She remained outside the room, her head thrown back, staring at the ceiling. Trying to get her mind to stop repeating the same words and images to her.
The east wing of the hospital was the one for wealthy patients, each room the size of a small apartment with all the amenities and a furnished and equipped visiting room outside. There she waited.
Tears streamed easily down her face, soaking her shirt. She had a very difficult road ahead of her, and she wasn't sure she wanted to walk it. She felt abused.
All the Crushers arrived together, hurried and anxious. Daniel came in last and Harry was the first to appear before Deanna.
- What happened? -
- She had an emergency C-section... -
- But it's not time yet! - Camila said in alarm.
Deanna and Harry just looked at each other.
- Why are you crying, Dean? -
- She had a placental abruption and high blood pressure, that's why the doctor decided it was best to do a C-section... They said it would be quick.
Daniel watched her and knew those tears were coming from somewhere else.
- How could she have deteriorated so quickly? What did you do? - Camila asked Deanna.
- Speak... -
- About what?! -
- That's not important... -
Camilla knew it too.
- How could it not?! This is your fault too! -
- Mom, stop it! - Daniel raised his voice a little.
He knew it too.
-The important thing is that they are both fine and that we will have Emma with us soon," Susan said, trying to harmonize the atmosphere.
Susan knew it too.
Charles sat down next to her with his characteristic kindness.
-Thank you for bringing her so soon, my dear," he said.
Deanna looked at him, her eyes tired and red. Charles didn't know.
-Yes, Deanna, thank you.
Harry wanted to put his hand on her shoulder, but she moved instinctively. She didn't want to be touched, she didn't want to be spoken to, she didn't want to be there. Harry was surprised and Daniel took a few steps forward.
Laura's doctor came through the door with a big smile on his face.
- Charles! Harry! Congratulations, you have a beautiful, healthy baby girl!
The same doctor had delivered Daniel's three children.
- Doctor, are they both okay? - Camila asked him.
- Of course they are... It was nothing serious because they arrived at the hospital quickly and we were able to normalize her blood pressure right away...
- High blood pressure? But Laura has never suffered from it... -
- It's not uncommon in the third trimester of pregnancy, it can be caused by many factors... Sometimes it's stress or discomfort, but if it's treated in time, it's not dangerous...
- Discomfort? Is that what you were talking about? What did you say to my daughter-in-law to make this happen? - She turned to Deanna.
- Mrs. Crusher, it's not... -
- It's your fault! I knew it! -
- Mom, this is not the time or the place... you need to control yourself...
- You're not defending her, Harry, she put your daughter's life in danger! -
- Camilla... - Charles warned her.
The doctor was looking for a way to escape.
- No! I won't shut up this time! You must have said something to trigger these reactions in her... That's why the child was born prematurely... -
- The child was born at term, Mrs. Crusher... -
- That can't be... She was still a few weeks away... -
- No, I can assure you she wasn't. The little girl was born at the end of the 40th week, completely normal... -
The numbers didn't fit.
Camila looked at Harry in confusion and the doctor knew it was time to leave.
- What is the Doctor talking about, Harry? -
There was no point in hiding it any longer.
-He's right, Mom... When we got married, Laura was already pregnant...
- What?! -
- Yes, that's why we got married so quickly... I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner...
- But... Daniel...
Deanna got up and went to the door.
- Where are you going, Deanna? - Susan asked.
- I'm going home...
She walked past Daniel and he reached out to take her hand, but like Harry, her reaction was to pull away. She just walked away.
Daniel and Harry looked at each other, something had happened.
- I want explanations - Camila said.
- Yes, Mom...
- All explanations... You too, Daniel -
Harry told her the truth: Laura's sudden pregnancy, the fear, the doubts, the proposal to Daniel and Deanna; how they had actually met and the few weeks before their wedding. Deanna's idea to plan a double wedding so they wouldn't have to run away.
Daniel blamed her for every single thing she had put his wife through because she thought she was a gold digger, an opportunist. All the times she had insulted her and yelled at her. How wrong she had been to get carried away with gossip and rumors. How everyone had misjudged her. And he told her that in the midst of all the chaos, they had found each other and connected, that they loved each other.
Deanna didn't see life through the same eyes as everyone else, she didn't see his money or social status. She loved and cared for his children, she had given up too much to help them without expecting anything in return, and all she received was one mistreatment after another.
And yet she endured, she stayed and she persevered.
-I told you, my dear, you were looking in the wrong direction," Charles told her when the whole truth came out.
- Did you know that? -
- No, of course I didn't. I just saw happiness on my son's face again, and that, my beautiful wife, is all we parents want for our children, isn't it? -
Little Emma Crusher was a tiny bundle of pink. And when Harry held her in his arms for the first time, he knew he had met the love of his life. Daniel saw it in his face.
-You will never feel the same way about anyone again," he told him.
- It's true. That's how it works with daughters..." Charles smiled at Susan.
Harry looked at his brother and took her into his arms. Daniel had more experience holding babies.
- She's your goddaughter, brother -
- She's beautiful...
- Where is Deanna? - Laura asked.
- She said she was going home... - Susan sounded confused.
- What happened this afternoon? -
- We just went to get a drink at the university cafeteria, Daniel... -
- Come and stay at the house when they let you out of the hospital... Harry... Laura, you won't be able to move much. We'll take care of you...
- Thank you, Camila...
Camila wanted to take the attention away from Deanna, deep inside she felt guilt and shame for her behavior all these months, but her pride wouldn't let her give in.
Visiting hours were coming to an end, and both siblings were moving away from the others.
- Something happened between Deanna and Laura today, find out what. I'll talk to her when I get there, but I know she won't tell me everything... -
- Dean was weird...
- Something your wife said to her, Harry. I just hope it's not what I think it is... This is why I asked you to stay away from her..." He hardened his tone.
Harry looked him straight in the eye, he was the one causing Deanna's worst worries!
-I will talk to Laura...