Highest Bidder

Chapter 23: Hellfire

I can't believe he fucking left me here!

I can't believe that he yelled at me!

I can't believe what he said.

Our daughter.

Everyone looks at me.

Everyone heard the whole call.

Everyone is conflicted on the matter.

"Helen, he just wants you safe." Marcus says. The tall black man in front of me hardly scares me. He maybe 6'5 but I probably have more balls than him.

"Do you realize what is going on? Bodies piling up! Injured people needing help. And I'm a bloody doctor who can do that!" I yell at him and he crosses his arms.

"Think about it this way, Helen. You have three kids, a baby, a pregnant woman and three other adults who may also need medical attention. Let alone a whole apartment building. We are far away from the Dam or really any other hospital. What if we need medical help here? What do we do? Fend for ourselves?!" Marcus makes his case and I growl.

"Martin! Tell him! Tell him I need to go. Replace me with Iggy! Or Val? Diana! Max! The Dam needs doctors to function and without Bloom or Reynolds- I need to be there! I am deputy medical director!"

"Helen- did you not hear what he said? He wants you safe with your daughter. You would think that would be enough to get you to stay?" Martin says and I close my eyes momentarily.

"I want to protect Luna and keep her safe! I do! But I'm also needed out there- on the front lines. One doctor can make a difference."

"Yes, but what if that difference is someone else over Luna?" Martin states as he holds Samara close to his side. My heart sinks in my chest. I didn't think about it like that. "If both of you go out there and something happens- what happens to Luna? Hmm? She loses the two people in the world who love her the most. Max made a tough decision and he didn't make it lightly. But he made it for a reason. He already lost Georgia...don't give him the chance of losing you too."

He snaps and goes and sits with his kids on the couch. Ella comes over and hands me Luna. The little girl is fast asleep and I feel like a terrible person.

"I'm sorry..." I say starting to cry. They look at me. "It's just, I have always looked after Max. Through everything. I'm by his side. This is scary and dangerous and I'm scared I'm going to lose him cause I'm not there. I can't lose him either. I can't."

I sink into the couch with Luna. Ella and Amy sit on either side of me and rub my back.

"It's okay. He will be okay." Amy says and moves my hair out of my face and over my shoulder. "There's a reason your here and there's a reason Max is at the Dam. Everything will be okay."

"Whhhhhooo, I hope so, because I do not feel good." Ella says and we both look at her.

"What's wrong?" I ask and she seems fidgety.I hand Amy Luna and kneel in front of Ella.

"Well, I mean. I'm feeling like I'm cramping, but I'm also very OCD and I have panic attacks when I'm stressed out or put in scary situations...whoooooo, and I just don't feel right. I don't know what's wrong."

"Ella, when is your due date?" I asks and she shakes her head.

"Next Saturday...you don't think I'm going into labor too? Do you?" She starts hyperventilating and I feel her pulse. It's racing.

"I just need you to calm down a bit, Hen. Okay? Marcus, get me a glass of water please." He brings me over one and Ella looks at me.

"What's that for?"