Reaching for Happiness

Chapter 49

*NORMAL POV*

My eyes eased themselves open slowly, my eyes stinging slightly as light poured into my eyes. I felt something tugging at my skin. I reached down and felt stitches just under my stomach.. Then I remembered. The baby. I shot up in my bed, looking around for my baby, panicking.

'Woah, woah, calm down' Anna said, rushing over to me.

'Where's the baby?!'

'Chloe.. Listen' Anna started, sitting down on the edge of my bed.

'What?' I asked, worried.

'Jess, will you go and tell Mr. Merrygold that Chloe is awake please?' she asked a nurse. The nurse nodded and hurried out of the room.

'What is it? Tell me!'

'Chloe.. I'm afraid your baby didn't make it' Anna told me. My stomach lurched, my hands slammed to my mouth. Anna quickly grabbed a bowl quickly, just in time as I threw up.

'Please.. Tell me this is some kind of sick and twisted joke' I croaked, not quite sure what to make of the news.

'I wish it was.. But it's not. I'm so so sorry Chloe' she said supportively, rubbing my shoulder. I didn't know what to do.. My emotions were so mixed up. My face was expressionless and no tears were exiting my eyes.

'I'll leave you to be on your own for a while'

I sat there, thinking, still not sure how to react. Then, without warning, the door burst open, revealing Aston, tears streaming down his face, his eyes bright red and puffy. I'd honestly never seen anyone so devastated.. He marched over to me and pulled me into a tight hug. I could feel his tears dripping on my bag, only a couple of seconds in between each drop. I didn't hug him back; I just sat there, still confused. As he sat and cried, things started to sink in. We'd lost our baby. Our little one was gone. I slowly curled my arms around Aston, squeezing him tight.

After both of us had cried up all our tears, when we both had nothing left to give, we sat cuddled together on my hospital bed.

'Chloe..' Anna called quietly as she came into the room. I looked up at her, our eyes meeting.

'Yeah?'

'If you want to get discharged and get out of here, I can check your stitches over and then you can get going?'

I nodded, shuffling upwards in the bed. Aston climbed off and stood awkwardly in the corner.

'All done! You won't need to come back, the stitches will dissolve eventually' she smiled, once I'd been checked over.

'Can I see it?' I asked as she turned her back on me to walk out the room.

'See what?'

'The baby.. Am I allowed to see it?'

'I'm not sure that would be such a good idea' she warned.

'What, why? I want to' I said, looking to Aston, then back to her.

'Okay then..'

Me and Aston walked hand in hand down the corridor, following Anna. We reached a door, which Anna pushed open, leading us inside. There was a tiny incubator in the corner, although it was turned off.

'Was it a boy or girl?' I asked.

'A baby girl. I'll leave you to have some time alone' she said, before leaving us in the room. Aston squeezed my hand tightly as we walked over to see the tiny little baby wrapped up in a blue blanket.

'She's gorgeous' I breathed, tears slowly descending down my face.

'She has your nose' Aston whispered.

'And she has long dark eyelashes, just like you' I sniffed.

'And rosy red lips, like you' Aston said.

'She's so tiny'

'Do you think we should give her a name?' Aston asked.

'I like 'Little One'. It's perfect for her' I smiled.

'Me too' 

'Little One.. Me and daddy have to go now. But we both love you very much. Sleep tight, baby' I whispered, reaching out to touch the glass. Aston pulled me into a tight hug, tears streaming down our faces, before leaving our baby forever.