”
“I’ll call OB, Mrs. Ryker.”
Harmony’s hand moved up and down my back in a rhythm. I let myself cry. After all these months of holding back, I finally just let it all go.
A nurse in blue scrubs rolled a wheelchair up to the desk and helped me into it, not reacting to my sobbing until we were rolling toward the elevator.
“It’s okay,” she said softly. “We’ll take care of you. You’re okay.”
Her soothing words helped me get ahold of myself a little. I took the tissue Harmony held out and wiped my runny nose. My hand was on my stomach, though I didn’t remember thinking about putting it there.
The elevator rose in silence, and when the doors opened and the wail of a baby greeted us, I couldn’t hold back my tears.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, laying a hand on my belly. “I love you. I’m so sorry I’ve ignored you.”
“Here we are,” the nurse said, rolling me into a room at the end of the hall. “Hi, Sara.”
A nurse in pink scrubs with a dark ponytail and a warm smile greeted us.
“Hi, guys. Let’s get you into this bed, Kate. When was the last time you felt baby move?”
“Um … about four-and-a-half hours ago.”
She pushed my shirt up, exposing my belly, and wrapped a stretchy strap around it. “Any frantic movement or other changes in activity from the baby?”
“No.”
“Any cramping or bleeding?”
“No.”
Harmony came around to the side of the bed the nurse wasn’t on and took my hand.
“Are you Kate’s mom?” Sara asked.
“No, her midwife.”
“Ah.” Sara pushed some buttons on a screen and adjusted the stretchy strap. A steady whooshing sound made fresh tears pour down my cheeks.
“That’s it,” Sara said. “Baby’s heartbeat sounds good, Kate. It’s okay.”
“Thank God. Thank God.” I could hardly speak through my tears. “I’ve lost two, and I was so scared it was happening again.”
“Deep breaths. You’re okay.”
“I need to call my husband. And my mom.”
“Your husband already called here, actually. He told me to have you call him as soon as you arrived and he asked us to keep you here for now. He’s on his way here.”
“On his way? But everything’s okay, right?”
“Why don’t you go ahead and call him? I’ll give you a few minutes.”
Harmony followed Sara to the door.
“Thank you, Harmony,” I said. “I’m sorry for calling you over nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing. I’m glad I could be here with you.”
She walked out and Ryke picked up his phone on the first ring.
“Kate?”
“Everything’s okay. They checked the baby and the heart’s beating and everything’s okay.”
He breathed out a deep sigh. “Thank God. Are you okay?”
“Yes. I feel weak with relief. You don’t need to fly home early.”
“I’m already in the air. I’m in the Naughtons’ plane. I’ll be there in a couple hours. Try to rest, okay?”