Chapter 7 - SOPHIE
The operating room was painfully bright.
Nathan sat near Emma’s head.
He held her hand.
Nothing else.
Emma could hear the doctors speaking.
Calm voices.
Quick movements.
Medical words she tried not to understand.
Nathan kept his eyes on her.
“Talk to me.”
“About what?”
“Anything.”
Emma’s voice trembled.
“The bookstore.”
Nathan nodded.
“Tell me.”
“The floor upstairs slopes toward the kitchen.”
“Okay.”
“The bathroom faucet screams.”
“That sounds charming.”
“It is not charming.”
Nathan laughed shakily.
Emma did too.
Then a sound filled the room.
Small.
Sharp.
Angry.
A baby crying.
Emma stopped breathing.
Nathan’s face collapsed.
The doctor smiled.
“There she is.”
Emma began sobbing.
Nathan lowered his head against her hand.
Their daughter was lifted briefly into view.
Tiny.
Red-faced.
Furious.
Perfect.
“Five pounds, eleven ounces.”
Nathan laughed through tears.
“She’s so small.”
A nurse brought the baby close enough for Emma to see.
Emma touched one tiny cheek.
“Hi.”
Nathan stared.
“Hi, baby.”
The little girl cried harder.
Emma laughed.
Nathan whispered, “She already hates me.”
Emma looked at him.
“No.”
The word came automatically.
Nathan’s eyes met hers.
Something moved between them.
Not forgiveness.
Something gentler.
The baby needed additional monitoring because she had arrived early.
Nathan followed her to the neonatal unit only after Emma told him to go.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t leave her alone.”
Nathan nodded.
“I won’t.”
Three hours later, Emma woke in recovery.
Eleanor was sitting beside the bed.
Emma blinked.
“What are you doing here?”
Eleanor smiled through tears.
“Nathan called me from the hallway like a twelve-year-old boy.”
Emma almost smiled.
“The baby?”
“Stable.”
“Nathan?”
Eleanor looked toward the door.
“He has not moved from that nursery window.”
Emma closed her eyes.
“What are we calling her?”
Eleanor asked.
Emma opened them again.
“Sophie.”
Eleanor smiled.
“Sophie Whitmore.”
Emma hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
The door opened.
Nathan entered slowly.
He had been crying again.
“She squeezed my finger.”
Emma smiled.
Nathan sat.
“Sophie.”
He said the name like it was sacred.
Eleanor quietly left.
Nathan looked at Emma.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For letting me be here.”
Emma’s expression softened.
“She’s your daughter.”
“I know.”
Nathan looked toward the nursery.
Then his phone vibrated.
He checked it.
Daniel Mercer.
Nathan silenced it.
Emma noticed.
“Answer.”
“No.”
“Nathan.”
He hesitated.
Then answered.
Daniel’s voice was audible in the quiet room.
“The board voted.”
Nathan’s face changed.
Emma watched him.
Daniel continued.
“You’ve been removed as chief executive.”
Silence.
Nathan looked toward the glass separating them from Sophie.
Emma whispered, “Nathan.”
He ended the call.
Then he put the phone facedown.
“My daughter just grabbed my finger.”
Emma stared at him.
May you like
Nathan smiled faintly.
“I can lose a title today.”
