All Of Me

Chapter 46

Brooke's POV

The adrenaline from everything that happened earlier had the hair on the back of my neck on end all shift. "Is everything okay?" Carol walked over and placed her chubby arm around my shoulders, and I nodded, offering her a weak smile. "There's this guy that's been giving me a hard time, and Tripp took care of him for me." I explained, and Carol's eyes widened.

I began laughing as I pulled the nozzle to dispense myself some coffee into a disposable cup. "Not like that. The guy just got an... up-close and personal view of his car hood." and we both laughed. I replayed the memory and started to feel a little anxious again.

My heart couldn't take much more lately. I grabbed a sugar packet, and realized my hands were shaking as I tried to open it. I took a sip, and turned to walk to the closest table in the empty cafe, suddenly feeling weak. "I think I need to sit down."

Carol quickly came around the counter and helped me into a chair. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something didn't feel right. Not right at all as I eased into the chair and placed my hand over my belly, feeling for Luke, but nothing.

My blood chilled as I looked at Carol, "I don't feel him. Something's not right." I could feel all the blood in my body rush to my head as Carol jumped into action, rushing for the phone. I began shaking my head, trying to hold back the tears as I panicked. "Call Tripp. Please, call Tripp." I begged.

Sharp pains began moving from the front of my abdomen all the way to the back, shooting up my back. I cried out, as the third one was much stronger than the first two. I could hear Carol talking on the phone, but nothing made sense.

I tapped my belly with my hand, telling myself he was just sleeping. But how could he sleep through this? I cried out again as another pain felt like my stomach was twisting up into a knot.

"Carol, I-I can't... I need Tripp." I pleaded as she brushed the hair back from my forehead. "I know Sweetie, I called him. He's on his way. Breathe with me." And she coaxed me to take slow, steady breaths. It felt as if my whole world were moving in slow motion and fastfoward all at once somehow.

"He'll die." I sobbed, and Carol's face twisted in sympathy, she rubbed my knee and tried to calm me down, but I couldn't hear anything she said. My heart was pounding and I couldn't breathe.

19 weeks early.

Images of my too-small baby boy with tubes pouring out of his body, struggling for life. If he was even big enough for that...

I can't breathe.

It seemed like hours later of sharp pains and terror, before Tripp finally came busting through the door of Gracetown Cafe. Just like the party, I felt Tripp's arms around me, swooping me up, and carrying me to the truck. I cried out with another sharp pain, and Tripp was silent, driving way too fast.

Tripp reached over and took my hand, and I squeezed it, pinching my eyes shut through another intense set of cramps. I could feel the tears oozing out the corners of my eyes.

When we arrived at the hospital, Tripp slammed the truck into park, and I couldn't be sure, but I don't think that was an actual parking space. Another sharp pain hit me as we walked through the doors, Tripp carrying me and Carol by his side with my purse.

Ripping through my lower abdomen and around to my back. I could feel the sweat running down my body.

Pain mixed with terror.

I still hadn't felt Luke.

Tripp's POV

I wasn't sure what to tell the front desk; why we were there. I stood holding a crying Brooke in my arms, as she clutched her stomach and winced. My whole body was shaking and I felt as if my entire world were crumbling before my eyes. I never knew how much I loved Luke already, until I thought we may never meet him.

Carol's words took my by surprise as she leaned, and whispered to the head nurse, "Brooke Greenburg, I think she may be in early labor." I turned on my heel so Brooke couldn't hear, and walked to find a chair to sit in.

People were staring in the crowded waiting room as I sat down in a chair, holding Brooke close to my chest. She hadn't said a word. Her hand was on her stomach, constantly moving around, waiting for movement. I couldn't get my breathing under control as I felt tears roll down my cheeks.

Please God, no. She would never recover from this.