*Chapter Song-Never Alone*
*Jim Brickman, Lady A*

"I had warned you, Hailey. But you thought it normal and took me as a fool. Just because I'm your friend, it doesn't mean that I'm not a doctor."

"Meril stop this and tell me what's wrong with my baby? She never got faint like this." Hailey replied crying bitterly, gazing with fixed eyes at sleeping Cora in the corner of the room.

"I don't want to scare you but this could be serious. I have given her injections. She will be fine in some time but we need to get her tested. You can take her home as she gets back her senses but make her rest as much as possible.". Dr. Meril ordered while writing down something on her pad.

"Here, I have written the address of the lab go there tomorrow and get all tests reports to me as soon as possible. I will inform them, don't worry about the fee." Meril added, knowing the poor financial condition of her friend.

"Meril, you ... I'm not doubting you as a doctor but can you please tell me. Is all this happening because I couldn't nurture her well?" Hailey requested for answer with pleading eyes.

"Hail, trust me it would be the best scenario if it's the case of just malnutrition." Meril exhaled holding her friend's shoulder firmly.

Her words scared Hailey to the core," What do you mean by that Maril?"

"Relax, you know you're quite correct when you doubt at my cheap degrees of pediatrician. I doubt it myself as well sometimes." Meril chuckled at her poor joke, wiping Hailey's tears off.

"Thanks for being that poor pediatrician though Meril. Otherwise, how could I manage with my little girl? And more than that thanks for being my friend even though I never listened to your brilliant words of wisdom ever." Hailey hugged Meril warmly thinking about all those moments when She was there for her when no one else was.

"Hey, chill. I don't remember any of your foolishness whether it was continuing your pregnancy, quitting your studies, or not getting back to studies after the birth of Cora. I have grudges for one thing only that you didn't listen to me and went for that Rascal Adam." Meril finally complained about the biggest mistake by Hailey.

"Really Meril, such a big heart you got. You didn't even remember that all at all!" Hailey replied with a faint smile. As she had made all those decisions when her dear friend expected her to choose the opposite side.

"I know, but that one mistake lead me to rest all and because of that mistake I found the most precious thing in my life..." Hailey accepted as she walked away from Meril to pamper her daughter, "My daughter, My Cora. So what if Adam refused to be father. I chose to have her, I chose to be a single mother."

"Hey, I don't blame you for choosing your unborn child over your education and career. I'm just saying you should have completed your studies." Meril cleared herself.

"What would I get if I had gone to college? I had to face Adam. I didn't want him laughing at me or even to care about me or Cora. He broke my trust and me, the moment he said he wanted me but not a child between us." Her eyes turned red as His words echoed at the back of her mind.

"How can you think to keep it. It's just a mistake, Hailey, go to doc, and then we can have fun without any disturbing pup!"

"I realized that moment! You were right when you said it was not Love. He never loved me. For him, it was a casual hook up. Which I took as love of a lifetime.". She felt her heart shivering as his words still hurts her deep somewhere.

She loved him like anything, her first crush, turned into her first love. That phrase of her life seemed most beautiful to her, like heaven. But she forgot, Humans are no Gods, and Gods don't cheat.

As the day she found her pregnancy test positive, was the same day she found her man sleeping with someone else.

That confrontation with that man still makes her feel sick of the fact that whatever happened between them was pure love for her while it was just teenage fun for him.

"Hailey, ok, let's forget whatever happened in past." Meril held her shoulder to bring her back from her dark past, "Right now, you have to be strong. Our Cora is a strong girl, I hope it's not what I'm suspecting but we have to go for these tests." Meril said rubbing her friend's arm from behind as they both stood calmly by the side of Cora.

"Ahm... If your suspicion turned out to be true, what worse can happen?" Hailey questioned suddenly as She realized her friend had never been this much calm and supportive except when She found her pregnancy test positive.

"Why to think about the worst? Let's be positive. Just go for these tests I will call them so you can get reports as soon as possible." Meril patted her arm avoiding looking straight into her eyes.

Hailey got that her doubt was not completely baseless. There was something serious and dangerous awaiting her.

*****

The next day Hailey was supposed to take Cora for tests.

Her heart was pounding with fear of the unexpected yet she had to act normal with Cora.

She knew her daughter was much sensitive than other kids, if she had shown her worries Cora might have taken it too seriously. She couldn't snatch her smile without reason.

"Mom, you didn't reply." Cora registered objection as they entered their home.

"I told you, honey, that we won the game." Hailey replied placing Cora's school bag at her study table, before opening it to take out her tiffin box, " You didn't have your tiffin?" Hailey questioned as She realized it was untouched.

"Mom, actually...." Cora spoke but paused as if trying to find some excuse.

"Yes Cora, I'm listening," Hailey said reluctant to avoid it.

"Actually, I wasn't feeling hungry," Cora replied meekly.

"Cora look at Mommy, dear.". Hailey came to her knees to make Cora look at her face, "What's wrong baby? Is there anything bothering you? " Hailey cupped her little face in her palms just to realize, her questions have triggered something in her young daughters.

Cora looked up at her with flooded eyes, her thin lips quivered all of sudden and she burst into sobs. Stream of tears starts to pour from her eyes.

"Cora, calm down baby, calm down. Tell Mommy, what happened? " Her heart was thumping hard in cage of ribs with expectations of so many unwanted miseries. Cora never cried like that, so miserable. She hugged her tight against her heart and rubbed her back till her sobs turned a bit controlled.

"Cora, what happened baby? Don't scare Mom." Hailey said controlling her sobs, "does anyone said anything? Does anyone dared to bother my baby?"

"Mom..." Cora said softly, "Dad."

Hailey felt her body got paralyzed, "What?" She said absentmindedly just to make sure, She couldn't get Cora.

"Why I don't have Dad? Everyone in my class has a Dad." Cora questioned looking in her eyes with great effort.

"Cora...." Hailey placed Cora on a chair next to the small dining table in their kitchen.

"Mom, I know that You are my super Mom, I don't need any Dad but I want to know if he doesn't love us? Why he isn't with us?" Cora added with innocence holding her hand as if assuring Hailey about her love for her mother.

"Cora, You have a father baby, it's just... just" Hailey struggled to find some excuse as fast as she could.

"Is he busy?" Cora said widening her eyes.

"Yes, he is busy. Very busy baby. He has to work hard for his baby. After all his baby wants to be an...."

"Astronaut!" Cora squealed with joy.

Hailey breathe with relief. Yes, she lied to Cora but finally her daughter wasn't crying. She wiped her tears and kissed her cheeks.

Cora wiped her tears in return and hugged her mother.

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