No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

The baby was premature, arrived at just seven and a half months.

Almost translucent, lying there in the incubator, it was heart-wrenchingly fragile at first glance.

Fanny couldn't be sure if the little one would make it; it all depended on some kind of miracle now. Haley's attempt to jump off a building ended in failure, but the baby ended up suffering because of it.

Haley herself wasn't in good shape either. A ruptured uterus led to a heavy bleed and the eventual removal of her womb.

It was a miracle she survived.

As for her future, I couldn't bring myself to care anymore.

But I felt bad for the baby, devoid of a biological father, not recognized by the elderly Martins, and it was uncertain if Haley could ever love him.

If she did love this child, she wouldn't have put herself through so much turmoil.

When Ernest came to pick me up from the hospital, his face was stone-cold. Fanny nudged me with her shoulder, "Your man's not happy."

I could see that too.

"Mixing up with Conrad like this would upset anyone," Fanny reminded me.

I wanted to explain, but Ernest was already in front of me.

at

presence alone seemed to drop the temperature

he's never shown me this

unharmed, but I knew today's events could have ended differently, and I might not have been here to

to him. "I'm

silent. I took his hand, "I promise I won't get involved in their

Fanny coughed lightly and

"Mr. Collins, your

to keep that frown.

me but asked

Fanny really was like a sister to me.

I replied cheekily

hand rested on my head, and in

a mix of vulnerability, relief, and a bittersweet sort

Fanny said,

back, "There's something

at her. She had her hands

you do?"

"I'll be

you two