“Nothing is completely normal,” I huffed, trying to rein in my anger. “You’re carrying a baby. You need to assume that any and all symptoms could potentially lead to your death.”
“Really? My death?” Blake laughed. “Don’t you think you’re being a tad ridiculous?”
“Not at all,” I muttered. “At the end of the road, take another right,” I directed Sam. “Imagine if I hadn’t been there, or if Ma hadn’t noticed you were looking pale. Just think of what could have happened.”
“Yes, I might have fallen?—”
“You did fall!”
“Once! One fucking time, Michael Benjamin Parker! There is absolutely nothing wrong with me!”
“You almost died right before my eyes!”
“You are insane! If we were by a window, I would shove you through it!”
“If I thought you were strong enough to handle it, I might let you,” I argued.
“I swear to God, if you take me into that hospital, I will divorce you.”
I snorted at the threat. “I’d like to see you try.”
“I will. I swear to God, I will.”
“Yeah, except you’ve got just one problem,” I said, finally turning to look down at her, afraid of what I might find. Surprisingly, she looked just fine, but that didn’t mean she was. Looks could be deceiving.
“What’s that?”
“If you divorce me, do you really think they’d let you keep Wes?”
Her jaw snapped shut at the threat. She knew I had her. Foster situations were difficult at the best of times, but if we were going through a divorce, they would question whether we were the best guardians for him, and they’d probably take him away.
And I knew she’d never let that happen.
“I really hate you right now.”
“That’s fine. Once they tell me you’re fine, you have my permission to find the largest window in the vicinity and take your revenge on me.”
The most perfect scowl formed on her lips, making me smile and my heart thump just a little slower than the rapid-fire pace it had set the moment I saw her eyes glaze over. The fact that she was so snappy with me could only mean good things, and I would gladly battle her every step of the way to the hospital if it meant keeping her in fighting form as long as possible.
By the time her brother pulled up to the hospital and I got out, the rest of the parking lot behind us was filled with vehicles from everyone at the house, along with a few people from town who had obviously heard the news and followed us.
“I can’t believe this. They’re all staring at me,” Blake hissed.
“Don’t pay attention to them. Let’s just get you inside.”
I tried to pick her up, but she shoved me away. “I am perfectly capable of walking.”
My heart squeezed at the anger in her eyes, but I wasn’t backing down. Leaning in, I dropped my voice so only she could hear. “You passed out, baby. I barely got to you before you hit the ground. Humor me and let me do this for you.” And when she didn’t yield, I added on, “Please.”
With a sigh, she held up her hands, waiting for me to move in so she could wrap them around my neck. I had her for now, but I knew if she got the all-clear, that fierceness would be back in a heartbeat.
And I wouldn’t stand a chance of ever protecting her like this again.
Picking her up, I carried her inside, making sure I held her gently instead of crushing my fingers against her body from all the anxiety building inside me. I wouldn’t even put her down when the nurse chastised me. Hell, I couldn’t even let her sit on the bed until I was sure I could release her without losing my shit.
I’d never felt so wound up before.
But I also never felt like I was on the verge of losing my forever.
