Chapter 112 One Hundred and Twelve
Izzy’s legs felt weak, trembling beneath her as the reality hit her like a tidal wave. Her hand was still pressed against her mouth, but her mind was racing faster than she could process. Pregnant…? How… when…
Maya squeezed her hand again, her voice soft but urgent. “Izzy… breathe. I know you’re freaking out.. so am I girl.”
Tears welled in Izzy’s eyes, spilling over despite her attempts to stay composed. Her chest tightened, her heart hammering with a mixture of fear, disbelief, and the realization that she was in a deep mess.
“I… I don’t even know what to do Maya,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “Dominic… he… I mean…” Her words trailed off, choked by the weight of the thought.
Maya’s eyes softened. “Honey, it's scary I know. You’ve every right to be scared. But we’ll handle it. One step at a time. Right now, you rest, and we think about the next steps later.”
Izzy nodded slowly, still staring at the ceiling, letting herself feel the swirl of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Her fingers trembled against the bedsheet as she imagined telling Dominic… what would he say? Would he be happy, scared, or angry? She didn’t know, and that uncertainty made her stomach twist again.
The doctor stepped closer, his tone gentle, professional, but kind. “Ms. Hart, we’ll run through everything, step by step. But first, rest. Your body needs it.”
Maya leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Izzy’s temple. “I’ve got you,” she murmured. “Whatever happens, I’ve got you.”
Izzy closed her eyes, letting herself sink into the bed, her thoughts a whirlwind. She wanted to call Dominic, needed to see his face, hear his voice… but she didn’t know if she could face him yet. The questions, the fears, the “what-ifs” swirled in her mind like a storm.
Her phone buzzed faintly on the bedside table. She reached for it slowly, heart in her throat. It was a message from Dominic:
Dominic: Hey pumpkin… I miss you so much.. I know you’re upset with me. Let’s talk this through please.”
Her breath caught. She stared at the screen, frozen. Could she tell him? Should she call? Her hand hovered over the keyboard, shaking.
Maya noticed, a warning in her eyes. “Careful, Izzy… this isn’t something talk over the phone or text. Whatever you do, make sure you’re ready. And don’t be hopeful it might not turn out how you want it.”
Izzy’s fingers trembled as she typed… then deleted. Typed… deleted again. Her chest ached with anticipation, fear, and longing.
She leaned back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling, heart racing. What is he going to say? How is he going to react? Like Maya said he might not be pleased
The room was silent except for the faint beeping of the monitors, the hum of the hospital, and the rapid thudding of her own heart.
And in that silence, Izzy knew one thing for certain… her life had changed forever.
Izzy’s hands were still shaking as she got out of the hospital bed. Maya had helped her gather her things, as they prepared to go downstairs to get her discharged.. It was quiet… heavy with unspoken thoughts. Izzy stared out at blank spaces, mind spinning, heart still pounding from the news.
When they got out of the room, the nurse greeted them as usual. “Good afternoon, Ms. Hart. Everything okay?”
Izzy forced a small smile. “Yes… Thank you.”
She moved toward the elevator, still feeling dizzy from everything. As the doors closed, she leaned against the wall, taking slow breaths. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally, but part of her wanted to just collapse on her couch and hide from everything.
When they reached the last floor, the nurse gave her a nod. “Take it easy, Ms. Hart. You’re a month along… You should really rest. Don’t do anything hectic.”
Izzy froze mid-step, her hand brushing the wall. “Month along?” she whispered, disbelief lacing her voice. She hadn’t even processed the exact timeline.
Maya’s arm was around her, steadying her. “Yeah, that’s what the doctor said. You need to take it easy, Izzy. No stress, no running around. Rest is priority.”
Izzy let out a shaky laugh, a mix of nerves and incredulity. “I… I can’t believe this.”
“Believe it, because it’s real,” Maya said firmly, squeezing her. “You’ve got this, Izzy. You just need to take care of yourself for now. Dominic isn’t here, so you’re not being pulled in a hundred directions. Just focus on you… and the baby.”
Izzy nodded slowly, letting Maya lead her to the apartment. She sank onto the chair, feeling her body finally surrender to exhaustion. She rubbed her stomach lightly, a strange mixture of fear and awe filling her.
Maya set down a glass of water beside her. “Drink. Sit here. Rest. I’ll handle getting you discharged for now. You’re officially off-duty, Izzy Hart.”
Izzy let herself close her eyes, leaning back into the chairs. The hospital felt quiet, safe, almost surreal.
Her phone sat bedside, silent. Dominic hadn’t called, and she hadn’t replied to his text. And despite everything, a small pang of worry knotted in her chest. She wanted him here… wanted to hear his voice, see his face, but part of her knew she needed to rest first.
As she rubbed her stomach again, she whispered to herself, almost afraid to say it aloud: “What am I going to do?”
Maya sat beside her, placing a hand over Izzy’s. “We’ll figure it out… together.”
Izzy nodded, letting herself breathe, letting herself feel the weight of the moment. For the first time, she realized that everything had changed… and there was no going back.