Chasing His Rejected Wife
Chapter 49 -

Aiden and I were still in a state of shock long after Dr. Strand finished up. I tried to get up from the bed, but my limbs wouldn't work properly and I stumbled as soon as I was on my feet, but Aiden's arms slipped around my waist in an effort to steady me.

"Careful," His breath warmed my skin and sent shivers down my spine. That, coupled with all my senses registering the sensation of his body pressed close against my back was enough to snap me out of my dazed state. "I'm fine." I snapped, my words came out harsher than I intended as I pulled away from him. The nurse handed me my folded clothes and began packing up the instruments. I looked around the room, but there was no place where I could get dressed in private.

I turned to Aiden, who was watching me with a neutral expression. "Can you wait outside? I need to get dressed."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the nurse giving us curious looks as she left the room and felt my face heat, as I rightly guessed she was surprised at my unusual request. Normal married couples probably didn't ask their partner to leave the room for modesty reasons, especially those who had obviously been intimate long enough to make a baby.

Then I reminded myself that Aiden and I were not a normal couple by any stretch. We may have seen each other naked once - but that hardly counted when both of us were high on alcohol, grief and bad decisions. So, I ignored the nurse and waited for Aiden to get going.

His gaze flickered to the nurse and I got the feeling he was probably thinking the same thing. But then he nodded and stepped back. "We'll meet up in Dr. Strand's office."

Left alone, I sank down to the bed and rubbed at my temples, at a loss. I was still reeling from the shock of replaceing out that I was going to be a mother of two - a single mother of twins. I had just come around to the idea of having to care for one child and now this?

It wasn't that I was unhappy, far from it. In my younger days, I'd always been fascinated with the idea of twins, had looked at moms pushing their little pair of angels in their strollers with a wistful longing, but never, ever in a million years had I ever thought that I would be alone, no husband in sight to share the experience with.

Sure, Aiden would be around, but it wasn't the same, was it. I cradled my stomach - I was just beginning to show - it wasn't easily noticed when I wore loose clothing, only when I stood topless in front of a mirror.

"Please go easy on mommy, you two," I whispered to my belly, "And I'll do my best, okay?"

A knock sounded on the door and the nurse stuck her head in. "Dr. Strand is waiting for you in her office."

"Yeah, okay. I'll be right there." I stood up and began to dress hastily.

Aiden was already seated when I walked into the doctor's office. He gave me a once over as I slid into the chair next to his, but I avoided looking at him, instead focusing my attention on Dr. Strand, who was frowning down at her tablet. She glanced at me as I sat and the worried look on her face sent my anxiety soaring.

"Is...there something wrong?" I asked, my heart pounding faster than normal.

She sighed, set the tablet on the table and leaned forward, her hands laced together. "I'm afraid I have a bit of news."

My mouth went dry. I opened my mouth to ask her to continue but I couldn't replace the words.

Aiden did. "What is it?" I could hear the worry in his tone, he too had sat forward, mouth set in a thin line, tension radiating off him in waves.

"The scans show that your babies are monochorionic twins. What this means is that they are identical twins who share a single placenta. This occurs in about seventy percent of identical twin pregnancies. In extremely rare cases, they will also share a single amniotic sac and this is the rarest and highest risk pregnancy, because if not properly monitored, complications with one or both babies can prove fatal..."

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She continued talking, but my mind had fixated on the word fatal and basically shut down as all kinds of scenarios - none of them good- raced through my mind. No, no no no....

I felt like I was drowning. Being pulled down into a dark, watery abyss, struggling for air, clawing at nothing in a futile attempt to save myself. My ears filled with a loud buzzing, the pressure on my chest getting worse by the second.

Suddenly, I felt a warm pressure on my left hand and I snapped back to the present. Sensing my distressed state, Aiden had reached for my hand and as he squeezed lightly, the crushing weight in my chest eased and I gasped for air, drawing in deep shuddering breaths, my lungs, starved of oxygen, drew in huge mouthfuls.

"It's okay, Jess," Aiden said, warm and soothing. "It's not something we can't handle, our babies will be fine."

"They will?" I asked, my voice small and childlike. The fear began to release its hold on my heart as I stared into his eyes, seeking and replaceing reassurance.

He nodded firmly, determination flashing in his gaze. "They will be. We'll make sure of it."

Dr. Strand cleared her throat apologetically. "I apologize for alarming you, Jessica. It was not my intention to do so, I simply wanted to explain the situation first. Aiden is right, your babies will be fine because we will work together to provide them with the best medical care and supervision until they are safely delivered."

Aiden squeezed my hand again and I nodded, the last of my fears easing and I found myself unconsciously leaning towards him.

"Okay..." I felt dampness on my cheeks and realized I'd been crying. Aiden handed me his handkerchief and I wiped at my face, breathing in the subtle hint of his aftershave that lingered on the fabric. "So, what exactly is the issue?"

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"I'll try to break it down simply. Due to their condition, complications can occur when one twin gets less blood supply than the other and becomes underdeveloped. For now, I can't tell if that's the case here, but I'll run several more tests to replace out, and also refer you to a fetal care specialist in Texas for better evaluation."

I listened as she went on about possible laser surgery and what to expect for the duration of the pregnancy and for once, I was thankful for Aiden's presence, for the comfort and strength I drew from our clasped hands, even though I had taken to squeezing his hand tightly, the only way I could keep from coming apart at the seams.

"How soon can we expect to meet with the specialist?" Aiden asked. He'd taken charge of the conversation and I was content to let him, because right now, my mind was fractured.

"I'll make the call now and set up an appointment." Dr Strand replied. She picked up her phone and excused herself to make the call in private.

I cradled my belly with my free hand and turned to Aiden. "What are we going to do? She said there's a high risk of..." I broke off, unable to finish. The very thought that I stood to lose even one of my babies was a nightmare too harrowing to express.

"We won't let that happen," Aiden reassured me again. I gave him a jerky nod and looked down at the gentle swell of my belly. His tone softened, "Look at me, Jess."

When I obeyed, he continued. "I made a promise that I won't let anything happen to you or our child. And I will do everything in my power and even beyond, I will fly in every medical expert on this earth to make sure you and our babies pull through this intact. I won't settle for anything else."

(Author's note: I'm in no way a medical professional and facts may have been modified to suit the story better, mainly because I love drama and angst in abundance. Cheers.)