Page 49 of Protecting Salvation

Chapter15

“Areyou sure this is okay? I don’t want to intrude.”

Aoife sighed and turned to Bram who was looking uncomfortable in a room full of women in differing stages of pregnancy. “Bram, tell her it’s okay she’s here.”

Bram pinned her with a confident gaze but she could see the fear in his eyes. “We want you here, Peyton. Aoife loves you and so do I and, honestly, I’ve never felt more out of my element.”

Peyton patted his arm. “It’s normal to be nervous but I’m sure everything will be fine and you’ll get to hear your baby’s heartbeat today and see that cute little blob on a screen.”

“Can you believe something that is only the size of a bean is making me feel so sick?”

“I can and it will be worth it.”

Aoife grinned and hooked her arm through Peyton’s. “You know, I always thought you’d have kids before me.”

Peyton huffed. “Really? I never gave it a lot of thought.”

“What about now? Can you imagine how gorgeous your babies would be if you and Hurricane have kids?” She frowned. “Although with his size, you might not recover from birthing them.”

“Aoife!” Bram shook his head.

“What? It’s true. Hey, maybe you can ask for a sunroof exit if you two have kids.”

“We haven’t even talked about kids and our future isn’t exactly a straight run to happy ever after, is it?”

“I know, but it’ll be fine. Savannah is on the case and she’s amazing.”

She was and Peyton had first-hand experience of just how good she was. She’d saved her life for sure and she just hoped she could pull off another miracle and save the man Peyton had come to realise she was in love with.

Aoife had her name called and she filed in quietly, feeling slightly awkward about intruding on this private moment between the parents-to-be but Aoife had begged her and Bram had even called to ask if she’d come. She got it, nerves were normal and Peyton was Aoife’s touchstone to the past but she needed to let go and let Bram step up. Hopefully, after this, she would.

Melting into the background she watched with tears in her eyes as the tech found the shape of the baby and pointed things out to her friend and her husband. The heartbeat was strong and she locked eyes with Aoife when they heard it. Aoife mouthed thank you, which was unnecessary. Aoife always acted like Peyton had saved her but she’d saved herself. Peyton nodded and slipped out of the door while Bram hit the poor ultrasound tech with a barrage of questions she wouldn’t be able to answer.

Walking outside she dabbed at her eyes and sucked in a breath, needing a few minutes. She wanted to call Warren but he’d been a little distant since Monday and she didn’t want to bother him while he was working.

A flash of movement made her turn and she saw her client rushing out of the Accident and Emergency door with her head down. She’d been concerned her husband was hurting her again and by the way she was walking, she guessed she was right. Her body was locked up tight as she held her ribs. It made her so mad to think of that sweet woman putting up with shit but abuse was a complex and prolonged attack that broke the spirit long before it broke the body. Nobody ever thought they’d become a victim, no girl thought she’d put up with it which was why it was so hard to help victims. They blamed themselves for it because that was how twisted and calculated the abusers were.

“Hilary.”

The woman stopped like a rabbit caught in headlights, her gaze flashing around until it settled on her and Peyton walked toward her slowly like she was a cornered animal about to bolt and that was how she looked.

“Dr Lawson.”

“Hi, how are you?”

Her head nodded. “Fine. Yes, I was… um… visiting a friend.”

Peyton didn’t call her out because what was the point of that? Hilary always said her husband would kill her one day and it wasn’t uncommon for her to hear that. Peyton truly believed that if Hilary didn’t leave the man she’d married, then one day she’d end up dead. She’d never met him but everything she’d heard convinced her that he’d either end up killing his wife or he’d end up dead. She knew which she preferred.

“You missed a couple of appointments.”

“Work is busy.”

“Will you be in this week?”

Hilary looked around the carpark and paled. “I have to go.”

Peyton watched her scurry off as a car pulled up and she got in. Peyton didn’t need to be a genius or trained like Shadow to know who was in the car.