Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad-Chapter 1039 : Stronger Together

*Leo*

My heart seemed to freeze at Maria’s words. My brain completely turned off, unable to process the meaning behind them for far too long.

When I finally did, I couldn’t even believe it.

My first instinct should have been joy. This should have been a wonderful thing, another child, another whole being who was the culmination of my and Bianca’s love.

I wanted desperately to be happy but I didn’t have the mental capacity to feel such an emotion.

Now, there was only panic. And fear for my fiancee.

I could have asked dozens of questions in that moment. It was clear that the other were feeling the same way too because they looked just as shocked and scared as I felt.

None of us had time to process it anyway because Bianca looked up at us with wide eyes and shrieked in obvious pain.

Nothing made me feel more helpless than watching her double over and clutch her abdomen with stark white knuckles.

“Where’s the damn ambulance?” Taylor demanded over Bianca’s cries.

Maria gave him a withering look. “We don’t know where they are,” she snapped, already pushing Bianca’s legs further apart. “We don’t have time to wait for them. Who knows how long it’ll take!”

I held Bianca’s hand, my heart clenching at the tears that were running down her face in continuous rivulets. I brushed my hands over her cheeks, trying in vain to soothe her. Stress coursed through me and I felt even more helpless as I just pressed some kisses to her forehead.

Bianca didn’t even seem to notice I was there, her mouth open in a silent scream, her eyes squeezed shut.

“We need to get the baby out now!” Maria was yelling at my mother. “Bianca is losing too much blood. We need to deliver the baby now!”

“Just tell me what to do!” Bianca’s mother said, desperation clear in her voice. Her voice trembled as she looked at her daughter, sweaty and crying. “I can’t lose her.”

Maria sent her a fierce look. “You are not going to lose her,” she said in a stern voice. “Just hand me another rag.”

Bianca’s mom did as ordered while I stayed at Bianca’s side, patting her hand that was currently crushing mine in a death grip. “You’re going to be okay,” I told her, trying to look into her eyes. “You have to keep going, love. I know you can do this. You can do anything.”

Bianca opened her eyes and was able to focus on mine. She gave me the most pitiful look. “It hurts, Leo,” she said and her voice was a whimper.

My heart felt like it was shattering into tiny pieces. “I know,” I said. “And I’m so sorry, baby, but it’s going to be all over soon and you will be able to hold our children, alright?”

My chest fluttered a bit at my own words.

Our children.

In the midst of the fear and the chaos surrounding us, I found just a tiny hint of joy at the thought. This whole time, we thought that we were going to have just one child.

Just like with my newborn son, I couldn’t even enjoy the moment, couldn’t allow myself to be happy in this moment.

All I could focus on was the pain spreading out on my fiancee’s face.

And on the fact that I couldn’t do anything about it.

“Please help her!” I cried, looking at my sister.

I had never felt desperation well up so badly within me.

Maria met my gaze and her eyes were wide but serious. I could see so much of her desire to do just that swimming in her orbs that were so much like mine.

For a short, fleeting second I found comfort in those eyes. She might not have known me for very long and didn’t see me for the majority of my life but she still drove me all the way over here and wanted to ensure that I was reunited with my family.

Her family. Even if we barely knew each other, she was still an aunt now.

Maria took a steadying breath but met my gaze unflinchingly. “I’ll do my best, little brother. Just take care of your girl.”

I swallowed hard and nodded seriously before shifting my attention back to Bianca.

“It’s going to be alright,” I told her. “Hang on. You’re doing great, love. I’m already so proud of you.”

“He’s right, Bianca,” Maria said, moving her hands between Bianca’s legs. “You’re doing great. You’re going to push on three, okay?”

Bianca’s breaths were coming out in sharp pants. “I don’t know if I can,” she said in a strangled voice. “It hurts so much.”

“You can,” I encouraged her, knowing it with all of my heart. I pushed some hair back from her face, talking over the whimpers that erupted from her lips. I needed to convince her. “You already brought our beautiful son into the world. You are already amazing. You can do it again. I know you can.”

I wasn’t sure how much time passed as Bianca pushed and pushed. I couldn’t tell how much good it was doing. There was so much chaos around us and my brain was buzzing madly as I tried to hold onto my sanity. I was only vaguely aware of Bianca’s mom and Maria talking to each other in urgent tones. Darion was still passed out by our feet.

Taylor was hovering on the other side of the table across from me, his pained eyes on Bianca’s face. He looked just as helpless as I felt, unable to save Bianca from the suffering that she had to endure.

Still, no one felt as helpless as me. I tried not to think about how I was the one who put her through this. I was the one who put the babies inside of her. I knew it didn’t make sense to be beating myself up about it but I needed someone to blame and I was unfortunately the most obvious choice since Bianca didn’t get pregnant on her own.

I wanted to leave. I wanted to just walk away and not have to watch my fiancee in pain but I couldn’t move. I wanted to make sure she was safe even if it was the most difficult thing to have to watch her suffer this way. I hated myself, hated how much I had put her through.

Nothing else mattered at the moment. I didn’t care that my hand was still swollen and broken. I didn’t even feel the discomfort, knowing that I would never know the level of pain that Bianca was feeling at that moment. All I knew is that I would give anything to take it all away from her. She didn’t deserve this. How could women go through this? It didn’t seem right.

“I can see the head, Bianca!” Maria enthused, a strange optimistic sound against all of the mayhem that was occurring. “You’re doing great! Just a few more good pushes and you’ll be able to hold both of your babies.”

Idly, I thought about how Maria sounded like an adult who was offering a piece of candy as a bribe to their child. It would have angered me but I knew that Maria was just trying to encourage Bianca.

She was doing a much better job of it than I was.

“It hurts!” Bianca wailed and her whole body tightened as she strained to push again. I watched her face and fear gripped me when I realized that this attempt was weaker than the last. Bianca sobbed as if she realized it as well. “I can’t!”

“Don’t say that,” I told her firmly. I gripped her hands, ignoring the sharp pain that stabbed through my broken hand as the pressure. “You can do absolutely anything. You are the most beautiful and stubborn woman I have ever met. You will get through this.”

Bianca didn’t seem like she was seeing me even though I was right in front of her eyes. She just whimpered in response and then shrieked.

“That’s it!” Maria called from her spot at the foot of the bed. “Easy does it. Please breathe, Bianca. You are almost there!”

“Leo,” Bianca moaned.

“I’m here, love,” I said, leaning forward so that she could see me more fully. “You’re going to be okay. You are doing amazing.”

“I..” Bianca’s voice trailed off and my whole body seemed to freeze when her eyelids started to droop and the death grip that she had on my hands lightened considerably.

Panic seized my throat. “Bianca!” I yelled. “Don’t you dare close your eyes!”

Bianca opened her eyes obediently but then they started to droop again almost as soon as they focused on me. “I’m so tired,” she moaned. “Just for a little bit... please.”

“No,” I denied her firmly. “You will stay awake. You can’t give up now. You are stronger than this.”

“I’m sorry,” she said weakly and her eyes closed.

“Bianca!” I shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. “Wake up right now. Please don’t give up. Think about the life that we were building together, think about our children. Please. I can’t live in a world without you in it, love. I need you to keep fighting. Please. For me.”

Tears were stinging my eyes and I held my breath as I gripped Bianca’s shoulders tightly.

“Yes,” Bianca’s soft voice murmured. Relief made me dizzy when her bright round orbs opened and focused on me. She looked up at me, those expressive eyes of hers shimmering. “I want that, Leo. I want that life with you and our babies.”

I chuckled lightly and kissed her forehead. Then, I met her eyes again seriously. “Then I believe we have a job to finish,” I said tenderly, brushing her hair back. “Together.”

Bianca inhaled sharply but then nodded seriously. “Together,” she repeated and then she screamed, squeezing her eyes shut tightly.

“One more, Bianca,” Maria said, and it was a plea. “This time, for sure. One more strong push. You can do it!”

Bianca panted a few times before she pushed, her whole body trembling as she did so.

“A girl,” I heard her mother breathe.

I could tell immediately that something was wrong as a strange silence filled the room.

Bianca was breathing heavily now but I stroked her cheek with my fingers. “You did it, love,” I told her. “We have a beautiful girl all thanks to you.”

“Leo.”

I was unwilling to tear my eyes away from Bianca’s exhausted face but something in Maria’s voice sent fear through me.

I turned my head to see Maria holding my daughter.

My instincts had been right. Something was terribly wrong.

When my son came into the world just minutes earlier, he had been wriggling and crying.

My daughter wasn’t moving.

My heart stopped.