The Past Within - Mialotte - TNN

Unreal feeling

Still part of the Day or Night

After what felt like hours of waiting in the hospital, Charlotte sat on the edge of the hospital bed, her fingers intertwined tightly with Mia's. The sterile smell of the room and the low hum of machines only heightened her anxiety. Mia hadn't left her side, holding her hand through every test, every whispered reassurance, though Charlotte could tell Mia was just as worried.

The door creaked open, and the doctor walked in, holding a clipboard, her face carefully neutral. Charlotte's heart raced as she looked up, her grip on Mia's hand tightening.

"We've gone over the results of the tests," the doctor began softly, taking a seat in front of them. "The bleeding is due to a tear in your uterine wall, likely caused by the trauma. However," she paused, glancing down at her notes before meeting Charlotte's eyes again, "the baby is still stable."

For a moment, the words didn't register.

Baby? Charlotte blinked, her mind scrambling to make sense of what the doctor had just said. Her chest tightened as confusion washed over her. She hadn't known. She hadn't even thought it was possible.

"I'm... I'm pregnant?" Charlotte's voice was barely a whisper, her words shaky as the full weight of the situation hit her like a tidal wave.

The doctor nodded, her expression filled with a mixture of empathy and concern. "Yes. It's still very early, but the baby appears to be fine for now."

Charlotte's world spun. The room suddenly felt too small, the air too thin. Her breath quickened, her chest heaving as panic surged through her. The baby... the assault... it all came rushing back in a suffocating wave of fear and helplessness. She hadn't known. How could she have known? Her mind flashed back to that horrible night in the parking lot, the assault, the terror, and now—this.

"No..." Charlotte's voice cracked, her hand flying to her stomach as her heart pounded in her chest. She felt Mia's grip tighten around her, but it wasn't enough to stop the flood of panic. "No, no, no, this can't be happening!"

Her breathing grew erratic, her eyes darting around the room as her chest tightened with the suffocating weight of it all. She felt trapped in her own body, in her own mind. Everything was crashing down around her, the room spinning, the walls closing in.

"Charlotte, breathe," Mia's voice cut through the fog, but it felt distant as if she were speaking from miles away. Mia gently cupped Charlotte's face, trying to bring her back. "Look at me, babe. It's okay. I'm here. Just breathe."

But Charlotte couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. All she could feel was the rising tide of panic threatening to drown her.

The doctor called for a nurse, but Mia stayed close, her voice steady and calm, even though Charlotte could see the worry etched deep in her girlfriend's eyes. "You're not alone, okay? I'm right here. We're going to get through this, I promise."

Charlotte's chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face, hot and fast, as her body betrayed her, plunging her deeper into panic. The reality of everything—the assault, the pregnancy, the bleeding—it was too much.

She felt like she was losing control of everything.

"It's going to be okay," Mia repeated, her voice a lifeline in the storm. "I'm not going anywhere, Charlotte. You're going to get through this."

Charlotte's vision blurred as she focused on Mia, her anchor in the chaos. Slowly, with Mia's calming presence, her breathing began to steady, though her heart still pounded painfully in her chest.