Max paces restlessly in the hospital hallway, his heart beating rapidly against his chest. He rushed down to the hospital after Henry called him that he already took Ariel here. He has been here for the past twenty minutes, and nobody seems to be talking to him about the condition of his wife.
Shortly, the door to the theatre opens, and he turns to see one of the nurses come out of there. He quickly scurries to her
“Excuse me, how is my wife, please? Is she ok? Why is nobody coming out yet? Are there any complications?” He bombards the nurse with a series of questions as he walks beside her.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Maxwell, I can’t answer your questions yet. I need to get something for the doctor,” And that said, the nurse hurries away, and his heart sinks into his stomach as fear grips him. He gulps down the lump in his throat, praying fervently that nothing happens to her, especially as the realization dawns on him that the pregnancy was just seven months.
He watches as the nurse walks back into the theatre, and he takes a deep breath, assuring himself that everything will be fine, even if he is not sure of that yet.
The sound of the ringing phone pulls him to an abrupt halt, and he quickly slides the answer button when he sees that it’s Ariel’s dad. He has been with her phone ever since he came here.
“Ariel…”
“Hello, this is her husband. Her water broke, and she was rushed to the hospital. We are currently there now,” He explains to him.
“Alright. I will be there right away,” The call drops afterward, and he sighs briefly as he drops his hand beside him, throwing his head back afterward.
The time suddenly seems to have stopped moving, everything doesn’t seem to be working for him, and he is getting restless as time passes by, checking his wristwatch every second.
Shortly, the sound of footsteps suddenly fills the hallway, pulling him out of his train of thought, and he turns to see Mr. Daniel and his wife hurrying up to him.
“How is she now? Has she given birth yet?” Mr. Daniel asks worriedly.
“Not yet. The doctor is not saying anything about her. They have been in there for about two hours, and none of them is talking to me,” Max looks like he is going to cry soon.
“Is she due yet?” Mrs. Daniel asks, and he shakes his head.
“No, she’s just seven months and two weeks now. I don’t know what is happening… She is not supposed to give birth now, and I don’t know what is going on right now. Is she going to be fine? She won’t face any complications, will she?” He asks worriedly as if the old lady is a doctor.
“Don’t worry, it’s a normal thing, so everything is going to be fine,” Mrs. Daniel assures him, even though she knows nothing about this. Seeing Max so worried, she couldn’t have just folded her arms and watched him, right?
“Mr. Maxwell, can you come to the theatre with me?” He turns sharply upon hearing the doctor’s office, and as if his dream finally came true for him, he scurries over to the young man and nods his head.
“Yes… yes!” He utters as he nods his head, and the doctor leads him into the theater. His heart sinks into his stomach when he walks inside and finds her groaning in pain. Tears well up in his eyes, as he feels a sting in his heart. He gulps down the lump that forms in his throat as he slowly walks over to her, taking her hands in his before he finally turns his gaze to look at the doctor.
“Is she ok? Is everything alright, doctor? Why has she not given birth yet?” He bombards the doctor with questions.
“You need to sign some papers so she can be taken into the operation room. She needs to undergo a cesarean section. We have been trying to get the baby out of her, but she’s going to be put in more complications if she should be pushed any further,” The doctor explains to him as he hands him a paper.
“Is… is it going to be dangerous for her? Will she be fine?” He asks nervously after he glances at Ariel, who is just laying on the bed like a dead person. She has used all of her strength to push earlier, and now she can’t even feel any strength left in her.
“I can’t assure you that, but there is a seventy to thirty percent chance of survival for her, since it’s her first time, so that is still fine,” The doctor explains to him, and he slowly nods his head. He couldn’t deny the fact that he is drowning in fear. The imagination of the pain she would probably go through later in the operation room, the thought of her being scissored is making him cringe, but this is something he needs to save her life.
“Please save her at all costs. I need her alive,” He says to the doctor after he signs the book, and finally strides out of the theatre.
****
Along the hallway
Ariel’s mom stops on her track when she arrives in the hallway and finds Daniel pacing there. She slowly clenches her fingers as she feels her heart wrenches in pain. Memories of years ago flash through her head, and she bit her bottom lip as she tries to hold back her tears. She thought she have no feelings for him anymore, but she has come to realize for the past few days that she is still into him even after all these years, but sadly, he is married and has his own family now, and she? Well, she has been the loser from the onset and will continue to be.
Pushing all the thoughts to the back of her mind, she saunters to Max whom she just spots coming out of the theatre and ignoring Daniel and his wife.
“How is she? Has she given birth yet?” She asks worriedly, scared of losing her only child and the only hope she has on earth. She is the only reason she is living.
“Yes, the doctor said she will be fine, although she hasn’t given birth yet,” Max replies to her, trying to sound natural even though he is tearing up inside. He is quite aware of how worried she would be if she finds out that Ariel’s life is on the line, so he tries his best to keep it to himself and just pray she comes out of there alive.
“Why is she taking so long to give birth, Max? Is everything alright? She told me her pregnancy is just seven months and a few weeks… What is going on?” Furthermore, she asks worriedly as she stares at Max, trying to at least read the expression on his face, but he looks natural.
“The doctor is trying to handle things, and he promised that she will be fine, ma’am. You need to calm down, ok?” He assures her, and she slowly nods her head, even though she is scared deep inside her…