Marissa was sitting on a chair jotting down something on the writing pad. Her small food business was slowly expanding but she was avoiding taking any more orders now.

Though there were still three months in her delivery, but her doctors had strictly asked her not to put work pressure. The triplet pregnancy required more care and support.

Yes. She was expecting triplets.

The third sac was not visible on her first ultrasound and was now getting bigger along with the other two.

She sometimes felt like she was so lucky to be blessed with three babies. She might not have Rafael with her, but his three kids were growing in her belly.

“You are sitting there for too long, Marissa.” Sophia placed her bag on the couch and strode to the kitchen to get herself iced water.

Having a gynecologist friend might have its perks but the most difficult thing for Marissa was, that Sophia was making her follow every instruction from her doctors quite strictly.

Though she was herself a gynecologist but due to security reasons she had started freelancing for pharmaceutical companies.

They both knew that they couldn’t hide forever, but Sophia made it a point not to get a job. Rafael was not a fool and would start his search from all the Maternity homes and hospitals.

Sophia and Flint had been her true friends and her biggest support.

“Instead of keeping an eye on a pregnant woman, go and find yourself a job!” Marissa stuck out her tongue to annoy her friend. Sophia placed a bottle on the desk,

“Here. Drink this. Coconut water. Best for babies and their mommy.” Marissa opened the bottle at once. She must have taken one or two sips when she placed back the bottle with a hiss.

Sophia’s ears perked up at the sound, “What is it?”

“Nothing. Just those Braxton Hicks contractions. My body must be preparing itself for the birth.” She told her friend and got busy with the orders’ record.

She was working hard enough to at least buy a laptop so that her business records could be computerized.

Deep inside she knew, she would meet Rafael someday. She wanted to show him that she was not as weak as he had thought of her. One day she wished she could spit on his face and tell him that she was never after his money. That day while facing him she would give him the impression of a strong woman who was thriving financially to support her babies.

Big companies had already started contacting her and she wanted to expand her staff too after the birth of her babies.

“You haven’t named your business yet. You should do it to apply for the logo and all.” Sophia suggested.

“AHC!” Marissa gave her a sheepish smile, “Alexander’s Homestyle Catering!”

“Wow! That’s catchy!” Thankfully Sophia didn’t ask her about the name Alexander.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Marissa nodded in satisfaction and then hissed again, “I knew you’d like it … oh … oui.”

“Marissa,” Sophia turned and looked sharply at her friend when she heard her gasp, “Marissa. You look pale. Is the pain too much?”

Just then Marissa clutched her tummy tightly and screamed in agony.

She stood up with one hand on her back and the other placed on her protruded belly that looked heavy due to three babies.

Sophia reached to her in a jiffy to support her.

“Take me to the couch. These must be fake contractions.” She tried to put up a brave façade for her friend’s sake when another contraction hit her.

Sophia made her sit on the couch to make a call for an ambulance. These pains didn’t look normal to her.

While Sophia was dialing the number her eyes fell on Marissa’s legs and she screamed in panic, “Oh, God. Marissa. Blood.”

Marissa looked down and found blood trickling down her legs drenching her clothes and the couch.

***

“Relax! Just relax. Take a deep breath.” Sitting in the backseat of the car of a kind neighbor, Sophia was wiping her forehead with a wet washcloth and all Marissa wanted to do was to die.

Her grip on Sophia’s hand was so tight that Sophia thought her wrist might crack any minute.

“S… Sophia… I want him.” Tears started falling on her face and Sophia knew who she was referring to. All this time she kept a brave face and kept struggling.

She never tried to bring his name to any discussion. But today it felt like she was giving up.

Sophia knew that Rafael was his first love but that as*shole didn’t even listen to her side and discarded her.

His blind trust in Valerie and Nina might cost his kids’ lives.

“Marissa. He wasn’t worth it. If he was, he’d be right here holding your hand.”

Marissa felt like the space between her legs was ripping off if she didn’t reach the hospital on time.

When her feeble body couldn’t take it anymore, her eyes rolled back, and she slipped into oblivion.

***

Her eyes fluttered to the noises in her head,

“Get an Oxygen mask.”

“Stabilize her breathing.”

“Check her vitals!”

“Bring the damn crash cart!”

“Counter check on internal bleeding!”

She felt as if someone was barking orders in her sleep. She wanted all of them to go quiet because she wanted to sleep.

She wanted to sleep on his chest, “Rafael,”

She drifted into deep sleep thinking of him. When she got back her consciousness there was silence around her.

“Hey, sweetheart. Welcome back.” This was the first voice that reached her ear.

“Sophia!” her hand crawled to her flat tummy, “Babies. My babies. Sophia, where are my babies?”

Instead of answering her, Sophia broke the eye contact and tried to smile which faltered.

“Sophia,” she asked in a feeble voice, “my babies? Are they alright?” Several tears started traveling from her lids to her ears, absorbing in her green hospital gown.

“Marissa.” Sophia wiped her face, “Don’t worry. The doctors are with them. They will make it.”

“What? Where are they?”

Just then a nurse came inside, “Ms. Sophia we need you to sign a form. The babies might not make it. One of them has already slipped into Coma.”

“My babies!” Marissa cried brokenly, “Rafael. Look what I’m going through without you.” After that, she slipped back into that deep void.