Chapter 10 - LABOR
“No.”
That was the first word out of my mouth when Mark stepped toward me.
“Lena, let me help.”
“No.”
Another contraction seized my body.
Rachel held me upright.
Melissa called for court security and an ambulance.
Mark looked panicked.
“I’m her husband.”
“We’re separated,” I gasped.
“I’m still the baby’s father.”
Diane moved forward.
“She needs family.”
Melissa stepped directly in front of her.
“She has family.”
The ambulance arrived quickly.
Rachel rode with me.
Mark followed in his car.
So did Diane.
Of course she did.
At the hospital, everything became bright lights and questions.
Contractions.
Monitors.
Blood pressure.
Forms.
A nurse named Tasha looked me straight in the eyes.
“Who is allowed in your room?”
“Rachel.”
“Anyone else?”
“No.”
“Your husband?”
“No.”
“Mother-in-law?”
“Absolutely not.”
Tasha nodded.
“Got it.”
Thirty minutes later, she came back.
“Your husband is asking to see you.”
“No.”
“Okay.”
Five minutes later.
“Your mother-in-law says she has medical power of attorney.”
I almost laughed through a contraction.
“She does not.”
Tasha’s expression hardened.
“I figured.”
Melissa had warned me to bring my own updated healthcare documents.
I gave them to the hospital.
Diane had no authority.
Mark had no medical decision-making power while I remained capable.
They stayed in the waiting area.
For eleven hours.
At 2:14 a.m., I screamed into Rachel’s shoulder.
At 2:17, my daughter was born.
Six pounds, nine ounces.
Dark hair.
Tiny red face.
Furious lungs.
The nurse put her on my chest.
Everything disappeared.
Diane.
Mark.
Court.
Fear.
For one perfect minute, there was only my daughter.
“Hi,” I sobbed.
Her tiny fingers opened against my skin.
“Hi, Emma.”
Rachel cried beside me.
“She’s beautiful.”
I kissed Emma’s head.
“I’m your mom.”
The words almost broke me.
“I’m right here.”
A nurse entered quietly fifteen minutes later.
“Lena?”
I looked up.
“There’s a situation outside.”
My heart jumped.
“What happened?”
“Your husband is requesting access to the baby.”
I held Emma tighter.
“Do I have to let him in?”
The nurse hesitated.
“He is the presumed legal father. But you’re the patient, and he can’t enter your room without your permission.”
“What about taking her?”
“Not from your care here without a court order or medical reason.”
Relief washed over me.
Then Tasha came back in.
Her face was different.
Serious.
“Security is handling something downstairs.”
“What?”
“Your mother-in-law tried to access the maternity floor using someone else’s visitor badge.”
Rachel stood.
“She did what?”
Tasha nodded.
“She said she was authorized to pick up the newborn.”
My stomach dropped.
“Pick her up?”
“She told staff there was an emergency custody order.”
“There isn’t.”
“We know.”
I looked down at Emma.
My beautiful sleeping baby.
Diane hadn’t even waited a day.
Not an hour.
She had tried to bluff her way onto the floor.
Tasha touched my shoulder.
“Security removed her.”
“Where’s Mark?”
“He’s still downstairs.”
“Was he with her?”
“I don’t know.”
That question ate at me.
Until my phone buzzed.
A text from Mark.
I DIDN’T KNOW SHE WAS GOING TO DO THAT.
Another.
PLEASE LET ME SEE MY DAUGHTER.
I stared at the screen.
My daughter.
Not our daughter.
Not Emma.
My daughter.
Then a third message arrived.
I’M DONE WITH MY MOM.
I almost believed him.
Until Rachel looked through the glass panel in the door.
Her face went pale.
“Lena.”
May you like
“What?”
“There are police officers outside.”
