�So am I, Sweets,� Nickolas said grasping her hand tighter. �So am I.� He kissed her hand.
�Are you sure this is what you want?�
�Definitely.� He smiled. �The next time will be your choice.�
�I�m hoping there isn�t a next time.� He looked at her. �I want to give ya children, but not under these circumstances.�
�I know. Maybe we�ll get lucky next time.�
�I hope so.� He grinned. �I�m just hoping you won�t regret this.�
�I won�t so don�t worry about anything. I ain�t going anywhere and I�m staying right here with you.� He kissed her and smiled. �We can try later on if everything is all right.�
�I don�t deserve you.�
�And I don�t deserve you, but we�re stuck together, because I ain�t going anywhere and neither are you.�
�Not even for the world.� She kissed him as Dr. Matheson walked in.
�I�m glad to see you�re feeling good to make out with your husband,� Dr. Matheson said and they looked. �It�s all right with me though. I already walked in on more than that. Things I care not to remember witnessing.� They chuckled.
�It was just a loving kiss,� Nickolas said.
�I won�t tell,� Angelina said. �Now Sunn I�m going to have to examine ya quick, so Nick step outside please.�
�Can�t he stay?� Sunshine asked.
�Any other day I�d leave him, but the head pediatrician is here and it�s his rules.� She rolled her eyes. �He�s coming in to evaluate your situation. It�ll probably take about five minutes and then ya can come back in for the procedure. If ya want.�
Nickolas sighed and said, �Alright.� He got up. �I�ll be right back.� He gave Sunshine a kiss and she watched him walk out. Nickolas stood there by the room for a moment and watched a doctor walk in. He then walked to the waiting room and saw his brother and Drake sitting there. �Hey, guys.� They looked.
�Nick, hey,� Drake said giving him a hug.
�What are you doing here?�
�Well, everyone�s up north with Howie,� Aaron began, �so we decided to be here for you and my future missus.� He smiled.
�You�ll get your future missus.� They all laughed. �I don�t plan on leaving her anytime soon.�
�Good,� Drake said. �She needs you.�
�And I need her. Thanks for coming.�
�Anything for my big brother,� Aaron said. �And my future wife.�
�You won�t have any future anything if you keep your shit up. Sunnie don�t want you. You�ve know that the past six years. Move on already.� Drake laughed and Nickolas looked at her. �Perhaps you can keep my brother otherwise occupied. You�re a beautiful sexy talented smart caring loving funny young woman like my Sweets.�
�Thanks, Nick,� Drake said. �And I�ll try my best.�
�Whatever,� Aaron said and Nickolas put him in a headlock.
�I should kick your ass right now,� Nickolas said.
�Why?� Aaron asked.
�Yeah, why?� Drake wanted to know also.
�For what you said to Sunnie the other day,� Nickolas stated.
�What�d I say?� Aaron questioned.
�Mr. Carter,� the nurse interrupted.
�Yeah,� Nickolas and Aaron said and Nickolas added, �Not you.� Aaron smiled.
�You may go back in with your wife now,� the nurse said.
�Thanks,� Nickolas and Aaron replied and Nickolas� hold got tighter.
�You guys are nuts,� Drake said.
�Thank you,� the brothers said.
�No problem,� Drake said.
�I�m going back in with Sunnie,� Nickolas said. �So I�m going to leave ya go.�
�Alright,� Aaron said and Nickolas left him go. �Thank you.�
�Yeah,� Nickolas said. �I�ll let ya guys know.�
�Alright,� Drake said and Nickolas walked away. �Do you just do that to agitate Nick?�
�Sometimes,� Aaron replied as they sat down.
�Of course.�
�But I ain�t going to tear them apart. I know how much they love each other.� Drake nodded. �I�ll find someone as great as Sunn one day.�
�Yes you will.� Aaron smiled and looked at her.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Did ya hear from Sunn and Nick yet?� Brian asked Danielle.
�Well Aaron called a few minutes ago and said they were getting ready to start,� Danielle replied. �Nick told him to call and let ya know.�
Brian nodded. �I was thinking about taking a ride down. What do ya say?� Danielle just looked at him. �What is it?�
�Nothing. I just don�t think now is such a good time.
�Why not? They need the support.�
�I don�t think from a couple who�s going to have a baby in a few months.�
�Kevin and Venus are on their way down now.�
�But we�re not them.� He looked at her. �Sunn will know.�
�And how will she?�
�I don�t know. Ask her. She knew Jo and V were pregnant without them saying anything.�
�I don�t think us having another baby is going to matter too much to Sunn and Nick.�
�You don�t know Sunnie Jo.�
�And you don�t know Nick.� They looked at each other. �Sunn will most likely have a lot of drugs in her so she won�t know.�
�You think it�s that simple don�t ya?�
�Nothing is simple, Danielle.�
�Alright.�
�What is your problem?�
�Nothing.�
�If it�s because we�re having another baby don�t forget it was your idea. Even after ya found out about Sunn and Nick�s situation when I was against it.� Danielle just looked at him. �Well don�t ya think it�s a little too late to decide not to have one now?� She didn�t say anything. �Don�t even think about getting an abortion, because if you do it�ll be the end of us.�
�Why not? Sunn is.�
�Because it�s a life and death situation and it�s what Nick wanted. Besides, Sunn is no my wife and you are.� Danielle shook her head. �I thought you didn�t believe in abortion?�
�Neither did Sunn.�
�This is not about Sunshine. This is about you and me.�
�So Sunn�s the perfect one now?�
�I never said that and I sure the hell don�t think it. Sunn�s been your friend your whole life and this is how you treat her. I think I�ve been a better friend to her than you have been the past few months.�
�She is my friend and how dare you say that I haven�t been a friend.�
�You said it yourself that you�ve been a bitch to her.� She slapped him across the face. �So this is how it�s going to be then, huh? What do I tell Sunn if she asks where you are?�
�I don�t care. Tell her anything ya want.� She stormed out of the den and a few seconds late Brian heard the front door slam shut then he heard her car.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nickolas watched as the nurses quickly wheeled Sunshine out of the room. Something had to go wrong, he thought. Or perhaps it was normal. It couldn�t be normal. By the look on Dr. Matheson�s face told him it wasn�t normal. He looked around the room wondering what to do next. His wife was hurting and he couldn�t do anything for her. All he could do was just stand there and wonder. For the first time in his life he couldn�t help her and he hated it. He wanted to do something for her, but had no idea what. He looked at the door as it opened.
�Nick,� Angelina said. �This is Dr. Lewis, our head pediatrician.�
�Please let�s keep this casual and call me Jacob,� Dr. Lewis said and Nickolas nodded. �Your wife is on her way down to the OR.�
�Why the OR?� Nickolas asked. �What�s wrong with her? I thought she was going to be fine.�
�Sunshine is hemorrhaging pretty badly,� Dr. Lewis explained. �It�s not rare, but for as bad as your wife is hemorrhaging something had to go wrong. We need to do the surgery to find out.�
�Is-Is she still bleeding?�
�We had it stopped for a few seconds.�
�What does that mean?�
�Sunshine started bleeding again,� Angelina stated. �In order to stop it we have to find out what�s causing it. We have to do the surgery, Nick. If we don�t stop the bleeding it�ll most likely continue and Sunn will die within the next 24 hours.� Nickolas just looked at her.
�She�s on her way down now,� Jacob said. �But we still need your ok since you�re her husband.� Nickolas didn�t say anything. �Nick? We need your ok.� He still didn�t say anything.
�Nick?�
�Yeah,� Nickolas said coming out of his daze.
�Alright,� Jacob said. �I�ll have a nurse bring you down to the OR waiting area.� Nickolas nodded and the two doctors walked away.
�Damn, Sunnie, hang in there,� Nickolas said to the quiet. He took a deep breath then walked from the room. He slowly walked to the waiting room and stood at the doorway and looked at Drake and Aaron who had there backs turned. He just stood there a moment then walked in and over to them.
Drake looked up and said, �Nick, hey.� Aaron looked. �What�s wrong?�
�They had to take Sunnie to surgery,� Nickolas replied.
�What happened?� Aaron asked. Nickolas told them everything that was going on and they just looked at him not saying a word. He finished up just as a nurse joined them.
�Mr. Carter,� the nurse said.
�Yeah,� Nickolas said.
�I can take ya down if you�re ready.�
�Yes.�
�Just follow me.�
�Ok.� The nurse started walking and the three of them followed.
CHAPTER 29 CHAPTER 31
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