Soulmates

Chapter twenty-three

I was finishing up my detective's exam when Jackson's secretary came running up to us with a troubled look in her eyes. Her eyes meet mine and I run out of there before she could even say a word. I get to my car and call Kelly from the car phone. "What's wrong? I didn't give Jackson's secretary a chance to explain," I choke in a worried whisper.

"I'm at the hospital with Peyton," she chokes quietly. "Claire is fine, our mothers are with her. I rode in the ambulance with her, can you come here, please?"

"I'm on my way, just hang in there okay," I choke quietly. 

"I need you Jen, I don't think I can calm down without you. I'm scared," she chokes in broken sobs. "Peyton stopped breathing."

"She's going to be fine, do you hear me," I choke quietly, fighting to be strong for my wife. 

"Yes," she says in a choked whisper, barely audible.

"I love you," I choke in a soothing whisper and hear her let out a calming breath. 

"I love you too," she chokes quietly. 

I pull into her parking space and say, "I'm here."

"I'm in my office. I couldn't take other parents watching me in the waiting room," she chokes quietly. 

"I'll be right there," I say quietly and turn off the car.

I take a minute to collect myself before I enter the hospital. My wife needs me right now, she was there to witness Peyton stop breathing and had to be the one to ride with her. 

As I made my way to her office, I could feel my anxiety spike. My breaths were quickening and becoming erratic as I reach her office. I open her door and she immediately notices my breathing. "I'm sorry, I wanted to be strong for you," I choke between breaths as she caresses my face. 

"I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now, what thoughts ran through your head before you called me," she chokes with understanding.

"I thought Claire was having...," I choke in broken sobs and she takes me in her arms, rubbing my back comfortly. "I need to call her or I can't calm down."

As soon as I say that, my phone starts ringing her tone. I quickly answer it mid ring and she asks in a choked whisper, "Anything new with Peyton? Kelly won't pick up her phone."

"No, nothing new. I'm sorry, my phone died after Jen hung up with me. She's worried about you. She didn't let anyone explain what happened before running to her car," Kelly chokes quietly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, babies are mildly active, just worried about Peyton," she chokes quietly. 

I shutter a calming breath and choke quietly, "I'm glad you're okay. I thought it was about you."

"No, our mothers are keeping me calm, Caroline is a big help too when Kennedy doesn't need tending too," she says in a calm whisper. "I feel like I'm at the spa."

"She's in good hands sweetheart," my mother says in a reassuring tone. "You let us worry about her, you just worry about that precious little girl."

"Thanks mom," I choke with relief. "I'll call you the minute we get an update."

A few minutes after we hung up with Claire, Devon walks in with Joyce. "The artery from her heart to her lungs had a hole, I'm amazed that she's been doing okay this whole time," Devon says surprised. "I repaired it, but she'll need to stay here a few weeks for monitoring. She won't be able to have visitors  for a few days, I'm sorry."

"Devon, please. That's my baby...," Kelly chokes in broken sobs. 

"Babe, her immune system isn't strong like ours. She just had open heart surgery, the first few days are going to be critical for her," I choke quietly, holding her in my arms. "She needs us strong right now."