More Than Friends

Chapter 63: The Pain of Loss

Nicole was about two months into her pregnancy, and everything had been goin' smooth so far. She and Devin had been over the moon, talkin' 'bout the future and how Amani was gon' react to havin' a little brother or sister. The excitement in their home was real, and every day felt like another step closer to that new chapter in their lives.

But then, somethin' changed.

One night, Nicole started feelin' these sharp cramps—deeper than what she had experienced before. At first, she thought maybe it was normal, somethin' that would pass. But then, she noticed the spot of blood, faint but enough to make her heart skip a beat. Her mind immediately went into panic mode.

She tried to stay calm, tellin' herself it was probably nothin', but the cramps kept gettin' worse. Her instinct told her somethin' wasn't right.

The Emergency Room

Nicole didn't wanna wake Devin. It was late, and he had been workin' hard, so she figured she'd just go to the emergency room herself, get checked out, and come back home with some peace of mind. She grabbed her keys and drove herself to the hospital, her heart racin' the whole way there.

When she got to the ER, she explained what was happenin', tryin' to keep her voice steady even though the fear was buildin' up inside her. They took her back quickly because of the pregnancy, askin' her all the usual questions as they hooked her up to monitors.

Nicole lay there, her mind racin'. She kept thinkin' about Amani, about Devin, about how excited they all were for this new baby. She prayed everything was okay, that the baby was fine, that this was just a false alarm.

The News

After what felt like hours, the doctor came in, his face calm but serious. He looked at Nicole, then at the monitor, and finally back at her. Nicole felt her heart drop before he even spoke.

"Mrs. Coleman," the doctor said gently, "I'm really sorry, but it looks like you're having a miscarriage."

Nicole's breath caught in her throat, her whole body freezin' as the words sank in. "A miscarriage?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "No...no, this can't be happening."

The doctor nodded, his eyes filled with sympathy. "I know this is hard to hear. Sometimes these things happen, and there's nothing anyone could've done to prevent it. We'll need to monitor you and make sure everything is cleared out naturally, but I'm so sorry for your loss."

Nicole felt like the ground had been ripped out from under her. She couldn't even process what he was sayin'. All she could think about was the baby—her baby. The baby she and Devin had been so excited to welcome into their lives. And now, it was gone.

Devin's Call

Nicole sat in the hospital bed, numb, tryin' to wrap her mind around the news. She knew she had to call Devin. He needed to know what was goin' on, even though she had no idea how to say the words.

She picked up her phone, her hands shakin' as she dialed his number. It didn't take long for him to answer, his voice groggy but alert as soon as he realized it was her.

"Nic? What's goin' on? Where are you?"

Nicole's voice cracked as she tried to speak. "Dev...I'm at the hospital. I—there's somethin' wrong with the baby."

Devin's tone immediately shifted, full of concern. "What? What happened? Are you okay?"

"I...I'm havin' a miscarriage, Dev," Nicole finally managed to say, her voice barely a whisper. "The baby...the baby's gone."

There was silence on the other end of the line as Devin took in her words. Nicole could hear the emotion in his voice when he finally spoke. "I'm comin' right now. Stay where you are, I'm on my way."

A Heartbreaking Night

Devin rushed to the hospital, his heart poundin' in his chest. When he got there, he found Nicole in the hospital bed, her eyes red from cryin', lookin' completely shattered. He didn't say a word—he just walked over and pulled her into his arms, holdin' her as she cried, feelin' the weight of the loss they were both experiencin'.

"I'm so sorry, Dev," Nicole whispered through her tears. "I'm so sorry."

Devin shook his head, kissin' the top of her head. "Don't apologize, Nic. This ain't your fault. We gon' get through this. We always do."

They sat there for what felt like hours, just holdin' each other, tryin' to process the heartbreak that had hit them so suddenly. Neither of them had expected this, and the pain was almost too much to bear.

Leavin' the Hospital

By the time they left the hospital, the reality of what had happened was startin' to settle in. Nicole felt empty, like a part of her had been ripped away. Devin was quiet, his hand never leavin' hers as they walked back to the car. They drove home in silence, both of them tryin' to process the loss in their own way.

When they got home, Nicole went straight to Amani's room. She stood in the doorway, watchin' her daughter sleep, feelin' a mix of love and grief swirl inside her. She was grateful for Amani, for the beautiful little girl they already had, but the pain of losin' the baby still weighed heavy on her heart.

Devin came up behind her, wrappin' his arms around her as they stood together in the quiet of the night. "We gon' be okay, Nic," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I know it don't feel like it now, but we gon' get through this."

Nicole nodded, leanin' into him, her heart breakin' but findin' some comfort in his presence. "I know, Dev. I just...I wasn't ready for this."

Neither of them had been ready for this. But they knew they had to find a way to move forward—together.