Chapter 1001: Not One

Chapter 1001: Not One



The Hank family gathered in the dimly lit den, their faces heavy with sorrow. The room was unnervingly quiet save for the ticking sound of the grandfather clock in the room.

Evelyn sat stiffly on the couch, clutching a crumpled tissue, her usually warm eyes now clouded with worry. Desmond stood near the window, his hands buried deep in his pockets, staring into the garden as though searching for answers.

Tom sat between his mother and Lucy, his arm around her and his expression unreadable.

Sonia was seated across Lucy, watching everyone with an unreadable expression while Bryan sat beside her holding her hand in his.

No one spoke at first. It was as if putting their shock into words would make it even more real. They all raised their heads when Jade walked in with Harry, "Any plan yet? What are we going to do?" Jade asked without sitting, breaking the silence in the room.

Finally, Desmond spoke, his voice low and resolute. "I'll go to see Dawn," he said, his gaze still fixed outside the window.

Evelyn straightened, her voice calm and determined. "Yes. I'm coming with you. Dawn shouldn't wake up to strangers. She needs her family."

Lucy nodded quickly, wiping away the stray tear that had slipped down her cheek. "I'll go too. She's going to need all of us."

Tom, who had been silent until now, shook his head firmly. "No, Jewel. You can't go."

Lucy turned to him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Why not? You know how dear she is to me. She needs me, too."

Tom shook his head, his tone soft but unwavering. "I understand how you feel, but you can't go. Besides, we have an appointment at the hospital today. It's important, Jewel. We can't reschedule."

"But this is Dawn! She's in the hospital, fighting for her life. How can we not go?" Lucy's voice cracked as fresh tears welled in her eyes.

Evelyn placed a comforting hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Tom's right, Lucy. You need to take care of yourself first. We wouldn't want you to jeopardize your health, especially now. Don't worry, we will take care of her."

Lucy looked at Desmond, searching his face for reassurance. "Are you going to bring her back with you? If she's okay?" She asked, hoping they would.

Something seemed wrong about the progression of events since Dawn left, and even though she wasn't sure what it was, she wanted to protect Dawn.

Desmond sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I can't make any promises, Lucy. I don't know what we will find when we get there. I will do what I can, but..." He trailed off, his voice heavy with the weight of uncertainty.

"I will come with you," Jade said, and before anyone could object she spoke again, "I'm the family lawyer. I think I should be there considering how Kimberly tried to cut us off," Jade explained.

"I will come as well. Just to make sure everything goes smoothly. My Dad and Jamal are there. And Jade is going too," he said, and when everyone nodded in agreement he took out his phone, "I believe time is of the essence. I will have the pilot prepare the jet," he said as he excused himself and Tom rose and stepped out with him.

Desmond moved closer to Lucy, sitting beside her and taking her hands in his. "Lucy, listen to me," he said softly. "Dawn's going to be okay. We will handle everything. We all know how much you care about her. We care about her, too. Right now, you need to focus on yourself and the baby. Let's get there first, and we'll figure out the rest together."

Lucy looked at him, her tear-streaked face filled with reluctance. "I just feel so helpless sitting here while everyone else goes to her."

"Everyone else isn't going. We are here, too," Sonia reminded her.

"You're not helpless. If we are going to bring her back we will need someone here to welcome her," Evelyn said calmly.

Harry cleared his throat, breaking the intimate moment. "We will be leaving in an hour. You need to get your stuff ready."

Evelyn nodded, rising from her seat. She turned to Lucy, pulling her into a tight hug. "We'll call as soon as we know anything," she promised.

"Maybe it's just me, but something smells fishy..." Bryan placed a hand on Sonia's arm to stop her and he shook his head when she looked at him.

"You should take a nap," he said, leading her out of the Den.

Everyone was anxious and upset enough. The last thing he wanted was for Sonia to cause even more unrest with her statement.

As Desmond and Evelyn left to pack their things, Harry and Jade also left to get their stuff.

Tom helped Lucy to her feet. "Let's get ready to leave for the hospital," he said gently, guiding her toward the stairs.

"Can't we go to the hospital later?" Lucy asked, her voice small as they climbed the staircase.

Tom shook his head. "I understand how you feel, Jewel. I know you're worried. I am, too. But whether we do it today or push it to tomorrow, it won't change the state of things. You haven't visited the hospital since you found out you were pregnant, and I want us to make sure you're okay. This important, Jewel. Don't only worry about Dawn. Worry about our baby, too," he said softly.

Lucy stopped midway up the stairs, turning to face him. "Our baby is fine, but Dawn isn't. I'm scared, Tom. What if something happens to Dawn while we're not there?"

Tom placed a reassuring hand on her cheek, his gaze steady and calm. "Nothing is going to happen to Dawn. And she's got my parents as well as Jade and Harry by her side. They'll take care of her. Trust me, Jewel."

She nodded slowly, her shoulders relaxing just a little. "Okay. But promise me you will let her live with us if they are able to bring her back. I don't mind raising her myself."

"I promise," Tom said, his voice firm. He kissed her forehead before leading her the rest of

the way upstairs.

As they prepared for their appo

Lucy inhaled sharply but said nothing, her eyes fixed on the screen. "Okay, let's take a look," Damon said, moving the transducer across her stomach.

Damon's gaze remained on the monitor as he moved the probe gently. The silence in the room was thick, each second feeling like an eternity. Then, a soft, rhythmic sound filled the air.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

The room filled with the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat-steady and strong.

"There it is," Damon said with a smile, pointing to the tiny flickering light on the monitor. "That's your baby's heartbeat. Eight weeks along, perfectly healthy."

Lucy's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the screen. Tom leaned closer with wide eyes, his

breath catching in his throat.

Tom swallowed, his voice thick with emotion. "That's our baby?"

Tears welled in Lucy's eyes as she stared at the screen. "That's... our baby." she whispered.

"Can I record that?" He asked, and Damon nodded, still looking at the screen. "Knock yourself out," Damon said, and as Tom took out his phone to record the heartbeat,

Damon frowned slightly, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Wait a second," he murmured causing Lucy to stiffen. Tom straightened, his voice tense. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

Damon's frown melted into a grin as he turned the screen toward them. "Not at all. In fact, it's

quite the opposite. It seems to be a multiple pregnancy. Lucy, Tom- you're having twins." Lucy's eyes widened. "Twins?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Tom stared at the screen, his mouth slightly open. "You're sure?" He asked, his eyes never

leaving the screen.

Damon chuckled. "See for yourself." He pointed at the screen. "Here's Baby A, and here's Baby B. Both have strong heartbeats and are measuring perfectly for eight weeks." "Twins," Tom repeated, his voice filled with awe as he looked at Lucy.

Lucy covered her mouth with her free hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Two of them,"

she said, her voice full of wonder.

Tom laughed softly, his excitement bubbling over. his "We're having twins, Jewel," Tom

said, his face glowing with happiness.

Lucy reached for him, pulling him close. "I can't believe it," she said through her tears.

Damon smiled warmly, giving them a moment before continuing. "It's a lot to take in, I know, but everything looks great. I'll print out some images for you to take home." "Thank you," Lucy said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"My pleasure," Damon replied as he handed Tom a tissue. "Twins can mean a bit more strain,

but with the right care, everything should go smoothly. So, you have to avoid stress and take

things easy." Lucy nodded as Tom wiped her tears, still overwhelmed. "I'll do my best."

"Thank you, Damon," Tom said sincerely.

Damon handed Tom a small stack of printed ultrasound images. "You've got a lot to look

forward to. Just make sure Lucy takes it easy."

Tom nodded firmly. "I'll make sure of it."

After Damon finished the checkup and answered their questions, he gave them a reassuring smile. "You're in good hands, Lucy. I'll see you both in a few weeks for the next visit." Tom helped Lucy sit up, wrapping his arm around her as they left the room. The weight on

Lucy's shoulders felt a little lighter now, though the worry for Dawn still lingered in the back of her mind.

In the car on the way home, Lucy kept the ultrasound pictures in her lap, tracing the tiny image of their babies with her fingers.

Although she had always known that there was high likelihood of her to have twins since she

was a twin herself as was her Mom, she was still surprised to know she was carrying not one,

but two babies.

As though reading her mind, Tom turned to Lucy, "Two babies, Jewel. Not one, but two. Our

family is growing."

Lucy giggled as she looked up from the pictures. "Two," she said softly.