Page 117 of Don't Think

I need Jax.

“It means it’ll be hard,” he says gently. “But not impossible. There are still options—IVF, surrogacy, adoption. All of them are great paths if and when you’re ready.”

He gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “If you do get pregnant naturally, it’d be considered high-risk because of your injuries. But you’re not alone—we’ve got some amazing support groups for this sort of trauma. I’ll make sure the nurse gives you all the information before you leave.”

He offers one last kind look before getting up and heading toward the door.

“Wait!” The word bursts out of me, my voice cracking. “What about Nora?”

He pauses, his hand still on the door handle. “The nurse said you have a few friends waiting outside with your husband. Would you like us to bring them in?”

My husband?

“Y-yeah. Please,” I say, my voice sounding just as confused as I feel.

“They’ll be right in,” he says with a soft smile before the door clicks shut behind him.

And then I’m alone. Sitting in this stiff hospital bed, feeling cold andhollow.

My chest tightens, and all I can think about is wrapping my arms around my girls. The thought that I almost didn’t make it.That I was so close to never seeing them again. It’s tearing me apart.

But before the breakdown can hit full force, there’s a soft knock at the door. Then a nurse pokes her head in.

“Allie? You have three visitors, but we can only bring in two at a time,” she says. “Do you have a preference on who comes first?”

“Can you send Nora and Ana in? I’d like to see Jax after, please,” I answer quietly.

“Sure thing, hon,” she says, and slips back out.

I close my eyes, trying to ride out another wave of emotions crashing over me.

The pain. The confusion. All of it.

I take a deep breath and do my best to hold it together. I can’t fall apart in front of them. Not when I know they’re carrying their own pieces of this. We all are.

The door creaks open, and Ana walks in first with Nora just behind her. They move slowly and take the chairs beside my bed. Nora’s arm is in a sling, and she has a split eyebrow, but she’s here. Breathing.

And I’msograteful she’s okay.

“Hey,” Ana says softly, placing a warm hand over mine.

Nora sinks farther into her chair and takes in a sharp, trembling breath.

“Nora, it’s okay,” I whisper, reaching out and motioning for her to come closer.

She slides her chair forward and gently lays her head on my lap. I start rubbing slow circles on her back, trying to soothe her while she quietly falls apart.

“I’m so sorry, Allie,” she says, looking up at me with tear-streaked cheeks and eyes full of guilt.

I shake my head, trying to keep my voice steady. “You don’t need to be sorry, Nora. This isn’t your fault.”

“Yeah, but if I hadn’t been such a jealous bitch, you wouldn’t be here.” Her voice cracks while she sits up, gesturing toward the hospital bed. “We were just supposed to grab breakfast. And now you had emergency surgery, and I find out I’mpregnant? What the hell is happening?”

Wait. Nora’s…pregnant?

Nora’s pregnant. And I might never have another baby.

The thought hits like a punch, stealing the air from my lungs.