Chapter Thirty Six: What If?

Jonah and Amelia left the house with so much relief, but also a lingering feeling unease. The night air was cool and still. They walked down the quiet street, their footsteps echoing in the silence. Amelia glanced back at the house, her mind replaying the events of the past few hours.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Jonah nodded, though his expression was far from certain. "I hope so. The woman seemed genuine. At least the baby is with family now."

They continued walking, each lost in their own thoughts. Just as they reached the end of the block, a piercing cry shattered the stillness of the night. It was the baby's cry, unmistakable and filled with distress. Jonah and Amelia stopped in their tracks, their hearts pounding.

"Did you hear that?" Amelia whispered, her eyes wide with fear.

Jonah nodded, his face pale. "Yes. Something's wrong." Jonah replied.

Without another word, they turned and ran back toward the house. The cry grew louder, more desperate. Jonah's mind raced with worst-case scenarios. Had they made a mistake? Was the baby in danger?

They reached the front door and pounded on it urgently. "Hello? Is everything alright?" Jonah called out, his voice shaking.

There was no immediate answer, just the baby's continued cries. Jonah tried the door, and to his surprise, it swung open. He and Amelia exchanged a worried glance before stepping inside.

The living room was dimly lit, the flickering glow of a single lamp casting long shadows. The elderly woman was nowhere to be seen. The baby's cries led them down a narrow hallway to a small bedroom.

Inside, they found the woman cradling the baby, tears streaming down her face. The baby was wailing, her little body writhing in distress. Jonah and Amelia rushed to her side.

"What happened?" Amelia asked, her voice frantic.

The woman looked up, her face etched with worry. "She just started crying, and I don't know how to calm her down. She's burning up with fever."

Jonah felt a cold dread settle over him. The baby was in more danger than they realized. "We need to get her to a hospital," he said firmly. "Now."

The woman nodded, too overwhelmed to argue. They wrapped the baby in a blanket and hurried out of the house. Jonah carried the baby while Amelia supported the woman, who was shaking with fear and worry.

They moved quickly through the dark streets, the baby's cries echoing in their ears. Jonah's heart raced as he thought about how close they had come to leaving her behind, thinking she was safe. They flagged down a passing car, and the driver, seeing their urgency, agreed to take them to the nearest hospital.

The ride was tense, the baby's cries growing softer but more labored. Jonah held her close, whispering soothing words, praying she would be alright. Amelia held the woman's hand, offering what comfort she could.

They arrived at the hospital, and a team of doctors and nurses quickly took the baby, rushing her into the emergency room. Jonah, Amelia, and the elderly woman were left in the waiting area, anxiety gripping them as they waited for news.

Minutes felt like hours, each second stretching out painfully. Finally, a doctor emerged, his expression serious but not grim.

"She's stable now," he said. "We managed to bring her fever down, but she'll need to stay here for observation. You did the right thing bringing her in when you did."

Relief washed over them, and the woman burst into tears, thanking the doctor profusely. Jonah and Amelia felt a weight lift from their shoulders, knowing they had made the right call.

As they sat in the waiting room, exhausted but relieved, Jonah looked at Amelia. "We did it," he said softly. "We saved her."

Amelia nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "Yes, we did."

As they sat in the waiting room, exhaustion and relief mingling in the air, Amelia turned to Jonah. "We should go check on the baby," she said, her voice gentle but insistent. "Just to make sure she's okay."

Jonah nodded, rising to his feet. "You're right. Let's go."

They walked down the sterile hospital corridor, their footsteps echoing in the quiet. When they reached the room where the baby had been taken, they hesitated for a moment, a sense of foreboding creeping over them. Jonah gently pushed the door open, and they stepped inside.

The room was empty...

Jonah's heart skipped a beat. The crib where the baby had been placed was neatly made, but there was no sign of her or the elderly woman. He turned to Amelia, his eyes wide with confusion and alarm.

"Where are they?" Amelia whispered, her voice trembling.

Jonah scanned the room, searching for any clue, but there was nothing. No sign of a struggle, no note, nothing to indicate where they might have gone. Panic began to set in as they hurried back to the nurses' station.

"Excuse me," Jonah said urgently to the nurse behind the desk. "The baby that was brought in a little while ago, and the elderly woman with her – where are they?"

The nurse frowned, checking her records. "I'm sorry, but there's no record of a baby or an elderly woman being admitted recently."

Amelia felt a chill run down her spine. "But we were just here. The doctors took her in. She was burning with fever."

The nurse looked sympathetic but confused. "I'm sorry, but I have no record of that. Are you sure you have the right hospital?"

Jonah's mind raced. "Yes, we're sure. Please, can you check again?"

The nurse nodded, but after another thorough check, she came up empty-handed. "There's nothing here," she said, looking genuinely concerned. "I don't know what to tell you."

Jonah and Amelia exchanged a desperate glance. "This doesn't make any sense," Jonah muttered, running a hand through his hair. "We were right here. They took her from us."

Amelia's eyes welled with tears. "What if something happened to them? What if—"