The Rain Ceased
After roughly half an hour and as the rain ceased, Harold stood up from the booth, bid farewell to Lily, and exited the diner. He paused for a moment, watching Lily warmly greet the other patrons with a smile.
To Harold, she was unique. Yet, Lily was unaware of the secret he harbored from her and the rest of the world. Would this secret ever come to light?
Laying On The Hospital Bed
Amanda Jacobs lay on the hospital bed, clutching the sheets as waves of pain coursed through her. It was a warm spring day in Fernbrook, Santa Monica, but the outside world felt distant and irrelevant.
Nurses bustled around the room, their movements a blur to Amanda. Beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, and her breathing came in shallow gasps. The flickering fluorescent lights seemed to sync with her erratic heartbeat, casting eerie shadows across the sterile room as she prepared to deliver her first baby naturally.
Contractions Grew
The contractions grew shorter, and she struggled to endure the pain. Everything was happening so quickly; this wasn’t her expected delivery day.
At 32 years old, she strained her neck to look down the corridor. "Where is he?" Amanda whispered, her voice almost drowned out by the hum of medical equipment. Panic gripped her chest as she realized she was alone. The absence of her husband felt like a gaping void amid her suffering. Did he even know she was at the hospital?
A Resident Doctor
The resident doctor, a compassionate middle-aged woman, furrowed her brow in concern. "Mrs. Jacobs, is there anyone we can contact for you? A family member or a friend?"
Amanda shook her head weakly, her thoughts clouded by pain and confusion. "I... I don't know," she murmured, her voice trembling. "He was supposed to be here." The doctor attempted to gather more information, but Amanda's pain made it difficult for her to respond. It was clear that an emergency delivery was imminent, and they needed to act quickly.
Connecting To Reality
As Amanda's contractions grew stronger, her connection to reality began to wane. Fear clawed at her, a primal urge driving her to seek comfort in her absent husband's embrace.
Suddenly, the door flew open with a loud bang, startling Amanda. A tall figure stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the harsh corridor lights. Straining to see through the glare, she finally recognized the figure and sighed with relief.
Overcome By Worry
Joshua burst in, breathless and disheveled, his face etched with worry as he locked eyes with Amanda. Their neighbor from across the street, Joshua had been there when Amanda’s water broke at home and had driven her to the hospital.
Clutching a bowl of ice cubes, he hurried to her side. "Amanda!" he exclaimed. "I'm so sorry I took so long. I got them as fast as I could." He hadn’t anticipated the trouble he would face for helping her.
Her Face Lit Up
Amanda's face lit up with relief when she grasped his hand. "Joshua, I'm so glad you're here," she said.
Joshua responded with a comforting smile, gripping her hand firmly. "Don't worry, Amanda. I'm here for you. We'll face this together." Throughout the labor, Joshua remained by her side, providing steady encouragement and support. He held her hand through every contraction, his presence a soothing constant amidst the chaos. However, his presence puzzled the hospital staff.
Bedside Assistance
Joshua sat beside Amanda, feeding her ice chips and gently wiping her forehead with a damp cloth.
"I'm here, Amanda," he reassured her. "I tried calling your mom, but she didn't answer. What happened? Where's Benjamin?" Amanda's relief was evident as she grasped Joshua's hand. "I don't know," she said, tears welling up. "He... he said he'd be here." Her hope was beginning to fade.
Determination
Joshua's face set with determination as he addressed the doctor. "We need to locate her husband. Immediately." Matching his urgency, the doctor nodded. "I'll start making calls," she assured, quickly leaving the room to get assistance.
Left alone again, Amanda clung to Joshua for support. His steady presence was a lifeline amid the chaos of her labor pains, a comforting familiarity among the strangers around her.
Minutes Turned Into Hours
As minutes turned into hours, the room's tension grew heavier. Amanda struggled to remain calm, her anxiety mounting as she faced the situation alone.
Her contractions intensified, and she was nearly ten centimeters dilated; the baby’s arrival was imminent. While the hospital buzzed with activity outside, Amanda’s delivery room felt frozen in time, far from the experience she had envisioned.
Another Visitor
Finally, the door creaked open, admitting the doctor and another figure shrouded in darkness. Was it her husband Benjamin?
Amanda's heart leaped with hope as she strained to see who had arrived. The pair were both in medical scrubs and seemed to be having a serious conversation. She watched them talking in hushed whispers. But as the figure stepped into the light, Amanda's blood ran cold. It wasn't her husband.
The Other Doctor
It was the obstetrician on duty, Dr. Rajah. He nodded toward Amanda who gave him a weak smile.
The doctor, a seasoned professional, furrowed his brows, glancing around the room. "Where's your husband, Mrs. Jacobs?" he inquired, concern evident in his voice. Amanda shook her head weakly, her voice strained. "I don't know… he was supposed to be here…" It was starting to become embarrassing; the doctors needed a family member to be present.
Waiting To Deliver
The doctor exchanged a puzzled glance with the nurses. It was unusual for a woman to be in labor without the presence of her spouse or family.
Amanda herself was so embarrassed she didn’t know what to say. But there was no time to dwell on it as Amanda's contractions grew stronger. Amanda shook her head weakly, her breath hitching with each contraction. "I don't know where Benjamin is," she gasped, tears welling in her eyes. "He was supposed to be here." She didn’t know what her husband was up to.
Out Of Reach
The doctor exchanged a worried glance with the nurses. Something wasn't right about this situation.
But before he could inquire further, the door burst open, and a disheveled figure stumbled into the room. It was Joshua, Amanda's neighbor, his eyes wide with panic. "I'm sorry, Amanda," Joshua panted, his voice strained. "I tried to reach your family, but I couldn't get hold of anyone. I had to bring you here myself." It was bad news.
Thanks For Helping
A wave of relief washed over Amanda as she reached out to grasp Joshua's hand. "Thank you, Joshua," she whispered gratefully. "I don't know what I would have done without you."
Joshua nodded; his gaze filled with determination. "I'll stay with you until your family arrives," he promised, squeezing her hand reassuringly. Amanda told him that her family was supposed to arrive the next week because her water broke early, they didn’t know what was happening.
A Strange Man
In the delivery room, the atmosphere was tense as the doctor and nurses worked tirelessly to bring Amanda's baby into the world.
But amidst the chaos, there was a moment of confusion as the doctor realized there was an unfamiliar man in the room. He seemed to be lingering towards the back. "Who are you?" the doctor asked, his tone sharp with suspicion. He didn’t realize then that it was an intruder in the delivery room.
Do You Work Here
The man, who had been standing quietly in the corner, looked up with wide eyes. "I'm… I'm just a friend," he stammered, backing away slowly.
The kind doctor signaled to one of the nurses to get the man out of the operating foyer. He was possibly a security risk. But before the doctor could question him further, he disappeared through the door, leaving behind a lingering sense of unease. Amanda had no idea that a stranger was watching her give birth.
A Busy Delivery Room
As Amanda's labor intensified, Dr. Fuller and the nurses sprang into action, their focus solely on delivering her baby safely into the world.
Amanda had opted for an epidural, it helped her more than she cared to admit. Her labor was grueling and she was already at the hospital for 7 hours. She had waited 9 months for this moment and she always thought her husband would be there. But like everything else, she had to do this alone.
A Frantic Friend
Meanwhile, in the waiting area just outside the delivery room, Joshua paced back and forth, his heart pounding in his chest.
He glanced at his phone, willing it to ring with news from Amanda's family, but it remained stubbornly silent. She was delivering in disappointment.
Joshua still didn’t manage to contact any of her family and nobody had returned his calls. Hours passed in a blur of pain and exhaustion, until finally, the moment arrived.
The Birthing Story
Inside the delivery room, the tension was rife as Amanda labored on, her cries echoing off the sterile walls. She needed support but her husband was still missing.
Poor Joshua was asked to leave the delivery room because he was screaming more than Amanda was. It was a grueling experience. The doctor worked swiftly and efficiently, but his mind was elsewhere, troubled by the absence of Amanda's husband. Was she going to deliver the baby alone?
A Baby Is Born
With a cry that echoed through the room, baby Riley was born, a tiny bundle of life cradled in Dr. Fuller's hands. She saw them cut the umbilical cord.
Amanda's tears flowed freely as she gazed down at her newborn son, her heart overflowing with love and relief. She did it all on her own. She watched as the nurses cleaned him up and weighed him. He was a perfectly healthy baby boy. She couldn’t wait to hold him in her arms.
Who Is He
As the baby finally made his entrance into the world with a triumphant cry, the doctor's eyes fell upon a man he hadn't noticed before.
He was standing near the doorway, his expression a mix of awe and apprehension. He stared for a while. He thought he was having déjà vu. The doctor was taken aback as he asked the nurse to tell him to leave the premises. Did nobody else notice the strange man lurking in the maternity ward?
The Baby Ring
The kind doctor was busy and couldn’t leave Amanda just yet. But as Dr. Fuller examined the baby, his brow furrowed in confusion.
The nurses had only taken the baby away for two minutes. There, nestled in Riley's tiny fist, was a glint of gold. The doctor had never seen anything like it before. With trembling hands, he pried open the baby's fingers, revealing a delicate gold band. Was he born with it?
Who Did That
The doctor couldn’t hide what he found; it was glinting in the light. It was without a doubt, a gold wedding band.
The exhausted mother was getting impatient and she wanted to hold her baby. "What's this?" Amanda whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. Dr. Fuller's mind raced with questions as he showed Amanda the ring. She was stunned for a moment. Who had put it there? And why?
A Secret Memento
Before he could investigate further, his attention was drawn to movement outside the delivery room window. Peering through the glass was a man, his features obscured by shadows.
Dr. Fuller's heart skipped a beat as he noticed the telltale sun tan line on the man's left hand—a mark left behind by a wedding ring. Who was he? And what was his connection to Amanda and her newborn son? It must be his ring, it’s the only logical explanation.
The Silent Giver
As the man disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind more questions than answers, Dr. Fuller couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over him.
He still had to finish his procedure with Amanda and he couldn’t leave her yet. It was the strangest delivery he ever had. It was clear that there was more to this story than met the eye, and he was determined to uncover the truth, for Amanda's sake and for the safety of her precious baby boy, Riley.
Was He Here
Amanda's eyes widened in confusion as she stared at the ring, her heart sinking with realization. She was confused.
She held her baby boy close to her chest. "What does this mean, Doctor?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion. “I thought you could tell me, Amanda,” the doctor said in a caring voice, “Would you like me to call the therapist in?” he asked. Something told him that Amanda needed backup.
Does This Belong To You
Dr. Fuller's mind raced as he considered the implications of the unexpected discovery. Something didn’t add up.
“It seems to be a wedding ring Amanda; does it look familiar to you?” he asked gently. But the tired mother shook her head in shame. Before he could respond, he noticed a figure slipping out of the delivery room, unnoticed in the chaos of the moment. This time, he wouldn’t let him get away.
Right Behind Him
Determined to unravel the mystery, Dr. Fuller followed the retreating figure, his steps quickening with each passing moment.
As he emerged into the corridor, he spotted a man standing just beyond the doorway, his back turned to the doctor. This was his moment. He quickened his pace and stood directly in front of the strange man. He wanted to get a good look at his face. There was a high chance that he was an imposter.
Unveiling The Imposter
The doctor quickly pulled the mask off his face. He startled the man who stopped dead in his tracks.
"Excuse me, sir," Dr. Fuller called out, approaching the stranger with caution. "I couldn't help but notice..." The man turned to face Dr. Fuller, his eyes red-rimmed and filled with tears. "I'm sorry," he choked out, his voice thick with emotion. "I couldn't stay away, but I didn't want to cause any trouble." He didn’t realize who he was talking to.