g a scream from her raw throat. She gripped the m

u' re doing great," a nurse sa

use that followed, her eyes darted to the empty chair beside her bed. Mark was sup

another nurse asked, her fac

t, sweat sticking her hair to her for

and. "I' m sure he' s just

for weeks. She had called him right when her water broke, and he

earing from her lungs. The world blurred into a haz

she had to do it all over again. During the lull, she grabbed her phone aga

t, background chatter and mus

voice weak. "I' m at the hos

' s mother said, sounding distra

His phone is off. I' m wor

n. He probably just got held up. I' m at a charity gala right now

had nothing to do with the sterile hospital air. She was completely, utterly alone. She had n

door to her room swung open. A tall man in a tailored suit

ace in the delivery room. "Where is Mark? He mis

tartled. Sarah just sta

," she stammered.

eart monitors, the nurses, Sarah' s pale and sweat-drenched face. A flicker of

he said

roat. "Sir, this is a pr

him out, Sarah' s body seized w

ood frozen by the door as Sarah gave birth to her second da

brought her over. "Congratul

he bassinets. One of the nurses, assuming he was a family member, sm

' s neck. "I am not the f

e faltered. "Oh.

The situation was so bizarre it was almost fun

It was a number she didn' t recogni

ah Peterson?" a c

Ye

alling to confirm the cancellation of your postpartum caregive

ellation? I didn' t cancel anyt

band' s email address," the woman said. "He said your

lled the nanny. The one thing she had insisted

bright and clear. A sun-drenched beach, turquoise water. And walking along the sand, hand in hand, were her husband, Mark, and her best friend,