Seeing me, Cali gave me a small smile and held out her hand, waving me over to sit beside Maria. I took my place and clasped her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before turning my attention back to the ultrasound screen.
“Everything is measuring beautifully,” Dr. Ortega said as he continued to type on the machine and take random pictures. “Are you sure you want to know the sex?”
“I don’t like surprises,” Cali told him with a huff. “Yes, I want to know who has been kicking around in there.”
The many lines around his eyes crinkled up as he smiled. “It appears that you are having a daughter.”
“Really?” she squealed, her free hand covering her mouth as happy tears spilled out of her eyes.
“Really.” He motioned to the monitor. “She seems to want her momma to know who she is as much as you do.”
“And you’re sure she’s okay? I’m still spotting, and I’ve been cramping off and on.” When he didn’t readily answer, she turned to me. “Nova, he’s not lying, is he? She’s okay, right?”
“Doctor?” I gritted out, disliking his continued silence.
He stood and started putting his things away. “The continued bleeding has not endangered the baby from what I can tell. However…” His shoulders slumped, and he bowed his head. “I fear you will need a full hysterectomy after you deliver. If we can get you to thirty-four weeks, I recommend you have a C-section and hysterectomy at the same time.”
“Wh-why?” Cali asked.
“Between the accident you told me about and then the beating over several days that followed, your womb is barely strong enough to grow the baby as is. It is my opinion that carrying this baby to term will put your life in danger. That is why I think delivering at thirty-four weeks will be better for both mother and child.”
“But why the hysterectomy?” I demanded, getting to my feet.
“I truly think there will be no other choice when it comes time. To be frank, with all the trauma that has struggled to heal, I fear she will need the hysterectomy or risk bleeding to death.” He folded his hands in front of him. “The closer she gets to the third trimester, the more danger she will be in as the baby grows and her uterus stretches more and more. It is still bruised even after all these weeks. Quite honestly, it’s a miracle she hasn’t miscarried. By six months’ gestation, she will need to be admitted into the hospital for round-the-clock care.”
“No way.” Cali was already adamantly shaking her head before he’d even finished speaking. “I’m not leaving my home again. I’ve told you, all of you, repeatedly. I won’t go.”
I pulled her into a hug. “Cali, I know you’re afraid of what’s outside of the property gates, but your life is at risk from this.”
“I don’t care!” She clutched at me, her entire body trembling. “You can take care of the baby. I trust you to raise her right. But I’m not leaving this house, no matter what he says.”
I didn’t want to upset her more than she already was, so I simply soothed her until she calmed down. It wasn’t exactly surprising that she’d developed agoraphobia, considering everything she’d been put through, but her fear of the outside world was going to put her and my niece in danger.
Once she was no longer shaking, I sat back and gave her a small smile. “I don’t want you to worry. We’ll figure everything out, okay?”
“I knew you wouldn’t let me down, Nova. I-I’d be lost without you.” She shot the doctor a cold glare. “No more talking about hospitals and leaving this house. If you can’t do what I need, I’ll find a different doctor.”
I gave her one more hug then turned to face the doctor. “I’ll walk you out, Dr. Ortega.”
He gathered his bags, leaving the ultrasound machine where it was. With how often he’d needed to use it for Cali, I’d bought one just for us and planned on donating it to the clinic once Cali delivered. There had been more money than I’d expected in Cali’s inheritance, and I’d taken over investing it as well as running the business. I’d been helping my family run all of their businesses and shadowing Ryan every summer, so I had a little experience. But it sure as hell wasn’t easy.
I waited until we were walking down the stairs before either of us spoke again. “How dangerous is it for her not to be in a hospital?”
The doctor shook his head sadly. “Her womb is very weak. She could have a placental abruption at any time, and the risk will only increase as the baby’s growth stretches everything. If that happens, her life, as well as the baby’s, will be at risk. She will need an emergency C-section, and while I could possibly do that at my clinic if it came down to it, I don’t have the equipment that will be needed if the baby is severely premature. If Cali is admitted to a hospital, should something happen, she will have immediate help.”
He paused at the bottom of the stairs and gently touched a hand to my arm. “She listens to you, Miss Nova. You must convince her that this is in the best interest of her and her child.”
Clenching my jaw, I nodded. “I’ll do whatever I need to ensure both of them are safe.”
“Then I leave her in your capable hands. If either of you needs anything, you have my number. I will be back on Friday to do another ultrasound.”
I walked him to the front door, where a guard was waiting to drive the doctor back to his clinic. As I started back up the stairs to return to Cali’s room, I already had an idea of how to convince her to do as the doctor suggested. But it was going to take some help.
My heart lifted at the thought of what I needed to do, even as anger filled me that I had to do it in the first place.
Cali’s door opened, and Guzman exited the room, his face set in tense lines when he spotted me. I stopped and waited for him, knowing from the expression on his face he wanted to talk.
“You have to make her go to the hospital,” he gritted out. “She’s so stubborn, just like Matias always said her mother was. We’ve lost Matias and her mother. We can’t lose her too.”
“I have an idea, but it means I have to take a quick trip.” His eyes narrowed as I told him my plan.
“It’s not safe for you. We need you just as much as we need her.”
His words warmed me, but I knew this would work as long as I could pull it off. “I will be fine. Besides, it’s a risk we have to take if it means changing Cali’s mind.”
“I will go with you.”
“No,” I said firmly. “Cali needs you here, and if she knew you went with me, it would only make her worry. I’ll go alone, and we can tell her it’s a business trip. But I want hourly updates on her and security while I’m away.”
“I’ll get the cargo plane ready,” he muttered, still not happy about my plan but obviously not about to stop me. Whether he liked it or not, he knew I was right.
43
Nova
Ryan Age 23 : Nova Age 17
Unless my dad was gone on a run for the MC, my parents were creatures of habit. I didn’t imagine that had changed in the more than two months since I’d been gone. To be fair, to them, I’d supposedly been dead. While I could understand how devastating that must be for them, I couldn’t understand how they couldn’t feel the wrongness about the whole situation.