Five Minutes Before “I Do”

I moved on instinct to grab Sandra, but she lost her footing and slammed onto the floor.

"Mom… My baby…"

She curled up, groaning. A dark stain spread beneath the white fabric of her dress, soaking through inch by inch.

Margaret screamed, "She's bleeding! Get her to the hospital!"

Caleb didn't wait. He lifted Sandra and rushed for the door.

Logan followed, then turned back at the exit and pointed at me.

"If anything happens to her, you're done!"

They were gone in seconds. The room fell quiet.

Dad crouched down, picking up the pieces of the phone Caleb had smashed. His back was to me as he wiped his eyes.

"How did it end up like this… Asher, you're not going through with the wedding? This is on me. My health put you in this position."

He pushed himself up along the wall, slow and unsteady. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he pressed one hand to his side and his whole body trembled.

My chest tightened.

In my last life, his condition crashed that night, and the pain had him thrashing on the floor. Now, it was happening even earlier.

I didn't hesitate. I stepped in and held him steady.

"Dad, none of that matters. We're going to the hospital. We'll pay today and get you scheduled as soon as possible."

He shook his head and tried to push me away. "I'm fine. It's just a cramp. Don't waste the money. Save it and find someone better…"

"No." I didn't back down. "We're going."

I flagged a cab and headed straight for the hospital.

I handled registration and the tests, moving back and forth between counters until I finally got him into a private room.

When the results came back, the doctor said Dad was stable and cleared for surgery. They could take him first thing in the morning.

The pressure in my chest finally eased.

I took the card with the 300 thousand and went to pay. When the payment cleared, my eyes burned.

Last time, he died in that hallway because we didn't have this money.

This time, no one was touching it.

I left him in the room and went downstairs to get food. The moment I stepped outside, I found the Crowes waiting.

Sandra had a bandage wrapped around her head. She saw me and came straight at me, hand raised.

"Asher, you killed my baby. You owe me!"

Margaret swung a thermos at my head.

"You piece of trash! You shoved her into that table and killed my grandchild! You're not leaving until you answer for it!"

Logan stepped in and drove his foot into my stomach.

"If you don't come up with a million today, your sick dad won't make it through the night!"

He shoved his phone in my face, already live, shouting into the camera.

"Everyone, take a look! He dumped his wife and beat her until she lost the baby!"

People slowed down, watching and whispering. I knocked Logan's hand aside and pulled out my dad's phone.

"You all know whose kid that was. The miscarriage has nothing to do with me. Stop this now, or I'm calling the police."

"You think that helps you?"

Sandra laughed, sharp and unsteady.

"The baby's gone, and you have no proof left. I say you did it, and that's all anyone's going to hear. When the cops show up, they'll take you!"

I looked at her, then raised the phone in front of her face.

"Then take a look at this."