Another nurse comes in, and there's nothing Aiden can do when she ushers him out of the observation room.
"Mom!" he yells, his voice fading out as the nurse brings him back into the hallway.
I rush to Cassie and hold her hands in mine, my heart beating fast.
"Hypertension?" She chuckles in disbelief. "I had no idea that it could happen at the end. Everything was okay. Maybe I'm stressed out."
I can see why she's stressed out. I can see why she's worried.
The last time she gave birth, she and our baby were betweenlife and death.
"Everything will be okay." I comb her hair with my fingers. Somehow, I manage to let out a calm voice even though my heart is thumping like crazy.
The nurse comes back into the room. "What time did you have your last meal, Mrs. Klein?"
Cassie ponders in thought. "About an hour ago."
"We still have to do the C-section surgery nonetheless, even though you haven't emptied your stomach, because you and your baby are in danger if we don't do it now," the nurse says urgently.
I don't know what to think anymore. Will that be okay? But we have no other choice. Cassie can't give birth without the surgery, because with a blood pressure that high, her blood vessels will break if she gives birth naturally.
"Luke," Cassie rasps, locking her eyes with mine. "If something happens to me—"
"No," I cut her off. My jaw tightens. I can't bear listening to her words. "Nothing will happen to you. Everything is going to be fine."
She shakes her head, tears pooling in her eyes. Yet, she forces a smile.
"Please, Luke. If something happens to me," she pauses, brushing her fingers against my cheek. "If something bad happens to me, I want you to take care of our—"
"No, Cassie, please don't say something like that," I beg, my voice shaking. I can't imagine what I'll do if those words come true. "You're going to be okay. You're not going to leave me, Cassie. You're not going to leave us. I've had enough of being away from you. The four of us will never be apart. You, me, Aiden and Luna."
Her smile touches her lips again. "Luna," she whispers, repeating the name that she has decided for our baby.
Luna. The moon. It's such a pretty name.
Cassie loves the moon just as much as she loves the sun.
Because we were under the moonlight when we met for the first time.
???
My knees feel weak as I come back into the hallway where Aiden has been waiting.
Aiden rushes to me, his eyes wide as he grips my shirt, demanding an answer. "How is she?"
I ruffle his hair and sigh. "We just have to wait, Aiden."
I settle myself on the chair, wrapping my arms around Aiden, who's fidgeting the entire time. A huge part of me wants to be with Cassie, to be there for her during the surgery, but they didn't let me in.
They’ll only give her partial anesthesia for the C-section surgery—that's the safest approach for her and the baby—so she will still be aware of everything during the surgery even though she won’t feel anything at all.
She must be scared, going through all of it alone, and there's nothing I want to do but stay by her side.
But then, even if the doctor allowed me to come in, Aiden wouldn't survive here without me. He needs me too.
We wait, staring at the operation room door with a blank expression.
When the door opens half an hour later, I jump to my feet, running toward it. A nurse emerges from the room and talks with some medical staff before they rush somewhere, probably to bring something that the nurse asked for.
