Hearts on Broadway (Book 2)

Chapter 6 - The Breaking Point

The house was quiet, the silence hanging heavy in the air. Georgie stood in the living room, watching Morgan lace up his boots by the door. He had mentioned the meeting with the label a few days ago, and she knew it was important, but the idea of being left alone with Jackson for even an hour filled her with a sense of dread she couldn't shake.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Morgan asked, his voice gentle as he looked up at her.

Georgie forced a smile, nodding even though her insides were twisting. "Yeah, we'll be fine. Just one hour, right?"

"One hour," Morgan confirmed, standing up and crossing the room to her. He wrapped her in a warm embrace, kissing the top of her head. "I'll be back before you know it. Call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay," she whispered, leaning into him for a moment longer than usual.

She watched as he left, closing the door softly behind him. The second he was gone, the sense of isolation crashed down on her like a wave. The house, which had felt warm and comforting with Morgan in it, now seemed cold and too big. She glanced toward the crib where Jackson was napping peacefully, his tiny body rising and falling with each breath.

"I can do this," she muttered to herself, running a hand through her hair. "It's just one hour."

But the knot in her stomach refused to loosen.

The first thirty minutes passed without incident. Jackson slept soundly in his crib, and Georgie busied herself around the house, trying to ignore the creeping anxiety that lingered at the edges of her mind. She straightened up the living room, folded laundry, and even made herself a cup of tea, though she barely touched it. She told herself that everything was fine. She could handle this.

But then, just as she sat down on the couch, Jackson's cry pierced the air.

Georgie froze for a moment, her heart leaping into her throat. She quickly stood up, crossing the room to his crib. He was awake now, his face scrunched up as he let out another wail, his tiny fists flailing in the air.

"It's okay, baby," she whispered, reaching down to pick him up. "Mommy's here."

She cradled him against her chest, rocking gently as she moved around the room. But his cries only grew louder, more frantic, and her pulse quickened in response. The knot in her stomach tightened as she tried to calm him, bouncing slightly on her feet.

"It's okay, Jackson," she repeated, her voice shaky. "You're okay."

But he wasn't. His cries intensified, high-pitched and desperate, echoing in her ears until it felt like they were all she could hear. Panic bubbled up inside her, her hands trembling as she rocked him faster.

"Please, Jackson, stop crying," she begged, her throat tightening. "I'm trying... I'm trying..."

But nothing she did seemed to soothe him. The louder he cried, the more frantic she became, her chest tightening with each passing second. She tried to sing to him, but her voice cracked halfway through the first line, and the sound of her own failure only made the panic worse.

Her breath came in short bursts, shallow and uneven, as she struggled to maintain control. Her hands were shaking so badly she was afraid she might drop him. She held him closer, desperate to calm him down, but the more she tried, the more overwhelmed she became.

She could feel the walls closing in, the room shrinking around her. The air felt thick, like she couldn't get enough of it into her lungs. Jackson's cries filled her head, drowning out every other thought, every rational part of her mind.

"I can't... I can't do this..." she whispered, her vision blurring with tears. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Her knees gave out, and she sank to the floor, still holding Jackson in her arms. She rocked back and forth, her tears falling freely now as she sobbed into his tiny shoulder.