Aurora

36

"There is nothing to worry about, the worst is over.." As the doctor explained the condition, Aurora stood staring at the sleeping child still not able to grasp the situation in front of her, lying on the bed was a child born from her loins but yet not hers.

"Sarah?"

It took a moment before Aurora realized they were calling out her attention and when she did she pulled herself through with a dazed smile, not sure what to say to the doctor concerning the child.

"Are you trying the new formula I asked?"

She turns to Eric in confusion.

"Ahem..."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's been a long week." Eric waved in sharply.

"I understand. .I will take my leave now, call me if anything goes wrong.."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Anytime." The doctor said and left.

Eric turns and stares at the child in relief,

"Is she going to be okay?" Aurora waved in.

"Yes, she will."

"That's good to hear, "Aurora said and got herself ready to leave, "I met this lady at the store, and she mentioned Emily was at the hospital last night, I thought to call and check on you two, I'm glad everything is okay...I should take my leave now, it's been a long day...Mia would be waiting for me---"

"Aurora, wait." Eric stops her, "Please..."

"What, Eric?"

"Please stay."

"What?! I have a life."

"I know but, Emily got better only because you're here, it had nothing to do with medicine, she misses her mother--"

"I'm not her mother..." Aurora raised her voice,

"You are in a way, you might not have Sarah's soul but Emily is as much yours as she is mine."

"I have a lot going on, Eric, I'm still trying to get hold of the life you two stole from me --" She paused choosing her words carefully, "I just can't..."

Eric walks to her with a sigh,

"Aurora, as much as we both hate the situation right now, we can't deny it's happening."

"I'm not Sarah, and I know you want to believe that but the truth is that I'm not, I can never be Sarah, let alone Emily's mother."

"Sarah was an amazing mother."

"I'm sure she was, no one is arguing with that."

"You don't understand, she's a great mother. I don't want Emily growing up thinking her mother abandoned her."

"So this is about protecting Sarah's honor, may I remind you that this is my life. ."

"I know and, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry we ruined your perfect life but, you can't pretend this is not happening. I'm barely able to wrap my head around it but, I know it's real, it's happening, Emily is proof that all this is real."

"You can't force this on me, I never asked for this life."

"I'm not asking you to be her mother, just be there, that's all, that's all you have to do."

"I can't do this, I would never be able to look at her differently --"

"Never say never."

Emily wakes suddenly and Aurora is left gazing at her. "Hey, poppins..." Eric went over to get her, he hurdled her in his arms and walked back to Aurora, "Aurora met Emily."

Her bright blue-green eyes found Aurora and she laughed, as only a baby can laugh a sweet sound unblemished by the hurts of life.

Aurora backs away from the child in hesitation,

The baby opened her mouth to cry but all she could manage was a quiet snuffling, her throat dry and sore.

"Just hold her for a second?" Eric extends Emily to Aurora and she's left with no choice but to hold the child in her arms. She holds her close, with hand over her back to give her some warmth, "Wow. Look at that, you're a natural."

Emily's little face glowed from a light within, and her miniature fingers managed to find Aurora's, and held right, freezing Aurora.

"Like I said, never say never." Eric whispered in between.

Aurora returns home the next morning and finds Mia getting ready to leave,

"Morning." Aurora chimed in.

Mia ignores her but, snaps after after a while, "Charles and his family are coming for dinner tonight. I don't care if you're going to be here or not, I just don't want you showing up late in the middle of dinner, don't ruin this for me."

"I'll be here."

Mia exhales and starts to leave,

"Mia?" Aurora called her attention as Mia approached the door.

"What, I'm running late?"

"I would like us to talk when you get back, it's important." Aurora had to find the right words to inform Mia about Emily, she didn't want her finding out on her own, "Maybe after dinner, there's something I need—"

"Later." Mia slammed the door and left.

"To tell you." Aurora muttered under her breath with a sigh. It was days like days that Aurora is left with memories of Lockwood, she sunk to the floor and thought of Jack Hyde, and the other life, she cried at the memories with him and laughed at some, like how he would call planes flying boxes.

Most importantly she hoped more than anything he was alive.