The Jump

37 A New Hope

Raif held onto Lucinda's hand as they both had their eyes glued to a black screen. An ultrasound tech moved the wand back and forth on Lucinda's abdomen. Streaks of white appeared with each movement and then the tech landed on a solid shape. She captured several images and then kept moving the wand slowly, only to take more images. With a smile, she glanced at them and then turned up the volume on the monitor.

"That's your baby's heartbeat," the tech said.

Tears gathered in Lucinda's eyes as she squeezed Raif's hand. She felt droplets on her fingers and looked up to see Raif crying as well. Amazement was written all over his face with his wide eyes scanning the small movements from the tiny creature on the monitor—A being they created together.

"So is the baby ok?" Lucinda asked.

"The doctor will review the ultrasound and then we'll give you a full report in about an hour. I know it's going to be tough, but please sit tight for now." The tech smiled. "In the meantime..." She tapped a few buttons on the keyboard attached to the monitor, which prompted small polaroid-sized pictures to print out. "These can keep you company while you wait for the results."

Lucinda reached for them eagerly and held onto the images of her baby as if they were rare diamonds. Raif patiently waited for the ultrasound tech to leave and then turned Lucinda's chin to him.

"Lucinda. We need to talk."

"No," she replied, pulling her face away.

"You said you're fine, but what happened to you is not fine."

Lucinda closed her eyes and let out a breath. "I am fine. The baby will be ok. That's all I care about."

Raif threw his hands in the air and turned away from her. He began rubbing his face with his palms, trying to think of ways to get through the wall Lucinda was putting up. He lowered his hands and rested them on his hips. Why was she being so stubborn?

"Why don't you want to press charges?" he tried to ask as calmly as possible, but his blood was still boiling after being told about the attack. "Aaron... Samuel, whatever his name is, attacked you! He needs to be arrested. You say you're fine, but you could have been badly injured."

"But I wasn't!" Lucinda exclaimed.

"He banged your head against the floor, and you lost consciousness. What if he had caused you to miscarry... or... or die!"

"But that didn't happen," Lucinda snapped back.

Crouching by the hospital bed, he caressed her face, but she pulled away from his touch. Not wanting to give up, Raif placed his hand on her abdomen and tried to rationalize with her again.

"He attacked you. He left you unconscious. Why are you protecting him?"

Lucinda stared at the sonogram photo and traced her finger around the tiny shape that was growing inside her. The baby was real. She heard its heart beating and saw its tiny movements on the screen. This baby was hers, and no one could take the joy of it away from her. Not Aaron, not Raif, and definitely not Rachel.

"I'm not protecting him," she finally said. "I'm protecting Merrill and his daughter-in-law and his grandchildren."

"Lucinda...." Raif caressed her face again. "Babe, I know how much you love Merrill but you need to protect yourself too. What if he tries to hurt you again? At least get a restraining order."

"I don't think he was trying to hurt me." she finally looked Raif in the eyes. "I think he panicked."

"Panicked?"

"I know you think I'm being irrational, but for the first time, he couldn't manipulate me to do what he wanted. I stood my ground and he got desperate because he thinks I'll tell his wife about us. He wants me to stay away from Merrill and if I file charges then it just opens up a can of worms—which means his family learning about the affair. I can't have that. It would mean severing my relationship with Merrill and he has become my family," she said, her voice cracking.