Claire, are you okay?

After spending the night working with Jordan and the boys, we returned to the mansion where he lived with Jordan. Upon entering through the huge door, I climb to my room ready to take a shower and rest. And then Jordan comes in, and I feel like he’s worried. I looked in his direction and I saw him turn off his phone and look at me. That’s when he told me that Bella had called him, because he knew that talking to me would be better. The nervousness fell on me, as soon as I knew what it was about. Jordan took me to the hospital. He ran no matter what the signal, my mind was a whirlwind. The sun was already beginning to rise, painting the sky with orange and pink tones, but I could not appreciate the beauty of the landscape. My mind was filled with worries and uncertainties. As soon as the car stopped, I left quickly and climbed the small steps of the main entrance. Jordan came right behind me.

I didn’t know exactly what had happened, just like he did, so when I saw Bella I hugged her and asked her what had happened.

"It’s about your mother," she began, and I swallowed it dry, fearing what would come next. "She, she began to feel a lot of pain suddenly," said my sister.

"What happened?" a wave of panic hit me.

"A bleed," she said, her voice was of concern "She’s at risk of losing the baby." The world seemed to revolve around me. My mother, my brother... and are in danger. I could barely process the information.

"I had to bring her in as soon as possible. I couldn’t talk to you, and I thought it would be better to talk to Jordan first," she continued "They’re doing everything they can, but it’s a delicate situation." my legs weakened, and I held on to the wall to not fall. Everything seemed so unreal.

"I need to go there," I murmured, my voice sounding distant to my own ears.

"I’ll go with you, but not now. We need to wait for the doctor," Jordan said, and I nodded.

Together, we went to the waiting room, my heart beating so hard it felt like it could explode at any moment. I prayed silently while I had no answers, begging the universe for my mother and baby to be okay. I couldn’t imagine my life without her, not after all that’s happened.

Bella showed up a while later, and told me she was able to talk to one of the doctors while in the cafeteria.

"And how is she?" I asked, my voice choked by emotion.

"The doctors are doing their best, but it’s a complicated picture." Bella shook her head.

Then she sat beside me, waiting and praying for a miracle.

As we waited for news, I held Bella’s hand and felt a surge of gratitude for having her by my side. After all, we were one family, united by love and hope for a better future. And at that moment of uncertainty, that was all that mattered.

Hours seemed to drag on as we were in the waiting room, anxiously waiting for any news about the state of my mother and baby. Every second was an eternity, and uncertainty hovered in the air like a gloomy cloud. Then, finally, the doctor appeared at the door of the waiting room, dressed in his white coat and a serious look on his face. My heart jumped in my chest, desperately waiting for good news. He looked around the room, looking for Claire’s family. I stood up immediately, feeling my legs trembling under the weight of tension.

"I’m her daughter," I muttered, my voice barely getting out.

"Is your name Julie?" the doctor approached me, his impassive face revealing little about what he had to say. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

"Her mother was rushed here due to bleeding, but we were able to stabilize her. She and the baby are out of immediate danger." I nodded, unable to speak.

A collective sigh of relief filled the room, and I felt tears flood my eyes. My mother and baby were fine. That’s all that mattered.

"What really happened to her?" I asked, my trembling voice.

The doctor explained that Claire had suffered a partial placental abruption, which caused the bleeding. But fortunately, they managed to control the situation in time.

"However," the doctor continued, "It is crucial that your mother keeps absolute rest until the end of pregnancy. Any excessive effort could put the baby at risk again." he nodded, absorbing every word with gratitude and concern. I would do anything to ensure the safety of my mother and my future brother or sister.

"Can I see her?" I asked, feeling a growing urgency to be by her side.

"Yes, but please don’t overwhelm her with too many questions or worries. She needs rest." the doctor nodded. I promised to follow his instructions as he guided us to the room where my mother was. When I entered, I saw Claire lying in bed, pale and tired, but her smile was radiant when she saw me.

"Julie," she muttered, reaching out to me.

"Claire, are you okay?" I ran to her side and held her hand tenderly.

"I am now. And so is the baby." she nodded faintly.

Tears of relief poured down my face as I leaned in to hold her carefully. We were together, and that was all that mattered. I promised myself that I would do everything in my power to ensure that she and the baby arrived safely at the end of this journey. And as I looked at my mother, wrapped in a halo of love and hope, I knew we were able to meet any challenge that came our way.

Time seemed suspended as I stood beside my mother’s bed, watching every breath and every movement with a mixture of gratitude and concern. She was weak, but her determination was evident in her eyes. The doctor left us alone for a while, allowing us to be more comfortable to talk after the scare we had faced. We talked in whispers, sharing stories and memories that helped us keep hope alive in our hearts.

Finally, the time came when Claire was allowed to leave the hospital. The doctor came to inform us that she had been released, but with the strict recommendation of absolute rest at home.

"Are you ready to go home, mother?" I asked, holding her hand tenderly.

She smiled at me, her eyes shining with gratitude.

"More than ready, dear." she said, smiling weakly.

With the help of Jordan and Bella, we helped her get up and get dressed. Each movement was carefully calculated so as not to overload her, but there was renewed energy in her posture, a silent determination that filled me with wonder. Finally, we left the hospital behind and returned home. The ride back was smooth, and I sat next to my mother in the back seat of the car, holding her hand as if my life depended on it. We arrived at the mansion and helped Claire in. The house was quiet and serene, a comforting contrast to the chaos of the hospital. Bella made Claire’s room as cozy as possible, with everything she needed to rest and recover. I helped her settle into the bed, covering her with a soft blanket and making sure she was comfortable.

"Thank you, dear," said Claire, holding my hand with gratitude.

"For being by my side." I smiled at her, feeling a lump forming in her throat.

"Always, Mother. I’ll always be by your side." Just like she was by mine, when I didn’t even imagine she was my mother.

And so, as the sun set outside, enveloping the house in golden tones, we gathered as a family around Claire, united by love and hope for better days, even with all I'd done out there, I took risks to bring my little Drew back.

My journey would still be long and challenging, but in the end, I am absolutely sure that with the people I have by my side, everything would work out, and that was all that mattered.