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?”

“I’m still on

me worry about getting in touch with John. Focus on getting Hannah to the hospital

was speeding rather wildly down the roads. He wrinkled his brow as if he was ponding over

“What’s wrong?” I prompted.

go down to take a look,” he

in the yard with a puddle of blood forming beneath her. She looked rather dazed and on the verge of

us, she heaved a sigh of relief. Then she fainted dead away without

the hospital, Hannah was quickly wheeled into the ER. It was only then that I let out the breath I’d been holding

to see streaks of blood all over his body. His hands

dreadful state. He then commented ruefully, “I’m fine! I’ll

were trembling slightly from the shock, and I crumpled onto a chair along the hallway. I quickly clung to Ashton once I’d

experienced a miscarriage washed over

“Don’t worry, nothing bad is going to

I took out my phone and called John

a woman’s voice, however, that answered. “Hello, Mr. Stovall is currently in the shower. Please call

 The voice sounded

John on the line,”

on the other end for

my voice hardened. “Get John on

seemed to have discerned my displeasure. She stuttered, “Ms. Stovall, Mr. Stovall’s really in the shower right now.

dignify her with a response. I flung the phone away

survived that sudden bout of violence, clattering onto

retrieved the phone. He deftly extracted the memory card,

arrived in no