A Love Renewed

26 | Nightmares

- Riley -

That smell...I'd recognize that smell anywhere. That cold, stale yet clean scent of the hospital. My eyes were closed but I could still see the bright lights against my lids.

I felt weak. Drained.

Gently peeling my eyes open, I attempted to adjust them in order to take in my surroundings.

"Why am I here?" I thought to myself

I was alone, and I couldn't see a trace of anyone outside of my room window. My hands immediately grasped my stomach, but as soon as they did I knew something was wrong. I had a belly, but there was no movement. No life.

"S-somebody!" I hoarsely cried out "Somebody help!"

I was panicking. I didn't understand why I was here or why I couldn't feel my baby. My hands shaking in fear, I sat up and tried to get out of the bed.

"Someone please!" I begged "I need-" as soon as my foot hit the cold floor a pain shot through my stomach. I screeched in pain right as a nurse walked into the room.

"Mrs. Nelson!" She gasped "You have to stay in bed" she immediately caught me and attempted to help me back in the bed, but I pulled away

"No, tell me what's going on!" I was damn near in tears at this point, then another sharp pain struck through me. Holding onto my belly I began to cry as I sat back down on the hospital bed. The nurse took my hand and squeezed it before looking me into my eyes with sympathy

"I'm sorry, but the baby..." her voice trailed off and she slowly shook her head in sorrow

"W-what?..No..No , where is my husband? Where is Prince?!" I screamed

She gently held onto my wrists to keep me from attempting to get back up again

"He's gone ma'am. He left right after-"

"Gone? No he wouldn't leave me, he-" I suddenly became dizzy. It was slow at first, but within seconds the entire room was spinning.

"Prince!" I yelled in agony. If I could just see his face, if he would just answer me!

"PRINCE!" I tried to call his name again but nothing came out. It felt as if I was shouting, screaming bloody murder but no matter how hard I tried, not a sound would come out. So many emotions came over me, fear, anger, confusion. Nothing was making sense. Right as thought I was physically going to break everything went black.

I opened my eyes in a panic. The room was silent and black. There was no nurse. There was no hospital.

I immediately shot up and blindly reached for the lamp on the night stand. I switched it on and surveyed the room around me. I was home, in our bed. It was a dream.

My heart was pounding and I was drenched in sweat. I could feel my sleep shirt sticking to my wet back. I placed my hand on my belly and before I could even give my emotions permission to do so, I began to sob. Warm tears soaked my cheeks as I leaned down and cried onto my stomach. I was still in a frenzy and couldn't determine my dream from my reality.

"Prince" I called out as I cried. I didn't know if he was even home, but I needed him. I needed him to hear me whether he was physically here or not. "Prince" I cried again silently as I wept.

My hands roamed my belly. My chest pumped up and down as I feverishly tried to feel every part of my belly. I needed to know she was ok, I needed to know nothing was wrong and that it all really was just a dream.

The less I felt the more I started to panic. However the more I cried, the less I could physically feel. I had to calm down, I needed to calm down or I wouldn't be able to tell anything. I laid my head against the headboard and closed my eyes; forcing myself to breath slowly and hold in my cries. I sat perfectly still. One hand on the top of my belly and the other on the bottom.