Chapter 78


    Brandon rocked up to the hospital half an hourte, despite flooring it the whole way there and nearly


    getting a ticket for speeding. The distance wasn’t exactly a stone’s throw, and those damn traffic lights


    held him up big time.


    The moment he pulled up at the hospital entrance, he bolted out of the car and made a beeline for the


    outpatient hall.


    “Hey, could you point me to the maternity center?” he asked, breezing past the information desk.


    “Sixth floor, take a right out of the elevator, you can’t miss the signs,” replied the nurse at the desk,


    gesturing politely towards the esctor.


    “Thanks,” Brandon shot back, already on the move. He hit the esctor like it was a sprint, taking two


    steps at a time, and by the time he reached the sixth floor, he quickly spotted the maternity center,


    following the signs with arrows.


    It was bustling in the maternity center that afternoon. The ce was packed to the gills-from the


    information desk to the waiting room, with folks lined up to register, others queuing up to have their


    blood pressure taken or to get weighed, and a bunch waiting outside the fetal monitoring room. Not to


    mention the long benches outside each consultation room were filled with expectant mothers and their


    families.


    Brandon scanned the sea of faces, some weary, some buzzing with anticipation, some downright giddy,


    but none of them were Sophia. He approached the nurse at the desk, his eyes full of concern, “Excuse


    me, has there been a pregnantdy named Sophia here?”


    As he spoke, he jotted down Sophia’s name on a nk piece of paper on the desk. He then flipped out


    his phone to show the nurse their wedding photo, pointing at Sophia, “Is she still around?”


    The nurse nced at the photo and then pointed towards a door with lights zing above it, “She’s in


    there. She’s been in for a while


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    now.”


    Brandon’s face froze for a moment as he slowly turned to look at the maternity operating room.


    The door was tightly shut, the light inside was bright and clear, and the big red letters reading “IN


    SURGERY” were ringly vivid. He stood there, staring nkly at the closed OR door.


    The nurse at the desk noticed the veins in his hand standing out and his Adam’s apple bobbing


    furiously, his face taut, his eyes fixated on the door, unblinking. Concerned, she called out, “Sir? Are


    you okay?”


    Brandon nced back at her, shook his head slightly, and then walked towards the operating room


    door.


    Right at that moment, the OR door swung open.


    A nurse was wheeling out a bed.


    Among the blue and white, Brandon caught sight of Sophia lying on the bed, her eyes reddened from


    crying, looking weak.


    Sophia saw Brandon standing in the hallway too, his ck overcoat fluttering at the hem, his usually


    neat hair somewhat disheveled, clearly rushing to get there.


    Their gazes met in the air, both eerily calm, so still it was almost deathly.


    Brandon stood there, rooted to the spot, just staring at her, watching as she was wheeled closer by the


    nurse. His calm eyes were like a stagnant pool, the violent bobbing of his Adam’s apple betraying the


    storm of emotions within.


    Sophia’s lips quivered slightly, her eyes moistening again with tears she couldn’t hold back, as she


    averted her gaze just a bit.


    Brandon turned his head away too, his eyes shifting to the side.


    As the bed was wheeled past him, Brandon’s hand twitched and then gently grasped the bed rail.


    The nurse pushing the bed gave him a puzzled look, “May I ask who you


    are?”


    Her inquisitive eyes then shifted to Sophia.


    Sophia’s expression remainedposed. She didn’t look at the nurse or Brandon.


    Brandon turned to the nurse, “I’m the father of the child.”


    His voice was slow and hoarse, as if it had been worn down by sandpaper, rough and gravelly.