Chapter 8 - THE BABY
Three weeks later, Dela went into labor early.
She was thirty-three weeks pregnant.
Gus was in a meeting when the hospital called.
He left immediately.
He arrived at the hospital without his security detail.
Dela was terrified.
"Something's wrong."
"The doctors are handling it."
"What if—"
Gus took her hand.
"Don't borrow tomorrow's fear."
She looked at him.
"You don't know that everything will be okay."
"No."
His voice was honest.
"But you won't face it alone."
Hours later, a tiny cry filled the room.
A baby girl.
Small.
Furious.
Alive.
Dela cried.
Gus stood beside her, unable to speak.
The nurse placed the baby against Dela's chest.
Dela whispered her name.
Elias Rose Hawthorne.
Gus smiled through wet eyes.
"Beautiful."
Dela looked at him.
"You don't have to stay."
"I know."
He stayed anyway.
Not because he owned anything.
Not because he had power.
May you like
Because he wanted to.
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