Hacking Alderson

//Chapter 17// Cloud & Cookie

I wake up to my mother cooing at the cribs beside my hospital bed. As I start to sit up I feel a sharp piercing pain in my stomach. "Ugh." I say holding the area. Nobody told me about this. They never say anything about post delivery in the Expectant Parent Classes. They just said I'd have to change diapers. I mean it's kind of obvious, but I'm new to this so cut me some slack.

My deep thought triggers another sharp pain. Somehow. By then my mom had turned her attention to me. "Are you okay pumpkin?" She asks with extreme worry. "Just sore." I answer. I look over to the babies sleeping peacefully beside me. Elliot should be here.... "Where's Elliot?" I ask. "He went outside for a smoke earlier." Mom answers. She hands me a large pink and silver gift bag. Perfectly matching the balloons by the window... "When you had 2 girls instead of a girl and boy I went out and bought these." She says excitedly. I anticipatively look into the bag to find........Two pairs of bedazzled booties and two bedazzled pacifiers! "They're beautiful! They're going to love these so much!" I say. "Thank you." I thank her and hug her. The pain hits again but I'm so done with it at this point....

Darlene comes in with two hands full of balloons. "Hey you." She greets. "Hey." I reply. I look behind her, "Did Elliot come in with you? Is he outside?" I ask. "Nothing from him since he called and said your water broke." She answers. I lay back against the bed. I was in labor for 6 hours and he wasn't here for any of it. I had to hold mom and a random nurse's hand. I think I almost broke her fingers. That poor nurse. I should send her a gift basket..... "Wait, you really have no idea where he is?" Darlene asks as she sits down. "Not at all." I answer. "Have you tried calling him?" She asks. I get the phone from beside the bed and dial his number. It goes straight to voicemail. "It's turned off." I say as I hang up. "What if he's second guessing things?" I ask. He DID NOT want kids when we met. He was completely adamant that he'd never want any and that he could spend the rest of his life without second guessing the idea. He thought he wouldn't be a good father or be able to protect them. It was only recently that he changed his mind and said he'd be okay with having some one day.

*Knock Knock* We hear at the door as it opens. A group of police officers come in. "Lexi Abarai-Alderson?" One says. "That's me." I reply. The officer hands me a large orange envelope. He waits for me to open it.

It's Elliot's jacket, wallet and phone. "Why are you giving me these?" I ask. 

"It's my deepest regret to inform you