The Royal Contract

1028 Shortly

No one was taking a life.

Not today.

On the contrary, they were here to welcome a new family member as he stared at the people surrounding him with mixed anxious and excited expressions on their faces.

He could not blame them since he had also felt the same way as he rushed to the hospital to be at her side. But the doctors informed him that it might take a while before their baby would see the light of this world.

“The doctors believe our child wants to make a grand entrance.” Alex jokingly informed everyone who was lounging patiently in the waiting room.

As much as he wanted the suffering of her wife to end and finally meet his child, he had to endure the wait just like the rest of their family and friends.

“I am sure it will not be that long now.” Laura walked toward him, standing before him. Then, her palm captured his face, cradling both his cheeks as if he was a child.

He remembered that his mother used to do this when he was a child. Maybe all mothers utilize this technique to calm their sons or daughters during stressful situations.

Anyway, he was glad that his mother-in-law came as soon as she heard the news. Dani wanted their entire family to be here to share this wonderful day. His parents were on their way, but their flight might take a few more hours.

.....

Hopefully, they would be here in time for his child’s delivery. If not, they would be here to see their first grandchild. They had been expressing their wish for a new prince or princess in the family. Now, it was about to come true.

“Aren’t you going to tell us yet the gender?” Jacky stood beside him, joining in the conversation.

He was glad that she seemed fine to talk about their baby. Maybe she still felt the pain of losing her child, but she was managing it much better now. He only hoped it would continue until she and his bestfriend were blessed again with another one.

“You already waited this long. A few more hours or minutes would not kill you.” He was adamant about safeguarding their secret.

He and his wife decided to determine the sex of their child. But they kept that information to themselves, refusing to reveal it to anyone else. Because for them, it should not matter if they had a son or a daughter. The only thing they cared about was the health condition of their child.

And, of course, he needed assurance that his wife would be ok after her labor. He heard that there were occasions when complications happened during childbirth.

There were instances where the father would have to choose between the mother and the child. Or, in a worst-case scenario, he could lose both of them in a snap of a finger.

It was a nightmare that he never wished to come true. He would not know if he would want to live without Dani and their child in this lifetime. He hoped fate was still on his side and would not deal him with such destiny.

“You and Dani and your secrets,” Jacky exasperatedly uttered when he would not reveal the gender of his child to her or anyone else in the room. They would all find out together once Dani delivered their baby into the world. “But I am happy for both of you.” She added.

“How is she doing?” Haley moved closer to the group with Dani’s secret brother with her.

“If you need me, I will just sit over there.” Marcus excused himself. But Alex knew he was avoiding being in the same space as Gerald.

Marcus still believed that his sister was better off with someone else. But he and Dani could not convince Haley otherwise. He could not blame his friend since he had also known what kind of man Gerald was.

If he had a sister, he would not want her to have anything to do with this dangerous man. Although he was trying to act civil around him, he still could not forget his participation in which he almost lost his and his wife’s life. Something like that was hard to forgive and forget.

“She is doing well. In pain, but the doctor said that it was only natural.” It was hard for him to watch her, seeing how her face contoured in pain whenever she had a contraction.

But she assured him that she was ok. For how long, he could not help but wonder. As the time for her to deliver the child, the pain would increase, and her condition could turn critical, especially with the complications she had already experienced during her pregnancy.

The doctors suggested an operation, but she refused it. She wanted natural birth delivery of their child. She only agreed to a caesarian section as a last resort.

“I am sure that she will be just fine.” Haley attempted to comfort him, but he already knew the odds. But he was hoping and praying for a better outcome.

He could see a few more people further inside, waiting to talk to him, but he saw a doctor approach, and his attention went to him immediately. He turned in his direction and waited for his announcement.

“Mr. Blackstone.” The woman in a pinkish scrub suit called to him.

“How are Dani and my baby?” He quickly responded to the doctor, interrupting her statement out of excitement and nervousness.

“I am here precisely because of that.” She seemed to chastise him for cutting her off. “They are both being closely monitored. So far, they are doing fine and stable.”

The doctor had taken good care of Dani, and he did not doubt what she said. She was one of the best doctors in this state. Therefore, he knew that his wife was in good hands.

Still, he could not help but feel terrified because even the best sometimes lose without any reason. It just happened despite all the best circumstances. He just hoped that it would not be in this case.

“It will not be long now.” She told him, reassuring him again, just all the times he had accompanied his wife to see her.

He would finally see his child shortly.