For us.
Will we survive this?
Or will my brokenness be the thing that tears us apart?
Sleep doesn’t come easy.
Every time I close my eyes, I hear a baby crying.
Yesterday, I was blissfully unaware.
Today, I’m gutted and hollowed out in ways I never imagined.
It’s like my abdomen is nothing but an empty void, echoing with a loss too catastrophic to name.
A ‘vacancy’ sign flashing in red neon.
And I know it’ll never be filled.
I sniffle again, probably for the thousandth time, and Colt’s arm tightens around me.
“You awake?” he murmurs.
I nod, exhaling shakily.
“You crying?”
“Maybe,” I whisper.
He kisses my forehead and strokes my arm with a tenderness that makes my heart ache. “It’ll be okay, baby. I promise.”
I can’t speak. I just nod and wipe away another tear.
I don’t even know why I’m still crying.How are there any tears left?
It must be close to four in the morning. Colt’s soft breathing starts to soothe me. Just knowing he’s here, alive and holding me, that has to count for something.
Maybe… just maybe… wearestrong enough.
His touch anchors me.
His scent calms me.
I belong to him.
With him.
Andnothingwill change that.
Letting my eyes finally drift closed, I surrender to the dark, allowing Colt’s love to carry me into restless, dreamless sleep.
Chapter Six
DEE
Mummy and Daddy are here, and it seems they already know the bad news, which made me angry and relieved at the same time. Angry because they knew before me, but relieved because I didn’t have to tell them and see the look on their faces, knowing I would never give them a grandchild.
They all keep looking at me as I stare out the window at the beautiful, clear blue sky, wondering why the world seems to keep going while I feel it should stop and focus on our issue. I swallow the lump rising in my throat just as I feel Colt’s hand wrap around mine. I glance at him, but they’re all watching me, waiting, like I’m supposed to say something.
