"Go, let the family know, and send the baby's father my way. He needs to be by her side."
Othello's brows furrowed when he noticed something was off with Des, he was worrying his bottom lip like he always did when he was nervous or thinking deeply about something.
"What's wrong?"
Des sighed and looked at Emilia. "She's been having contractions all day but didn't tell anyone because she didn't want to ruin the party."
"But?" Othello prodded.
"I don't know if I'm overthinking, and I'm not an obstetrician, but I don't like how pale she looks. We need to get her to the hospital quickly so the doctors can get a better look at her."
Othello glanced at Emilia and noticed her normally pink face was a bit ashen, even with makeup on. "Okay, I'll get the family."
He kissed Des on the forehead and left to find his family. It didn't take long to find Alessandro and Maria, giving them thenews, but no one knew where Iago was, nor was he picking up his phone. Othello's only choice was to text him and get Emilia to the hospital; hopefully, he'd be there before the baby was born.
He better be dying, or I am going to kick his ass.
ACT IV
“Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.”
Iago (Act 2, Scene 3)
SCENE I
DES
Des kept talking and encouraging Emilia on the way to the hospital, which should have been the father's job. When he was introduced to Emilia, Des immediately noticed that something was wrong and struck up a conversation with her. When Emilia mentioned she hadn't felt the baby move since her last checkup a couple of days ago, Des found that concerning, along with her pale features.
"Des, it hurts," Emilia panted. She gripped his fingers tightly, and he prayed to every god in the universe that she wouldn't break them.
"I know, we're almost to the hospital," he told her. "Breathe for me, okay."
She nodded and let out a slow breath. Des looked at Maria, who had been dabbing the sweat off Emilia's face. Othello was driving with Alessandro, who was a Monday-morning quarterback. Des wanted to ask where Iago was, but his curiosity had to be put on hold for now.
Des focused on Emilia, who needed his help. Rubbing her stomach, he was grateful when they finally pulled up to the hospital. Des didn't wait for it to come to a complete stop. He hopped out, grabbed a wheelchair, and pushed it over as they helped Emilia out of the car. They hurried into the hospital, and Des sighed in relief when a familiar face came over to him.
"Doctor Ellington, are you back?" Chloe asked.
"Not quite. I called and informed the staff I was bringing a patient who was eight and a half months pregnant. Contractions went from thirty to five minutes apart. I was able to slow them down, but I don’t know for how long. Her water hasn't broken..." Chloe followed beside him, getting Emilia to a bed. Des continued rattling off what he'd observed all night.
Des issued some commands when he noticed two other people in the room. Chloe worked quickly, setting up the fetal monitor, and Des went into action. He did his check and was surprised when he saw that they were monochorionic twins sharing the same placenta.
Fuck.
“Emilia, you’re having twins?” he said, looking at her in shock.
“Yes,” she whispered, seeming ashamed, which Des couldn’t understand.
“They’ll be happy when they find out,” he comforted her.
"Okay, Ellington, step back," someone said to him. "You're no longer a doctor here."
Des ignored whoever it was and continued to perform the ultrasound because his gut was telling him something more serious was going on. It didn't take Des long to see the problem.A partial placental abruption. Des wasn't an OB and would rather have a second opinion just to be sure.
"Nurse Chloe, who's the OBGYN on call tonight?"
"That would be Doctor Stephen," she responded.
