Chapter 2 - The Empty Hospital Bed
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Daniel practically tore the emergency room doors off their hinges as he rushed into the bright, sterile lobby of St. Jude’s Medical Center. The receptionist, a tired-looking woman in a faded green scrub top, jumped as he slammed his hands down on the front desk.
“My wife,” Daniel panted, his breath pluming in the cold air that rushed in behind him. “Emma Carter. She’s eight months pregnant. She was supposed to be admitted for severe preeclampsia.”
The receptionist began typing rapidly, her eyes scanning the monitor. “Carter… Emma Carter. Let me check the maternity ward and the emergency logs for the last twenty-four hours.”
Daniel paced back and forth, dragging his hands through his snow-dampened hair. Every second felt like an hour. He kept looking at the heavy double doors leading into the trauma unit, expecting to see a doctor rush out with terrible news.
“Sir,” the receptionist said, her brow furrowing. “We have no record of an Emma Carter being admitted today. Or yesterday.”
“Check again!” Daniel shouted, drawing stares from the few people sitting in the waiting room. “Her doctor is Dr. Aris. He ordered an emergency admission. I have the paperwork at home!”
A tall man in a white coat stepped out from behind a glass partition. It was Dr. Aris. He looked at Daniel with a mixture of confusion and deep concern.
“Daniel? What are you doing here? Where is Emma?” the doctor asked.
“I was hoping you could tell me,” Daniel said, his voice breaking. “She left the house last night. She left a note. I found the medical forms behind her ultrasound picture.”
Dr. Aris sighed heavily and motioned for Daniel to follow him into a private consultation room. He closed the door securely before turning to face the frantic husband.
“Daniel, I told Emma to bring you with her to the appointment on Tuesday,” Dr. Aris said quietly. “When I told her how dangerous her blood pressure was, she begged me not to call you. She said if you found out, you would force her to stay in the hospital, and she needed to finish something before the baby arrived.”
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“Finish what?” Daniel asked, completely bewildered.
“She wouldn't say,” the doctor replied. “But she was terrified. And Daniel… she wasn't terrified of the medical condition. She was terrified of whoever has been following her.”
