Her stomach continued to cramp every few minutes and she was starting to worry she was going into early labor. It was too soon. The baby wasn’t ready to come yet.
The doctor looked over her charts and listened to the baby, with a worried expression on his face. “You have gone into early labor but don’t panic. You got here early enough we should be able to stop it,” the doctor told her and she couldn’t understand how he’d think she wouldn’t panic at his words.
She looked over at Drew, who was trying not to look worried and failing miserably. He paced the room, as the doctor placed an I.V. in her arm and they administered a drug to try and stop the labor.
“This should stop the labor but if for some reason your little girl decides to make her entrance into the world early, her chances are good. She’s a little over four pounds right now,” the doctor tried to reassure them.
“What did I do wrong?” Trinity asked with real fear.
“You’ve done nothing wrong. Sometimes our bodies just don’t realize it’s not time for the baby to be born,” the doctor tried to reassure her. She lay almost completely still for the next several hours, not wanting to do anything to make the labor progress. Finally the drug seemed to be working because the contractions stopped. She fell into a fitful sleep, as she continued to lie in the hospital bed.
Drew stayed by her side the entire time. He was just as worried as her, if not more. He was frustrated there wasn’t more he could do to help her and the baby. He was supposed to be their protector and couldn’t do anything to stop her pain. He was also feeling incredibly guilty about their lovemaking. He knew he’d been too rough with her. He questioned the doctor about it and he reassured Drew the lovemaking wasn’t to blame but he didn’t believe him. He’d never forgive himself if something happened to his child or Trinity.
Trinity came in and out of consciousness, as the doctor continued to monitor her. Jasmine showed up and stayed by her bedside, next to Drew. She was grateful to have her in her life. Trinity had quickly become one of her best friend’s and she couldn’t imagine losing her.
Jasmine and Drew comforted each other and Trinity as well each time she woke up. They all said prayers the baby would stay in the comfort of her womb for as long as possible. The doctor told them each extra day gave the baby more strength and increased her odds.
The doctor moved her to a private room but he wanted to keep her in the hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy, to make sure she was safe. The contractions stopped but her body was dilated about four centimeters and he was very concerned he’d only put off the early labor, for a short period of time.
“I’m hoping to get at least another week in, before you go into labor for good. You won’t reach your full term but each day we’re able to keep the baby safe inside you is one more day she’s getting stronger and gaining weight,” he told her.
After her third day in the hospital room, Trinity was ready to leave but knew it wasn’t safe for her daughter. She missed her house already and was surprised she thought of it as home so soon.
The doctor said her body was in a very fragile state and he was concerned if she left, she’d go immediately into labor. He wanted to keep the baby in her stomach as long as possible and keep her hooked up, where both her and the baby could be monitored around the clock.
“So, please tell me why I’m only seeing you at the hospital, now?” Damien asked as he walked into her room, holding a giant vase of flowers, balloons, and most importantly, a huge box of chocolates.
“Oh, Damien, you’re my hero right now if you hand over that box immediately,” she said with a tear in her eye. He didn’t even bother teasing her with the chocolates, he just handed them over.
“How are you feeling? Are you going to roast our pretty girl a while longer?” he asked with a teasing smile.
“I’m trying to keep her in as long as possible,” Trinity told him, while rubbing her large stomach.
“I’m sorry I haven’t made it by the new place. I had to leave the country for a while. This new business deal is kicking my butt,” he told her.
“I’ve really missed you. I have Jasmine but you’ve been my best friend forever,” she said, having a hard time not crying.
“Hey, you know I’ll never go away. I promise when this deal is over I’ll come over and even change a few diapers,” he promised.
“I’ll hold you to that,” she said with a smile. She bit into her first chocolate and moaned, causing his brows to rise. “It’s really good,” she added with a giggle. He was able to stay with her for a long time so they caught each other up on their lives. She cried a little more when he walked out the door.
On her fifth night in the hospital, Drew pulled his chair close to her bed. He grabbed her hand and took a deep breath. She knew he was trying to talk to her about something important and so she waited for him to say what he needed to.
“Trinity, I know you aren’t sure about us as a couple but you know I care about you, right?” he finally asked her.
“I think you want to care about me because you love our daughter,” she answered him honestly.
“I do love our daughter, more than you could ever imagine but Trinity I care about you. When we’re together, everything feels right. I think over time we could be really happy together, if you’d just give it a real chance,” he pleaded with her. She was feeling more open, as she worried over her daughter.
“You’re a good man, Drew, I’ll admit that,” she told him as she squeezed his hand.
“Will you please let me do the right thing for my daughter, before she’s born?” he asked her. She didn’t understand what else he could possibly do that he hadn’t already. He had turned his world upside down to take care of her, bought a new home, took time off from work. She looked at him quizzically. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box and her eyes widened as she realized what he was talking about. She automatically started shaking her head but he stopped her.
“Please marry me so you and my daughter can have my name. Let me be your husband and her father. If you really can’t stand it then you can divorce me but please don’t deliver our daughter without being my wife. I thought we were going to have more time to figure this all out but she could be born any day and I need for you to be my wife when she’s born,” he asked her with so much passion, she didn’t know how she could deny him.