Cameron and Ashton too, began dialing away on their phones as they tried to contact all the health experts they knew of.
A throbbing pain stung my abdomen yet again. I had felt it from the moment I knew about Summer’s illness earlier that day, and I figured it must have been a symptom of stress and anxiety.
But as time went by, I realized something was wrong. While Ashton was still on the phone, the pain suddenly intensified and I felt a warm trickle down my thighs. Fear poured into my mind in an instant. “Ashton, I have a bad feeling…”
He quickly hung up and rushed over to my side. “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”
I grabbed onto him and shivered in pain. “My stomach hurts!”
His pupils constricted the moment he noticed the blood in between my legs. “Get the obstetrician!” he exclaimed loudly.
“I-I’m fine…” I resisted, although my legs were giving away under the intense pain.
As Zachary hurried off to get the doctor, Cameron came over and helped support me. “My dear, when was the last time you had your period?”
Cold droplets of sweat had already emerged on my forehead by then. “I don’t know, it’s never been regular…”
Come to think of it, it had supposedly been over a month since I last menstruated. Ever since I lost my baby, my period cycle had never been normal.
Seeing the mixed emotions on their faces, I knew what it meant. I am probably pregnant.
That explained my unusual exhaustion these days! How ignorant I’d been… I’ve always thought that my extra sleepiness was because of the weather.
Everything happened in a flurry as I was wheeled into the emergency ward. The pain in my abdomen became more and more unbearable. The voices around me soon became muffled and distant as my view blurred…
When I jolted awake, I broke out in cold sweat. Cameron and Zachary were by my bedside, but there was no sight of Ashton.
Although my mother sighed in relief as I regained consciousness, I was unable to comprehend the teary look on her face. “Why are you crying, Mom? What happened to me?”
She smiled while wiping her tears away with the back of her hands. “You’re pregnant, my dear! It’s almost two months already.”
Before I could react, Zachary’s face too, lit up with an endearing smile. “The doctor said that the fetus isn’t very stable at the moment, so you have to take care of yourself and be careful!”
I am… pregnant? An indescribable feeling surged up within me. It felt like a mix of delight and loss at the same time, amongst a variety of other emotions.
I suddenly remembered about Summer. “Mom, Dad, what about Summer? How is she now?”
“She’s awake now, and we’ve gotten in touch with the best medical team we knew,” Cameron consoled. “Don’t worry, we’ll make sure we get the best possible treatment for her!”
I nodded in slight relief. “Where’s Ashton?”
“He’s making arrangements for you and Summer! You both have to stay in the hospital for a few days. We’ve gotten the maids to bring over everything you need, so just rest up as much as you can. Your Dad and I will keep you both company as well over the next couple of days,” Cameron explained, joy and concern intertwined on her face.
I understood what she felt. She was happy about my pregnancy and worried about Summer at the same time.
A while later, my parents left and went over to Summer’s ward. I lay in bed in a daze until Ashton came back. He gazed at my blank expression with a gentle smile. It was a rare sight.
He chuckled softly. “What are you thinking about?”
I wriggled upright and leaned on his chest, wrapping my arms around him. “This child is a surprise… I didn’t even expect myself to be able to conceive! But whatever it is, promise me, Ashton. Summer is and will always be our child too, okay?”
Ashton dazed for a moment and smiled at me. “Since when have I started losing your trust? Don’t think too much. We have two kids now, and I’ll do everything to make sure Summer gets well!”
At his reassurance, I buried my head deeper in his embrace. Back then, I once thought that I’d let Summer make her own decision about living with her biological father when she’d grow up one day. But I’ve made up my mind this time—for someone like Jared who would go so far as to put his own child in danger, he no longer had the right to be her father.
“My dear Mrs. Fuller, please take good care of yourself from now on. You can’t be so reckless anymore now that you’re bearing a child,” Ashton teased jokingly with a hint of helplessness in his voice. “I know you’re worried about Summer and about how I might favor this upcoming child over her. But Scarlett, please trust me, okay?”
I nodded, albeit unable to shake off my fears completely. “Do you think Summer’s condition can be fully treated?” I blurted as memories of Renee resurfaced in my mind again. That poor child! She looked so miserably different after a month of chemotherapy. I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing Summer becoming like that too.
Ashton nodded. “We’ve found the best doctors, and all we need to do now is to find her a suitable candidate for her bone marrow transplant. Once she’s recovered, we’ll be able to spend the rest of our days together as a family.”
