Chapter 4 - What They Chose to HandleThe doctor stopped just short of reaching us. He glanced back and forth between Levi and me. Before he could actually say a single word, the elevator chimed loudly nearby. My own parents stepped out, coats folded neatly over both their arms. They spotted the two of us immediately and walked straight over.
"How is she?" my mother asked, voice tight with apparent concern.
"Annie is stable," the doctor said simply. "Both babies are breathing entirely on their own now."
I let out a full sob and grabbed hard at Levi's sleeve. He was already crying too, silent tears sliding steadily down his own jaw. "She made it," I whispered. "She actually made it, Levi."
My mother moved closer, both arms held open for a hug. And every ounce of my own anger came bubbling straight back up to the surface at once.
I stepped back sharply. "Don't you touch me. Not after what the two of you actually did."
"What we did?" Mom frowned deeply. "What exactly are you talking about, sweetheart?"
I held up the contract for both of them to see clearly. The blood drained instantly from both my parents' faces. "You wanted to send her away entirely!"
"You don't actually understand what we were genuinely planning—"
"I understand it perfectly well. And you will not walk into that recovery room today and pretend you genuinely care about her. Not today. Not ever again, honestly."
"Of course we care about her," my father snapped back defensively. "That's exactly why we did all of this."
"He's the one who accepted actual money to marry her," Mom said, pointing sharply at Levi. "You can't genuinely be angry with just us, without also being angry with him too."
"You signed a contract specifically to get rid of her," I said flatly. "Levi signed one specifically to save her instead. That is genuinely not the same thing at all."
Voices had already started drifting into the hallway around us by then. Nurses passing through. Two women waiting in the maternity area nearby. Even one of the hospital volunteers had stopped pretending not to listen closely.
My mother glanced around the hallway, finally seeming to realize people had actually heard every single word exchanged. "This genuinely isn't the place for this conversation," she hissed under her breath.
"No," I said clearly. "The proper place for this conversation was three years ago, when you decided Annie was simply a burden that needed handling."
Around us, absolutely nobody moved. Every single face in that hallway had turned toward my parents by then. My mother lowered her own eyes first. Without another word between them, the two of them walked straight to the elevator and left entirely.
The whole hallway felt noticeably lighter, the moment those elevator doors finally closed behind them.
Levi touched my elbow gently, uncertain. "I'm genuinely sorry I kept all of it from you."
"You kept her genuinely safe. That's actually all that matters here."
May you like
A nurse appeared in the doorway nearby and smiled warmly. "She's asking for the both of you."
I laced my fingers through Levi's — the brother I'd very nearly misjudged forever. We walked together into the room where Annie waited, holding two tiny bundles, wearing a tired, entirely radiant smile.
