Remember Me

24

The van roared to life and the headlights came on. The parking garage was quiet except for the hum of the heater overhead. No one else was there and I imagined it didn't get much use.

Nico tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, glancing out various windows and in the mirrors. He was anxious. We'd made it this far.

My anxiety had nothing to do with escaping. We were already in the van, already had a plan. The only thing left to do was implement it. My concern was on myself and whether I'd go into labor or not.

I wasn't good at keeping track of time. When I was with James, it didn't matter how much time past or was wasted. I knew I was far enough along that I should have been due any day. At least, that was what I thought. I felt pregnant enough that any stressor severe enough could put me over the edge and make me have the baby before we were ready.

After several long, quiet minutes, Nico sighed and put the car into reverse. He backed out of the spot the van was parked in and headed for the exit.

"We can't leave Jade in there, Nico."

He glanced at me as he left the garage and drove into the sunlight, bright enough to make me squint my eyes. "I'm not worried about her."

"But-"

He stopped and pulled the visor down in front of him. "Sterling, she may be helping us escape but she still almost got us both killed. She's still one of the bad guys."

She had done so much to help us, so much to get us out. We owed her our lives. Though Nicoli was right, she did try to kill us. She was involved with decision making between the doctors.

"What happens if I go into labor?"

Nico put the van back into drive and headed for the front of the building, right for where the main doors were. His brows were furrowed and he chewed on his thumbnail. "If it wasn't you, I'd leave her behind in a heartbeat."

The doors opened and Jade ran out, covered in blood. Her top was ripped, exposing part of her bra. She was limping as she approached the van and she was holding her arm close to her chest. It made me all the more uneasy.

She jumped into the backseat and told Nico to drive, even before the door was completely shut. She leaned back against the seat and took deep breaths through her mouth. I could tell she was hurting.

"You okay?" Nico asked, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.

She exhaled a deep breath. "I'll be fine."

Nico slammed on the brakes and cursed. I grabbed the dash in front of me to steady myself.

"Why did you-"

Ahead of us stood James, covered in blood. His left eye looked like it was protruding from his face in an unhealthy way and it was hard to look at. He had a gun pointed right at us. At me.

Nico put a hand on the horn and pressed as hard as he could, hoping to get James to move.

But he didn't.

James pulled the trigger and the windshield cracked. The bullet was stuck right in front of my face, the windshield preventing it from going any further.

I felt something wet trickle down my leg and I struggled to keep my face from being too red. Sure, I was pregnant but that was just downright embarrassing.

Jade leaned forward and put her left hand on the back of Nico's headrest. "Drive. I don't care if you hit him, just go. We have to get out of here."

I gripped the door with my right hand and groaned. The pain in my stomach was back, this time worse.

"Sterling-"

"Put your seat all the way back, Sterling." Jade instructed. "You're going into labor."

I glared at her, digging my nails into the cushion under me. "Not in this van." 

She sighed. "That baby is coming whether you like it or not. Put your seat back and crawl back here."

I didn't want to get shot at again but I was definitely not ready to give birth. I wasn't ready. There was no freaking way that baby was coming out of me in that van. Not. Going. To. Happen.

I did as Jade said and climbed into the backseat with her. The van went past James and a bullet hit the side of the van, thankfully only denting it.

"Should've killed the bastard." Nico mumbled as he followed the road.

"You and me both." Jade said.

I ran my hand over my stomach and I could feel the baby moving. At least he was alive.

Jade placed her hand over mine and I saw her wrist was swollen.

"Jade-"

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

"How far from the main road are we?" Nico asked from the front. His hands were on the steering wheel tighter than normal but I knew his nerves were shot. We were all exhausted. But there was still a baby inside of me that needed to come out.

"About two miles. Don't go too fast or you'll flip this thing." She turned her attention back to me and there was a smile on her face. It made me uneasy. "Ready to have a baby?"

I laughed in her face. She was crazy. There was no way I was pushing that baby out.

She slid the seat back so she could see what she was going. Then she pushed my dress up. "Spread your legs."

My eyes flicked up to Nico who was doing his best to stare straight at the road. I had a feeling he didn't want to look back. I was already embarrassed enough.

I did as I was told and let her take over. She put a finger between my legs and I inhaled a sharp breath.

"Shit, this is going fast."

My eyes widened. "I need to make it to the hospital, Jade. I can't have the baby here."

She shook her head. "You're having the baby here, Sterling. You can't prolonge this anymore."

Tears welled up in my eyes and I struggled to keep it together. Without even knowing anything about my life back home, I knew that this was the most stressful thing that had ever happened to me. I was too young and inexperienced to have a baby and take care of it. I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready.

Her voice was softer this time when she spoke. "Sterling, I know you can do this. All you need to do is follow my instructions. I can do the rest."

"It's easier said than done."

She squeezed my hand. "You can do this."