THE ETERNAL THREAD

Chapter 1

Nathan's voice was laced with excitement as he asked, 'Are you ready?' I hesitated, my mind racing with doubts. 'Are you sure this is okay? The baby is due in just a few days... it's risky. What if something goes wrong?'

Nathan's reassuring embrace and gentle kiss on my forehead calmed my fears. 'Don't jinx it, nothing bad will happen. Our baby will be born healthy.' He was right; we had been cooped up at home for months, and a night out couldn't hurt.

As we arrived at the restaurant, memories flooded my mind. This was where Nathan proposed to me, where our love story began. We settled into our favorite table, and Nathan asked, 'What'll you have?' 'I'll go to the washroom before I order something' 'Do you want me to come?' 'No it's ok, I can manage' Then I excused myself to use the washroom, leaving Nathan behind.

The stairs leading up to the washroom seemed steeper than usual, my pregnant belly making every step a challenge. As I neared the top, a rambunctious kid came barreling towards me. In a split second, I decided to move out of the way... maybe I shouldn't have.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a hospital bed, surrounded by Nathan's anguished face and our worried families. The doctor's cruel words started echoing in my mind: 'I'm so sorry... the fall was too much for the baby to handle."'

I stared at the doctor, my soul shattering into a million pieces. 'No, no, no... This can't be happening. My baby can't be gone.' Tears poured down my face like a river of grief, choking me with their intensity.

The doctor's words were a cruel whisper, a harsh reminder of my worst nightmare. 'I'm so sorry, Ray...' Sorry? Sorry wasn't enough. Sorry wouldn't bring back my child, my precious, precious child.

My mom tried to hold me, but I pushed her away, my anger and grief exploding in a scream that tore my throat apart. 'Don't cry and calm down, darling, everything will be alright,' she said, her voice trembling.

'Get out!' I screamed, my eyes blazing with fury. 'Get out, all of you! Leave me alone! You don't understand! This wasn't just a baby - it was my everything, my reason for living! Don't tell me to calm down! Don't tell me it will be okay! You don't know what it's like to have your heart ripped out!'

The room emptied, leaving only Cedric, his eyes filled with a guilt and sorrow that only made me hate him more. 'This is all your fault,' I spat, my venomous voice. 'If only I hadn't married you... If only I hadn't listened to you... If only I had protected my baby better...'

My legs buckled beneath me, and I collapsed to the floor, my body wracked with sobs that shook me to my core. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of despair, unable to breathe, unable to think. My vision blurred, and I felt myself slipping away, consumed by the darkness of my grief.

'Cedric...' I whispered, my voice barely audible. 'My baby... My baby is gone... And I'm left with nothing but this agony... This endless, crushing agony...'

And then, everything went black, and I was consumed by the darkness, lost in a sea of sorrow, forever trapped in this moment of unbearable grief.