Between Sin and Salvation

Chapter VI

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Author's note

First thank you all for the reads and votes! Second, when I wrote this chapter it turned into an absolute behemoth, so I've split it into two (still fairly long) parts. There is a ton of Tommy and Louise Interaction in the next part, but this part is essential for setting it up. Also, canonically Tommy does not know the truth about his mom's death yet but for the purposes of this fic he does!

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"I know it hurts, but you need to get on your feet," Louise urged, her voice edged with a sternness born from necessity. It had been a day since Anna's cesarean section, and Louise's every waking moment had been consumed by ensuring the girl's recovery and survival.

"Why?" Anna's voice was barely more than a whisper, her face ashen, eyes ringed with deep, dark circles that seemed to sink into her skull. "It hurts, and I-I'm so tired," she shivered beneath the heavy blankets as if they offered no warmth.

Louise's brow creased, her fingers tapping a steady rhythm against her trousers as she observed the girl. "It's crucial to prevent blood clots, especially in the first twenty-four hours after surgery," she explained, her tone clipped. "That's when your blood clumps together," she continued, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized Anna's every reaction, "getting up also helps reduce the risk of a whole host of other complications."

Crossing the room to the medicine cabinet, Louise retrieved the key, unlocking it to reveal the familiar brown bottle. "Let's try this," she suggested, pulling out the bottle of codeine. "I'll give you another dose, and we can try again in a few hours."

Anna nodded weakly as if the movement was too great an exertion. Louise watched intently as the girl struggled to swallow the amber liquid, the exhaustion evident in every movement. The eager, hopeful mother was now too drained to even hold her own child. They'd already switched Thomas to formula as a precautionary measure.

Pressing her lips into a tight line, Louise began redressing the incision, her movements methodical, precise. The wound appeared to be healing normally, but she took extra care, swabbing the area with iodine and doing her best to ward off infection. Her mind raced, cataloging every symptom, every sign of something amiss.

Reaching into her doctor's bag, Louise placed a thermometer under Anna's tongue, her foot tapping anxiously as she waited for the reading. The five minutes seemed to drag for an eternity, but she eventually pulled it away, reading the result with a frown.

"Thirty-seven point five degrees Celsius," she called out to Margaret, who stood behind her, furiously scribbling the value in the chart. A slight fever.

Louise leaned in closer, her stethoscope pressed against Anna's chest as she measured her heart rate. "Eighty-five beats per minute," she murmured, the numbers falling within the normal range.

All too aware of Mrs. Brooks watching them with hawk-like intensity as she cradled baby Thomas on a nearby chair, Louise forced a calm tone into her voice. "Margaret, would you please join me in my office?" Her words were polite, but her fingers remained tapping at her trousers.

After a quick nod from Margaret, Louise shut the door behind them. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Margaret's eyes softened, her hand reaching out to rest on Louise's shoulder, a gesture meant to soothe. But Louise, tense and coiled like a spring, resisted the urge to shake it off. "You know exhaustion, discomfort, and elevated temperatures are common postpartum, especially in the first couple of days," Margaret reminded her. She tightened her grip, forcing Louise to meet her gaze to pull her back from the brink of spiraling thoughts. "Plus, her heart rate was normal, and the incision is showing no signs of infection."