CHAPTER 002
CHAPTER 002
Despite being heavily sedated, Lori felt exhausted when she awoke—her entire body hurt worse than ever!
She experienced nightmares, too: hearing an infant crying inside of a crib while wrapped up, trying to reach it only for it to move further away when she reached out for it.
The next morning, she felt no better and still hadn't received visitor calls or text messages from anyone but Birdie from work asking when she would return to the workplace.
She hadn't given proper notice as to why she missed work; later that afternoon, she would text her boss with this information.
Hunch. She felt sick. True sickness crept across her.
Worse still was her new prproblem—herreasts. They were huge and rock-hard, causing pain when touched. She winced when touching them again a second time.
Her suffering was unimaginable.
The nurse arrived bearing an unusual breakfast tray—something she hadn't eaten the night before. Was something missing from her breakfast? Had she fallen asleep hungry?
How long was she sedated?!
"Good momorning,ori. How are you?"
Lori grimaced. "I feel even worse. My breasts ache so badly!"
As she reached for her tray, she declared, She was ravenous.
There was chocolate pudding, green beans, and scrambled eggs on offer.
"Oh no! UnUnfortunately,t happened. Our sincerest apology if this causes discomfort; they will likely remain very sore for several days."
"What?" The nurse responded with a small shrug and a slight smile.
"Well, your body has already prepared itself for motherhood by producing lactating hormones in response to being pregnant; thus causing lactation to take place and your breast milk production."
"But I no longer have my baby; she died before birth."
Lori growled bitterly as she used her plastic fork to attack a green bean with gusto.
"Yes. I know. And this is an awful situation to find ourselves in.
Lori found herself sympathizing with this stranger, yet Lori knew they wouldn't ever truly comprehend how painful her situation had become.
"If your breasts are bothering you, let me help with a solution!
"Let me see," replied the nurse as she looked her in the eye with hopefulness.
"What's happening here?"
mehis baby was also born around ththe sameime as yours, but unfortunately, her mother passed away soon afterwards; therefore, she cried all through the night after receiving formula; unfortunately, though, she's having difficulties taking to itit,o donating your milk might help."
Lori sat for some time, recalling the sounds from her dream and reflecting on what may or may not have been an actual infant crying in it. Was Lori experiencing dreamlike visions, or was there really one out there crying?
Lori answered immediately in the affirmative, and the nurse widened her eyes in response.
"Yes? Are Yoyouusure?" She nodded her head. When the nurse asked again if she was sure, Lori replied in the affirmative and smiled broadly as the two spoke further about it.
"Thank you. I understand the difficulty you are currently going through."
Lori laughed dismissively as she turned away in confusion. Lori simply had no clue.
"When I return, I will bring the umps and inform their family members."
Lori enjoyed her breakfast without anyone interrupting.
Twenty minutes later, as promised, the nurse returned with pumps, spoke about how quickly her client had agreed to their request, and left with milk that had been screened by health authorities.
Lori had just fallen back asleep when the doctor came back out for her routine check-up and found her post-section scar was healing quite well, according to him. Lori mentioned that Fullers had cleared her hospital bills, and her doctor confirmed that they had done so without any problems.
Good. She couldn't pay for it herself because she didn't have much savings to speak of.
Although their agreement stipulated they would cover any hospital bills, she wishes she could have seen him first before they took him away.
Gabriel had no plans of leaving the hospital; even after suffering no sleep at all for days on end, he just couldn't bear leaving his daughter behind.
He hadn't decided on a name for Suzie yet, as they hadn't come up with one together. The name must fit her because whatever he came up with had to be perfect.
As soon as he heard from the doctor that Suzie hadn't survived childbirth, he quietly made arrangements for her funeral—she wasn't related to anyone that he knew, so no funeral arrangements could be made on her behalf.
Her only relative was her daughter.
He remembered how when she first lay in his arms, she immediately stopped crying when he gently stroked her head.
Despite her small size, everything seemed to move around her when she gazed into his eyes with genuine focus and contemplated their significance for each other.
Gabriel knew at that instant nothing else mattered; all that mattered was protecting her with everything he had.
Caine passed all tests with flying cocolors. She was an exceptionally healthy child.
She was fine— completely fine. The doctor assured him several times of this while imploring him to go home and get some rest.
But why was she still crying?! He rerecognizednough of her wailing to now rerecognizet. According to the nurse, it appeared she was simply hungry despite taking formula supplements, but they seemed insufficient compared to how ravenous she seemed to be. She seemed completely ststarved
Gabriel quickly understood why Suzie had given them milk that could sustain them both as babies since now the milk had run dry, and the pup would likely become ravenous as she developed. Unfortunately, Suzie could no longer provide that sustenance, and therefore, she needed her support in some other form to survive and flourish as they both grew into themselves.
Gone. He would always be there for her.
"Good nenews,rMr.aine," announced a nurse as they approached his private waiting area when his daughter took a nap in the nursery.
A nurse had come in earlier and informed him they had found an adequate donor, an individual willing to donate her breast milk.
After screening his breastmilk for quality purposes, she assured him they would give it to his daughter.
He felt relieved. Her life wouldn't quite replicate that of her mother's, but something would change...
He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice when his beta and housekeeper came in to visit.
"Hi Gabriel! I heard your news! Please accept my condolences!"
MrMrs.race shouted as she ran up and gave him a warm embrace.
Gabriel let out a soft sigh, relaxing into her hug before pulling back quickly to resume walking around the store.
"Gabriel, please accept my deepest apology for what has occurred with Suzie; she simply wanted to be a mother."
Draco replied. Gabriel nodded and expressed his appreciation: She will certainly be missed... and our daughter misses her. already..…
He announced, and MrMrs.race joined them.
"How is your daughter?"
"She is fantastic; very healthy indeed. "
MrMrs.race appeared to sigh. By the way, you look so tired; we've been waiting patiently for you. Perhaps taking a quick shower at home and resting up would do you good."
Gabriel gave her an indifferent response.
"I don't want her to be left here alone—just a few more hours will pass, and we can leave." There arisust some unfinished business regarding Suzie's body that needs to be addressed first."
Suzie was unknown to him. If she did have family, they never mentioned themselves.
He had no option other than taking charge of her funeral and interring her body in his family crcrypt—somethinghthathould have been done long ago in her hohonor
"Yes, but rest is what's required right now; Grace could stay and watch over the baby until its due date comes around."
Gabriel was shocked. All his emotions and stress levels combined would only intensify their effects. Gabriel shuddered as the full moon rose higher over him.
Draco had made the right call.
He nodded. "Okay. Let me leave Grace in charge for now; I need to speak with the doctor."
He made his announcement as he rose and left the waiting area.
She received approval and permission to return home two days later, despite her persistent soreness.
Grace Miller felt like the caretaker for this young child who had lost both parents.
They would come over every three days to collect her milk, and this generous woman would give her pumps, bags to store milk in, breast cocovers, and all manner of additional accessories to ease pumping sessions.
Lori enjoyed how flexible their arrangement was: at any point, she could opt out without incurring pepenalties—sheruly valued that feature of it all.
Lori had refused the woman's offer to see their child immediately.
Giving so much was already too much. She only did it because the baby needed and wanted her help without becoming attached to or emotionally invested in what happened next.
She attempted to reach the Fullers, but they wouldn't answer their phone. All she wanted from them was an explanation and location information.
She wanted to visit her baby's grave.
But no. Even then, they refused her this right.
He left the hospital different from when he entered it; she left on her own this time around and headed back towards his dismal life and job.
She felt empty. Her stomach had dramatically shrunk five days earlier; both the bump she once held tightly within was long gone—along with any memory of a potential new addition that had once lived inside of her.
She remembered feeling fatigued as she stood before the bathroom mirror on the day she would be released and looking in front of it, panning herself across it in front of an image of herself in which her Mediterranean skin appeared paler than ever and her lips paler still than normal.
As she applied makeup in an attempt to hide her ghostlike features, it soon became evident that nothing would help cover up the heavy bags under her sunken eyes.
No matter what she did, nothing worked; anyone looking at her would easily recognize she was hiding something.
How will she ever recover?