More Than Friends

Chapter 44: The Weight of It All

Back in the hospital room, Nicole was finally able to rest. The C-section had taken a lot out of her, and after everything that had happened, her body needed time to recover. The doctors had reassured Devin that she would be okay, but as he sat there beside her bed, watchin' her sleep, he couldn't shake the feelin' of worry that had settled deep in his chest.

Nicole had been through so much. From the high blood pressure to the emergency surgery, it felt like they had been hit with one challenge after another. And now, their baby girl was in the NICU, fightin' for her life, way earlier than they had ever expected.

Devin stared at Nicole, his heart heavy with emotion. She looked so peaceful, sleepin' under the soft glow of the hospital lights, but he knew her body had been pushed to its limit. He had never felt so helpless before. All he could do was sit there and hope that both Nicole and the baby would be okay.

Devin's Worries

As the minutes ticked by, Devin found himself gettin' lost in his thoughts. He had always been the one to stay strong, the one to keep it together, but now? Now, he wasn't sure how to handle everything that was happenin'.

He leaned forward in his chair, his elbows restin' on his knees, his hands coverin' his face. The weight of it all was startin' to crush him—Nicole's health, the baby comin' too early, the fear that maybe...maybe things wouldn't turn out the way they had hoped.

"I just want them to be okay," he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible.

Devin had been dreamin' about this moment for so long—becomin' a dad, startin' a family with Nicole—but this wasn't how he had imagined it. He thought they'd have more time, that everything would go smoothly, but life had thrown them a curveball. And now, all he could do was wait and pray that both of them would pull through.

Watchin' Over Her

Nicole stirred slightly in her sleep, her hand shiftin' on the blanket, but she didn't wake up. Devin sat back in his chair, watchin' her, his heart ache deepenin'. He hated seein' her like this—weak, vulnerable, and in pain. She had been so strong through everything, but now, she needed time to heal, and all he could do was be there for her.

He thought about their baby girl in the NICU, surrounded by doctors and machines, fightin' to survive. She was so tiny, so fragile, and it broke his heart to know that she had been born into such a tough situation. He hadn't even gotten to hold her yet, and the thought of that made him feel even worse.

"I'm supposed to protect them," Devin muttered under his breath, his hands clenchin' into fists.

But how could he protect them from this? How could he make sure everything would be okay when so much was out of his control?

Feelin' the Emotions

As the hours dragged on, Devin felt his emotions start to bubble up. He had been tryin' to stay strong for Nicole, tryin' to keep his head up, but now, sittin' here in the quiet hospital room, it all started to overwhelm him. The fear, the sadness, the helplessness—it all hit him at once.

Tears pricked at his eyes, and for a moment, Devin just let himself feel it all. He hadn't cried in a long time, but tonight? Tonight, it felt like the only thing he could do.

He wiped at his eyes, tryin' to pull himself together, but the pain was too much. He couldn't lose them—Nicole or their baby girl. He didn't know what he'd do if somethin' happened to either of them.

Holdin' On

Devin stood up, walkin' over to the side of Nicole's bed. He reached down, takin' her hand in his, squeezin' it gently. Even in her sleep, she seemed to respond to his touch, her fingers curlin' around his.

"I love you, Nic," Devin whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm right here, okay? I ain't goin' nowhere."

He sat down again, still holdin' her hand, and leaned his head against the side of the bed. He was tired—physically, emotionally, mentally—but he wasn't leavin'. He couldn't leave. Not until he knew for sure that everything was gonna be okay.

As Nicole slept, Devin stayed by her side, his mind filled with prayers, hopes, and the deep desire to see both her and their baby girl pull through this. He didn't know what the future held, but for now, all he could do was hold on to the love he had for them and trust that they would make it through—together.