Designated (Book 2): Designated Quarantined Read Online Free Page B

 
    The receptionist smiled, tapping at her keyboard while glancing up at Derek's wide, over excited eyes.
 
    'What's her name?' Derek frowned, unable to recall the name of the woman with whom he had shared his entire world; finally, after a frantic bundle of seconds he spoke.
 
    'Janet, Janet Baker.' For an eternity, Derek waited as she tapped at the computer keyboard.
 
    'Maternity ward...'
 
    Derek scowled at the overtly obvious statement.
 
    'Floor two, room 631.'
 
    Before the words had fully left her mouth, Derek was sprinting towards the stairs. He ploughed into the doors, sending their heavy, fire-resistant panels slamming back into the concrete walls.
 
     
    Janet watched through bleary, pain-filled eyes as her husband staggered into the room. His sodden and strung-out form filled the room as he strode towards Janet's bed, the soles of his boots squeaking on the linoleum-covered floor.
 
    A weary, pain-stretched smile filled Janet's face as she slowly reached towards Derek, curling his fingers through hers. Baker dropped into the vacant seat at her elbow.
 
    With careful, almost delicate slowness, Derek lifted the slim, clear oxygen tube from the bedside and set it out of reach as he leant against the rubberised mattress.
 
    'I got here as quickly as I could. I... I'm sorry I wasn't here.'
 
    Janet winced as she tried not to laugh; Derek's rain-drenched beard teased at her skin as he kissed her hand. Sorrow and elation danced in his eyes in a swirling vortex of indecisive emotion. Janet slowly eased her fingers from his hand, running her slim, slightly shaking digits over his cheek as she spoke.
 
    Her breathing was shallow and tenuous. She shifted her head, trying to set the two nasal vents in a more comfortable position.
 
    Derek leant in carefully, lifting the pipes from behind Janet's ears, which allowed her to position her head more comfortably before setting the tubes back.
 
    'Thanks, and don't feel bad; I wasn't alone. Besides, there is little to stop a Baker when they want out of somewhere.'
 
    Derek couldn't help but chuckle; his lips brushed Janet's pale skin as a small, almost gentle tapping filled the room.
 
    Looking up, they smiled at the dark-skinned nurse who walked in. The stark-white bundle in her arms glowed in the light streaming through the doorway.
 
    'You must be Derek?'
 
    Baker nodded. Her flat-soled shoes whispered as she walked. Passing the baby to Janet, she turned toward the new father.
 
    'This young lady gave us quite a fright; thought for a while there we were going to have a few problems.'
 
    Seeing the look of worry and fear that crawled over Derek's face, the nurse smiled. Patting his forearm, she moved by to check on Janet's vitals.
 
    'Don't look so scared. It was nothing we weren't prepared for… just a few opening night jitters. Janet's blood pressure dropped a bit and the little one there needed a bit of a hand coming into the world. As I say, nothing to worry about. We will be keeping them both here for a week or so to make sure nothing else happens.'
 
    She glanced at Janet and winked, drawing another weary smile from the new mother.
 
    'Thanks, Shanice.'
 
    Shanice smiled as she reached the doorway. Her hand closing over the frame, she looked over her shoulder at the new trio.
 
    'No worries, love; give us as shout if you need anything or hit the buzzer there. I am just down the hall and will be here in a jiffy.'
 
    With that, she was gone, leaving the newly minted parents with the one person they never thought they would be holding. Derek's eyes burned with the question that he wanted to ask.
 
    'It's a girl.'
 
    His face burst into a cheesy grin as he reached out, and Janet slipped their daughter into his hands for the first time.
 
    'She's beautiful, just like her mother.'
 
    Janet snorted as she watched him peer closer at the sleeping form in his arms. Glancing up, he smiled, the condescension in his wife's