Gambling Love

25. Imogen

Two months later.

My eyes shoot open as I'm hit with a huge cramp, I breathe in and allow my eyes to focus in the dark. I can feel Jaiden's hand on my stomach and his breathing by my ear. Another cramp happens and it sends me bolting up and sliding out of the bed, I'm rushing towards the en-suite, flicking on the lights. I have like I'm getting my period, "fuck," I grumble. A wave of dizziness washes over me and I fall against the counter "Jaiden!" I yell. I don't even have to yell again because I hear him coming toward me.

I quickly grab onto his bicep and turn around, my eyes well up "Jaiden," I gulp putting my hand to my stomach, his eyes are alert and quickly assess me before going into action, it's a complete blur from our hotel room to the hospital. I'm a mess as Jaiden runs into the nearest hospital with me in his arms and I'm a mess with the nurse who says I'm miscarrying.

She tells me and my body shuts down and I'm bursting into tears, the nurse leaves us in our own privacy and I fall into his arms, he holds me tightly as I just sob, I don't hear him but I know he's speaking French to me, he normally does when I'm crying in his arms. Through my own tears, I can see his eyes hold water but he holds himself together for me and I love him for it.

His hands cradle my cheeks gently and I hold onto his wrists as he lowers his forehead to mine and rocks us back and forth "it's okay," he continues to say as I just cry until I have nothing left in me.

"I-I'm sorry," I choke out and he shakes his head.

"Stop saying sorry, I've been saying that for years sweetheart," he winces. "Don't be sorry because it happens."

"We've just been waiting for so long," I hiccup as he dries my tears.

"It's okay," he assures me. We've been trying for kids for years and after no attempts, this was our miracle, until suddenly it wasn't. "We can always try again, baby, stop saying you're sorry," he sighs and pulls me into his chest and then I cry again because Jaiden allows me to. I don't know how long we were secluded in the private room but when we exited, I knew some people heard us from the way the nurses gave us sympathetic looks.

Jaiden guides me into the taxi and back to our hotel, if it weren't for his arm around me, I probably wouldn't even be able to move. I'm not shocked that we get off on a different floor from our original and entirely new hotel room. He's sweet like that, knowing I probably couldn't handle being in the same room.

He guides me to the bed almost robotically, I'm so numb and practically shivering until Jaiden slides into the bed and pulls me into him as tightly as he can "we can go home," he says. We've been in Italy for work-related things for Jaiden but also decided to make it a trip, even though we just came back from Turkey, engaged.

"What if it can't happen? I'm lucky I didn't have to stay the night," I say, my hands are shaking and I bring them between our bodies seeking warmth.

"We'll go home and get medical help sweetheart, it's okay," he whispers brushing his lips against my forehead.

"I'm sorry," I say my eyes watering again.

"Stop saying that," he shakes his head. "We knew the risks and we just have to keep going. There are always other options."

I pull my head away from his chest to look up at him and he looks down at me "I know there are other options, it just would be nice to have something of ours."

The two of us grew up in a world where nothing really was for us, we had to fight to stay perfect and fight for what we deserved.

His gaze softens and he looks like he's about to break down in front of me, he cradles my cheek so softly "whatever happens, our kids will be ours. We are each other's, that's all that matters. I don't care if we have biological children or adopted or surrogate. Our kids will be ours," he says and I nod. "d'accord?" He asks me.