When There Is Nothing Left But Love

I nodded and took a deep breath. Having calmed down slightly, I asked Hannah, “Where are you now? Send me your address, and I’ll come over right away.”

“OK!’

After we’d ended the call, I found Ashton looking at me anxiously. “What’s going on?”

“I think Hannah’s going into labor. There’s no one with her right now, so I’m going over,” I said, already making a beeline to my wardrobe to change.

When I had finished, I saw Ashton waiting for me at the door with his car keys in hand.

I was startled but had no time to question him. We immediately got into the car and headed off towards the address Hannah had given.

On the way, I began dialing John. None of my calls were successful.

“Why isn’t John picking up?” I fretted.

Ashton continued driving, his eyes fixed serenely on the road. “Don’t get all flustered yet.”

I knew that I had to compose myself but couldn’t keep my hands from shaking. Hannah’s baby was only seven or eight months old. How can she suddenly be going into labor? Something must have gone wrong.

It was precisely at this crucial moment that John had chosen to go missing.

I considered briefly and decided to give Louis a call. It was quiet on his end of the line. Louis’ rich voice came through clearly. “Scarlett, what’s up?”

“Uncle Louis, where’s John? I think Hannah’s going into labor now. Can you reach him?” I asked hurriedly.

Louis paused, then said, “I’ll look into it. How’s Hannah doing?”

still on my way over to

dear. Let me worry about getting in touch with John. Focus on getting Hannah to the hospital as soon as

speeding rather wildly down the roads. He wrinkled his brow as if

“What’s wrong?” I prompted.

won’t be able to enter. I’ll have to go down to take a look,” he said,

of blood forming

relief. Then she fainted dead away without saying a

wheeled into the ER. It was only then that I let out

to see streaks of blood all over his

down at his dreadful state. He then commented ruefully, “I’m fine! I’ll go

onto a chair along the hallway. I quickly clung to Ashton once

last time I experienced a miscarriage washed over me

worry, nothing bad

subsided, I remembered my original mission. I took out my phone and called John again. It rang

however, that answered. “Hello, Mr. Stovall is currently in the shower. Please call

voice sounded

John on the line,” I

end for a while. “Are you

hardened. “Get John

really in the shower right now. I’ll be sure to

with a response. I flung the phone away from me without even

was rather hardy and survived that sudden bout of violence, clattering onto the floor with only

up and retrieved the phone. He deftly extracted the memory card, then casually

his own phone, Ashton dialed Joseph. Joseph arrived in no time at all, bearing an