PECULIAR (✓)

42. Problems Arise

Cassius POV:

"Would you like to hold Clara, Cass?" My beautiful baby asks, gesturing to our beautiful miracle.

I swallow harshly, she seems so small and delicate, but holdable at the same time. I nod solemnly, wanting to hold my daughter in my arms.

I take Clara from Alettra's arms and I forget how to breathe. Yeah, I'm never letting go of her now. Clara fits perfectly in my arms and even snuggles into me slightly, making my chest swell.

She's definitely a daddy's girl.

She's so beautiful. My daughter. I smile instantly when taking in her familiar features. She looks exactly like her mother.

Beautiful like her mother.

I look at Alettra who still looks quite pale and shaky. God, if I didn't already love this woman with every fibre, I certainly do now. I could never do what she just did.

I look down to admire our daughter again. Our Clara. Her pink lips quirk and I just stare at her. Suddenly from the corner of my eye I see Alettra sit up, crying silently. "What's wrong Alettra? Are you okay?" I was extremely concerned and fearful.

She looks at me, breathing heavily, "I think something's wrong." She pulls back the red blanket covering her body. Underneath her, staining her gown and the bed is blood. A lot of blood rushed out from in between her legs.

"It hurts Cass," I quickly ring the bell for a nurse and as soon as she sees the river of blood travelling down her legs, they rush her to the theatre for an emergency surgery, leaving me with the baby in my arms. It all happens so quickly. I try to ask what's wrong, but the nurse just tells me to keep calm.

Suddenly, I hear Clara crying, as if she knows what's happening. That there's something wrong with her mum.

Oh God, we were happy just a minute ago. What is happening?

I continue rocking Clara in my arms, telling her everything will be okay. Her mum will be okay, she has to be. I don't think I could handle it if she wasn't.

"It's okay, Clara. It'll all be okay my sweet girl."

I sit with Clara, focusing on calming her. Clara grabs my finger making me smile, her blue eyes are more similar to my mum's. They shine just like hers did, twinkle with kindness and warmth.

The rest of her is all Alettra though. Her small nose twitching as she looks at me, reminding me Alettra. She's almost identical to her, and Alettra's only got to hold her once.

I try to stop my body from shaking, thinking about Alettra. Why were they taking so long? I hear footsteps and shouting making my head shoot up. That voice sounds so familiar. I look into the hallway, and see Alettra's mum Nina arguing with a nurse to tell her where her daughter is.

Unsure of what to do, I walk up to Nina with her granddaughter in my arms. "Um Mrs Reddy, hi you might not remember me, but I'-" Miss Reddy cuts me off with my name telling me she remembers and then shifts her gaze to my daughter in my arms. Her granddaughter.

"Miss Reddy, this is Clara. Your granddaughter." Mrs Reddy is still expressionless, she looks back up at me and asks if she can hold her. I nod, hesitant. I don't want to let go of her.

As Nina looks down at Clara, a smile spreads on her face. "She looks so much like Alettra," she whispers softly awestruck. My daughter will have everyone in awe I'm sure of it. I nod agreeing, still stunned by her shift in tone... And personality.

"Where's Alettra?" Nina's question has me ready to burst into tears all over again, but I push it down. "She got rushed into surgery, about an hour ago. No updates." Nina's beaming smile drops in worry and she presses a chaste kiss on Clara's hand.

Nina looks at me and truthfully says, "Alettra is a fighter, she's going to be fine. Trust me Cassius."

"You know, I was so shocked when the hospital told me Alettra had just given birth, but looking at Clara. Wow. Alettra was the same when she was born. Just calm and observant." I look at Nina still in shock. Alettra had been so worried about her mother's reaction to everything but she's fine, happy even.

Nina hands Clara back to me, and tells me she's going to find a nurse for updates and that I don't have to worry. I wait for another thirty minutes, holding Clara. She was really calm, barely moving. Nina walks up to me, back to being expressionless.

"Alettra had haemorrhage, causing her slip into a coma. She should wake up soon, her body is just recuperating. Giving birth put a great deal of stress on her fragile body, leading to internal bleeding."

I run a hand through my hair as Clara begins crying again. Nina takes her from my hands, telling me what room Alettra's in.

I run down the hall, but stop when I see her through the window of the door. My baby. The wires are hooked in her arms and her face. She looked almost grey, colourless and her red lips were dry and dehydrated.

Her beautiful earthy eyes are closed, resting they say, but Nina didn't sound hopeful. Neither did the doctor when he walked in to tell me about her condition.

She can't leave me. She can't leave me and Clara.

I grab her hand, still cold as ever. I shake her slightly. "Baby. Alettra. You need to wake up. Clara wants to see her mother. I need her mother... Please, baby."

We were both so worried about Clara, and her wellbeing. I neglected Alettra. Obviously, since her bones and organs were still weak from her eating disorder, but even the doctor's didn't even think this would happen.

"Alettra, your mum and Clara are getting on amazing. You would love to see them. I didn't notice it before but you look a lot like your mum, when she smiles that is. I think Clara is going to how the same smile."

"I'm gonna make sure Clara doesn't ever stop smiling, doesn't stop feeling loved and safe. I'm gonna need your help to make sure that happens so you have to wake up. Please."

Abruptly without warning, I start bawling my eyes out, more so than when Cyrus died, or when my parents died.

I realise the day is still the anniversary of Cyrus' death. Life really enjoys playing games with me. Just don't let it do the same with my daughter. She deserves her mother in her life.

Especially an amazing mother like Alettra.

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