Chapter 124 An Early Surprise
ARYA’S POV
I huffed. "I'm terribly off-key."
"You're perfect." He reached forward and pinched my cheeks.
For a moment I didn’t move and I didn’t miss the way his eyes flashed with an emotion that was gone before I could study what it was.
"So," I said, changing the subject before things got too heavy. "Are you going to tell me what you have planned?"
He grinned and leaned back, focusing on the road. "Well, first we will have dinner at that Italian place you liked. Then the new romantic comedy you mentioned wanting to see. Then…”
He paused dramatically. "Gelato from that place that's open late."
My eyes widened. "You planned a whole evening?"
"I always plan whole evenings with you." He reached over and squeezed my hand. "You're worth planning for, Arya. Worth everything."
My throat tightened and the only thing I could manage was, "Marco."
"I know you're not ready to hear it yet," he said quickly. "I know you're still figuring things out. But I need you to know that I would do anything for you. Anything to make you happy. Even if that means waiting until you're ready to let me in completely."
My eyes burned with unexpected tears. Damn pregnancy hormones.
"Thank you," I managed. “For being patient and kind and-"
He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "That's what you do for people you love."
There it was. Not quite a full declaration, but close enough that my heart stuttered.
I squeezed his hand back, unable to form words.
Maybe Cherry was right. Maybe I needed to stop running from what was right in front of me.
Maybe Marco could be my future.
By the time we arrived at the cinema, the whole olace was packed so much that the line for tickets stretched out the door.
I looked at Marco nervously and he squeezed my hand, smiling gently.
"Stay here," he said, guiding me to a bench near the entrance. "I'll get the tickets. You shouldn't be standing this long."
I huffed and rolled my eyes. "I'm pregnant, not made of glass."
But he was already gone, disappearing into the crowd.
I sat on the bench, one hand on my stomach, feeling the baby shift and kick. He was especially active today, like he knew something exciting was happening.
My gaze lazily trailed the crowd gathered and I smiled at how anticipated everyone was. Then again, it was Hollywood sweetheart’s first movie after a very long break.
Everyone was going to see it.
I was about to stretch my legs when a sharp cramp hit me. I sucked in a sharp breath and pressed my lips together.
“Braxton Hicks,” I told myself. “You've had them before. Just practice contractions.”
I breathed through it, waiting for it to pass and it did. But then another one came and it was stronger this time.
A low groan left my throat as I doubled over.
"No," I whispered. "Not now. We still have three weeks."
The third cramp caused me to release a soft cry and I felt a warm rush of liquid soaking through my dress.
My water had just broken.
"Oh God. Oh God, oh God!" Panic seized me as I looked down at the puddle forming beneath the bench.
I didn’t even know that people were looking until someone gasped. I looked up and three persons were already approaching me.
I tried to srand but the cramp only intensified and my cry rang out. A small crowd gathered immediately and everyone suddenly had opinions about what to do.
"Someone call an ambulance!"
"Does anyone have towels?"
"Give her space!"
"No, don't give her space, she needs help!"
"MARCO!" I screamed, my voice cutting through the chaos. "MARCO!"
He appeared through the crowd, his face going pale when he saw me.
"The baby," I gasped as another contraction hit. "The baby's coming."
His face went white. "What? No. No, you have three more weeks."
"Tell that to him!" I grabbed Marco's shirt as pain ripped through me. "We need to go now. Hospital. NOW."
"Right. Yes. Hospital." Marco looked around wildly. "Someone help me get her to the car!"
Two men rushed forward to help me stand. Someone else ran to get the car pulled up. A woman appeared with a jacket to tie around my waist.
It was complete chaos with everyone trying to help while having no idea what they were doing.
Maybe I would have found the entire situation comical if I wasn’t in so much pain right now.
Marco's hands were shaking as he tried to support my weight. "It's okay. You're okay. We're going to the hospital and everything is going to be-“
"If you tell me everything's going to be fine while I'm in active labor, I will kill you!" I yelled as another contraction hit.
He bobbed his head frantically. "Right. Not fine. Got it."
They got me into the car somehow… I had no idea how as everything was a blur of pain and panic and people shouting directions.
Marco slid into the driver's seat, his hands fumbling with the keys.
"Drive!" I screamed. "DRIVE!"
"I am! I'm driving!" He shot back and I groaned.
I cried out. "FASTER!"
"I can't go faster, there are traffic laws-"
"FORGET THE TRAFFIC LAWS! MY BABY IS COMING!"
Marco floored it, and we shot forward, weaving through traffic while I gripped the door handle and practiced the breathing exercises I learned.
This couldn't be happening. I wasn't ready. I didn't have my hospital bag. I didn't have Cherry. I didn't have anything!
Another contraction hit, and I screamed.
"We're almost there!" Marco promised, his voice high with panic. "Just hold on. Please hold on."
"I'm not holding on anything! The baby is coming whether we're ready or not!" I whimpered, my body was trembling weakly and sweat rolled down my back.
Marco cursed in rapid Italian, driving faster. “Please don't have the baby in my car. Please. I just had it detailed."
Despite the pain, I almost laughed because this was not how I imagined this moment.
But as Marco held my hand and ran every red light between us and the hospital, I realized something.
I wasn't alone. Whatever happened next, I wasn't facing it alone.