“I don’t want to stay here,” she argues, voice rising. “I didn’t sign up to spend my evening in a hospital. I’m pregnant. I’m not feeling well?—”
“Then we’ll have a doctor look over you.” Nick tries to help her up but she smacks his hand away.
“I don’t want to see a fucking doctor,” she hisses at him. “I want to go home.”
“Enough,” my mother cuts in, stepping forward. Her voice is calm but firm. “Nick, take her home. Now.”
Elisha looks smug. Nick just looks pissed.
He grabs his keys. “Fine. I’ll take her. But I’m coming right back.”
“Excuse me?” Elisha snaps. “You’re going to leave me at home by myself? You’re staying with me. There’s no reason to come back here. That bitch isn’t dead!”
“Watch your mouth, Elisha.” My mother’s voice is cold now. “I am willing to tolerate quite a lot, but not disrespect. Natalie is part of the family now.”
“And I’m the one carrying your fucking grandchild,” Elisha sneers.
“So is she!” Caleb gets to his feet, pissed.
“Yeah,” she scoffs. “We’ll see for how long.”
“Control your wife, Nick,” I say harshly. “And if she cannot be expected to behave like a civilized person, stop bringing her around the family.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Elisha struggles to her feet. “I’m the daughter-in-law of the Wilder family. She’s just a whore you knocked up!”
“Enough!” Nick grabs her arms and gives her a furious shake. “I’m taking you to your mother’s.”
“No, you’re not!” She sinks her nails into his arms. “You’retaking me home, and you’re not coming back here! Or I’m never letting you see this child.”
Nick pales, and she smirks. “Exactly. You’d better fall in line, Nick.”
My father rarely intervenes, but he approaches Elisha, his voice harsh. “Do not ever threaten my son, Elisha, or use that tone with my wife. This child is ours. And if you want to employ dirty tactics using it, I will ensure that you never see this child.”
Elisha goes still, her body quivering in rage. “You can’t do that. I’m its mother.”
“It? You mean your son?” My father’s voice is chilly now. “You are on thin ice, and I will not tolerate your attempts to isolate my son from his family. Take her to her mother, Nick. And come back.”
Elisha bursts into tears. “Are you going to let him talk to me like that?”
Nick just ignores her. “Let’s go.”
When she realizes her tears are not having their intended effect, they dry up in the next heartbeat, and she huffs, stalking off toward the elevator.
"Drama queen," Megan mutters under her breath.
“Mom.”
My father is comforting her, and she looks up when I call out to her. “Is Natalie?—?”
“She’s fine. Can you go be with her? I don’t want to leave her alone, but I have to go deal with the police.”
“We’ll go as well.” Megan gets up, pulling Caleb along with her.
“I’ll stay here and wait for the surgery to be over.” Dad looks tense.
My phone begins to buzz as Jake approaches me.
"Derrick." I press the phone to my ear. The deputy policecommissioner's voice comes through clearly despite the distant sound of sirens and traffic from his end.
