Spring [Completed]

FORTY-SIX

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HIM

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"You know you love someone deeply, when the thought of losing them forever scares you and brings you to tears."

—Unknown
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Thunder booms loud in the sky and I jolt awake and nearly tumble off the couch. I groan scratching my neck as I glance around my dimly lit living room. I'm about to go back to sleep when something under the coffee table catches my eye. My phone.

It must've fallen off the couch in my sleep.

I wipe my eyes, groggily trying to focus on the screen of my phone as it fades to black. Wait. That can't be right. Frowning, I click on my phone and my eyes grow wide as I see the 11 missed calls from Cara.

My heart sinks into my chest and before I can react, her name pops up on my screen once more. I stand as I answer it, my mind already going frantic with possibilities of everything that could've gone wrong.

"Cara! Cara, what's wrong? Are you okay?" I ask, my voice shaking as I begin to pace the floor.

"Ethan, thank God!" Cara's voice comes out strangled as she lets out a breath of relief. "I've been trying to call you for the past fifteen minutes and I didn't know what to do and I just need you to come here. My Dad, um I-I mean.... Josh called me a-and he told me to tell you, but you wouldn't a-answer and it's been too long since they took her away and I don't know where he went and I'm alone and I-I don't know what to do. I-I'm freaking out and I need your help and I need you to be here Ethan, you have to come and tell me what I should do-"

"Cara." I run a hand through my hair as worry burns itself into my features. "Cara, calm down. Take a deep breath, and tell me what's going on. What's happening?"

Her side of the line is quiet for so long that I have to check and see if she's still there. When I place the phone back to my ear, her breathing is shallow and quiet.

"It's Mom...she...she went into labor and Josh said there was blood, like a lot of blood and I-I don't know if she's okay. They won't tell me anything, Ethan, and I'm losing my shit. I-I don't know what to do."

Her sniffles fill the line and my chest tightens as I stand in place, unable to move. Tears fill my eyes and threaten to fall as an overwhelming sense of guilt consumes me. This is all my fault. I should have taken her to the hospital. I should have known something wasn't right. I-

"Ethan," Cara, whimpers, snapping me out of my stupor.

I wipe away my tears and take a deep breath as I grab my keys off the counter. "Cara, don't worry. Everything...everything will be okay. I-I'm coming right now."

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My rain soaked hair flops into my eyes, as I burst through the hospital doors. The crisp cool air conditioning sends shivers down my spine, as I wipe my weary eyes in search for my daughter.

I spot her sitting alone in the corner of the waiting room, eyes trained on the floor, leg bouncing anxiously as she pushes her hair out of her eyes.