Emma stayed in the hospital for four days. Four days of monitoring, medications, and the constant fear that each time a nurse checked her, they'd find no heartbeat.
But the baby held on.
Stubborn, Alexander said. Like its mother.
On day five, Dr. Martinez arrived in person, having flown up from New York to assess Emma's condition herself.
"The bleeding has stopped, which is good," Dr. Martinez said, studying Emma's chart. "But Emma, I need to be very clear about what's happening. This isn't just high-risk anymore. This is what we call a critically threatened pregnancy."
Emma's hand went to her stomach instinctively. "What does that mean?"
"It means your body is trying to reject this pregnancy. The embryo implanted too close to your cervix, which creates pressure on the uterus. Add in your stress levels—which, despite best efforts, remain elevated—and your body is in a constant state of fight-or-flight. That's incompatible with sustaining a pregnancy."
