Chapter 9 - Richard Thought He Had Finally Made Peace With Claire—Until a Medical Emergency Sent Him Rushing to the Hospital and Brought Back Every Emotion He Thought He Had BuriedThe call came at 3:17 a.m.
Claire had collapsed.
Julian was out of town.
Richard was closest.
He drove to the hospital.
The old hallway looked exactly the same.
For a moment, he was twenty-seven again.
Terrified.
Powerless.
He found Claire unconscious.
The doctors rushed her away.
Richard stood outside the room.
His hands shook.
He called Julian.
“She's here.”
Julian's voice broke.
“I'll be on the first flight.”
The doctors eventually came out.
Claire had fainted from exhaustion and dehydration.
The baby was safe.
She would recover.
Richard sat beside her when she woke.
Claire opened her eyes.
“Richard?”
“I'm here.”
She smiled weakly.
“Why?”
“You called?”
“I don't remember.”
He shook his head.
“Julian is flying back.”
She nodded.
“Thank you.”
He smiled.
“You're welcome.”
Then Claire touched his hand.
“You really have changed.”
He laughed softly.
“So have you.”
“No.”
“I have.”
She looked at him.
“You stopped needing me.”
He shook his head.
“I stopped needing you to need me.”
She smiled.
“That is a very different thing.”
“Yes.”
He stood.
“I'm going home.”
Claire looked confused.
“Why?”
“Because Julian is coming.”
She smiled.
“You're not jealous?”
“No.”
“Not even a little?”
Richard laughed.
“No.”
“Good.”
He walked toward the door.
Then turned.
“Claire?”
“Yes?”
“I'm glad I saw you that day.”
She frowned.
“At the hospital?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I finally realized how much I'd lost.”
She smiled.
“You didn't lose everything.”
He looked at her.
“No.”
“You found yourself.”
Richard nodded.
Then he left.
Julian arrived hours later.
Claire was already resting.
He kissed her forehead.
“I love you.”
“I know.”
“How is the baby?”
“Fine.”
“And you?”
“Better.”
She smiled.
“Richard came.”
Julian smiled.
“I know.”
“You're not upset?”
“No.”
“He stayed until I woke.”
“Good.”
Claire looked toward the door.
“He finally understands.”
Julian kissed her.
“I told you he would.”
Several months later, Claire gave birth.
Again, a healthy child.
A little girl.
They named her Emma.
Richard attended the celebration.
He held Emma carefully.
Thomas stood beside him.
“That's my sister.”
Richard smiled.
“Yes.”
“Dad says she's stubborn.”
Richard laughed.
“Then she'll fit right in.”
Claire watched from across the room.
She realized then that sometimes healing didn't mean forgetting.
It meant remembering without pain.
Richard had once been the man who told her she needed him.
May you like
Now he was the man who knew she didn't.
And strangely, that was the reason she could finally trust him.
