Chapter 3: The Tremor in the Cradle
Lucas found Hannah still sitting on the nursery rug, trembling violently, her hands resting tightly over her belly.
""Hannah... sweetheart, look at me,"" Lucas whispered, dropping to his knees, wrapping his arms around her with infinite gentleness.
Hannah buried her face into his burgundy sweater, sobbing with an agonizing, delayed terror. ""Lucas... the baby... she kicked so hard when Evelyn grabbed me. My stomach feels tight...""
Lucas’s heart seized. He lifted Hannah gently into his arms, carrying her down to his SUV.
Within twelve minutes, they arrived at the emergency maternity triage unit at Greenwich Hospital.
Dr. Sarah Jenkins, their obstetrician, conducted an immediate fetal non-stress test and high-resolution ultrasound.
The room was filled with the rhythmic, galloping sound of the fetal heartbeat: *thump-thump-thump-thump*.
""Fetal heart rate is stable at 145 beats per minute,"" Dr. Jenkins announced, her voice calm and reassuring. ""No signs of placental abruption, and no premature cervical dilation. But Hannah’s blood pressure is dangerously elevated from acute psychological stress. She has mild bruising on both deltoid muscles from forceful grip marks.""
Dr. Jenkins looked at Lucas, her expression turning stern and protective. ""Lucas, this stress cannot happen again. If her pressure spikes like this in week thirty-six, we are looking at emergency pre-eclampsia.""
Lucas took Hannah’s trembling hand, pressing her fingers against his lips, tears of fierce repentance burning in his eyes.
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""It will never happen again, Dr. Jenkins,"" Lucas swore. ""I am taking my wife away from this town tonight.""
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