‘Pepe?’
Even though he’d successfully tuned Georges out, Cara’s whispered call of his name brought him back to sharp focus...and with it came the realisation that something was wrong.
Her hand, still clasped in his with a grip tight enough to cut off his circulation, had gone clammy. In the blink of an eye she had gone from being pale to totally devoid of colour.
He placed a hand to her forehead. It was cold. And damp.
‘Cara?’
He’d hardly got her name out when she doubled over with an anguished cry and fell to the floor.
* * *
Rancid fear clung to Pepe like a cloak. For the first time in his life he felt helpless. Totally helpless.
The ambulance sped through the streets of Montmartre and he had to stop himself from demanding the driver go faster. The sirens blared but it rang like a dim distant noise, drowned out by the drumming in his head.
Cara’s huge eyes, so full of pain and terror, didn’t leave his. An oxygen mask had been strapped to her face. He wished he could take her hand but the paramedic had ordered him to keep his distance so she could do her work.
Dio.
Under his breath he said a prayer. A long prayer. He prayed for their child. But mostly he prayed for Cara. For the sweetest, most beautiful woman on the planet, who had brought such meaning and happiness to his life.
Caro Dio, please let him have the chance to tell her how much she meant to him.
When she’d collapsed he’d known immediately something bad was happening. And she had known it too. While they’d waited for the ambulance to arrive, she’d clung to him. He hadn’t realised he’d been clinging to her too until the paramedic had prised him off her.
And now it was all out of his hands. Cara’s fate and their baby’s fate were in the hands of someone else. If anything should happen to her...
Caro Dio, but it didn’t bear thinking about.
* * *
Cara didn’t want to open her eyes. Didn’t want to face the reality that opening them would bring.
Soft voices surrounded her then a door shut.
Silence.
She knew exactly where she was. In a hospital. The smell was too distinctive to be anywhere else.
She also knew why she was there.
‘Cara?’ A tender finger wiped away the single tear that had leaked out.
This time she did open her eyes and found Grace sitting beside her, her face drawn.
‘Where’s Pepe?’
‘He’s talking to the doctor. He’ll be back soon.’
‘I want Pepe.’ It came out as a whimper.
Grace clasped Cara’s hands. ‘He won’t be long, I promise.’
‘I want Pepe.’ This time it came out as an anguished howl.