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I groan before taking a sip ofmy instructions to the waiter that we intend to take our tiht

Gracen just grins at ine her evil laugh inthat perhaps the anticipation will just make it better

Chapter 26

Gracen

While I ency and importance of the neonatal unit, the sweet excite to irl named Erika J, it's hard not to be a little sad as I reminisce about Lilly as a newborn It's bittersweet that I'll never have another one of nant, because adoption is possible, but it just seems completely unforeseeable topessi I could ever want andanother child

"Gracen" I look up to see Monica standing there We usually share the same shift here in the nursery

"What's up?" I say as I rub sudsy ater over the baby's belly She strains against the sensation, opening herthat is not the secure woo

"You got a call at the nurses' station," she says as she walks to my side Her hands reach to take the baby from me, and wenewborns

I give her a smile as I dry my hands "Thanks I'll be back soon"

I leave the nursery and head to the nurses' station It's not a surprise to receive a call there while I'm in the nursery I keep my hospital-issued phone off when I'm in there so as not to disturb the babies

I step into the U-shaped station, which sits between the nursery and patient roo on the countertop, so I assume that's my call I pick it up and answer, "This is Gracen Moore"

"Gracen, it's Josie"

"Hey," I say brightly, happy to hear ether lately between our opposing shifts and such "Want to grab some lunch today?"

Her voice is calm and assured as she says, "Lilly is on her way into the ER She took a fall and cut her lip She's fine, but she's probably going to need soet here"

Took a fall

Cut her lip

Stitches

As a nurse I know this is not the end of the world As a"Oh God," I moan

Josie's voice rings clear and confident I expect she talks to many frantic parents this way "Gracen, she's fine so you need to calm down"

"How can you possibly know that?" I snap with hysteria tinging my voice "You haven't even seen her yet"

"Because I talked to Marek on the phone He tried to call you but your phone was off, so he called me"

Marek says she's fine What could he possibly know? He's been a dad for all of six weeks I'm quite sure he doesn't understand the severity of her injuries

"I'm on my way" I set the receiver back down onto the phone and ot to go down to the eht in"

Someone says, "I hope she's okay," but I don't even respond because hts are wholly occupied with Lilly and how badly she's hurt

Bypassing the staff elevators, which tend to run quicker than the regular ones, I hit the ehts of stairs to the e as quickly as I can through the hallways until I punch through the double doors that lead into the bay that holds all the rooms around the perione are the curtained rooency roolass walls partition each patient's roo privacy as required by law I look around frantically for soet nothing in return because everyone is busy

"Can someone tell me where Lilly Moore is?" I call out

A nurse sitting in the center station lifts her head to look at me, but before anyone can respond, Josie steps out of one of the rooms to my left I bolt toward her and she intercepts me before I can make it to the door

"She's fine but a little upset," Josie says softly, perhaps trying to reassure as well as warn ood if you can wipe that terrified look off your face"

It takes a moment forof worry

I take a deep breath and give her a half-assed sot this"