“Sweet girl… Please, God, don’t take my baby.” Tears fell down his cheeks as he begged God for Aisha’s life. The pain of losing Gavin, was nothing, compared to losing his child.
“Greer.” Viper heard Rachel calling for her brother, thinking she was going to ask his assistance to help him leave. He started to leave on his own, but stopped when he heard her pleading for Greer.
“You can help, Greer.”
“No, I can’t. If that doctor can’t save her, I can’t either.”
“You saved me, and you saved Pappy. You can. Please, at least try.” Rachel pushed Greer into the nursery. “Look at her! For once in your life, think of someone besides yourself.”
Greer stared down at the baby while the doctor reached for the needle the nurse was handing him.
“Move.”
The hair on Viper’s arms stood up at the expression that came over Greer’s face.
The doctor and nurses tried to stop Greer as he raised his hands to touch Aisha.
“Viper, please trust me.” Rachel took his arm, raising him to his feet. “They have to look away, or it won’t work.”
Dr. Price tried to pull him away, “Stop! I’m trying to—”
“You can’t help her anymore. Let him try,” Rachel pleaded, begging them to give Greer a chance.
“Can you save her?” Viper asked the doctor.
He shook his head.
“Then let him try.”
“Turn around,” Greer ordered everyone.
Viper turned around to face the doorway. Everyone who had been watching turned around when Shade repeated what Rachel had asked. Even the doctor and the nurses had moved to his side, facing away so Greer was shielded from anyone tempted to see what was happening.
Viper could hear the rustling movements of Greer’s clothes, as the man asked, “Aisha, where are you? Aisha, you are going where you don’t belong. Hear my voice, spirit world. Help me heal this child. With my touch on your head, my voice will reach out for you. Aw… I see you, Aisha.
“With my touch on your heart, it will beat again. With my hands on your chest, you will breathe again.” Seconds passed before Greer started speaking again, his voice becoming weaker.
“Breathe Aisha, just breathe.”
Viper refused to loose hope, it was all he had left.
“Spirits, guide me to bring her back to those who love her. Rachel?” Greer called out to his sister.
“I’m here, Greer.” Rachel turned to her brother, and Viper saw Rachel take Greer’s hand. Viper quickly turned his gaze forward again. “Take my hand, Viper.”
He took her hand, feeling the scorching heat enfolding his palm. He began shaking, her heat becoming too intense to hold on to. Dr. Price took his other hand as it began shaking. Then, one by one, everyone in the nursery linked their hands to make a chain.
Dustin and Tate moved from the doorway, bridging the gap between them and linking their hands together, stretching their arms out to reach Shade. One by one, each of the Last Riders held out their hands to help guide Aisha home.
Viper didn’t know what he was experiencing, but the outpouring of love for his and Winter’s baby was a gift. In a world that didn’t believe in miracles anymore, he was seeing one tonight.
“As a spirit, I leave your world, giving you my thanks.”
“Thank you,” Rachel said.
“Thank you,” Viper repeated, using the same humble tone that Greer and Rachel had used.
One by one, each person in the line did the same.
When Viper felt the scorching heat leaving his hands, he turned to the incubator to see Rachel trying to catch Greer. Viper caught his other arm, holding him until Dustin and Tate took Greer from him. Then Viper slowly moved toward the incubator, holding his breath.
The doctor moved to the other side, checking the baby’s lungs. Aisha’s skin was a healthy pink, her tiny legs kicking, and her arms were reaching out.
Dr. Price turned off the respirator, removing the tubes. “If I hadn’t seen her stats before, I wouldn’t believe my eyes.”
“Can I hold her?” Viper asked, when he got his breath back.
“Just for a minute. She’s not out of the woods yet.”
Viper put on the gown and gloves the nurse held out to him. When he was ready, he gently held his daughter for the first time.
Clearing his throat, he stared down at the tiny replica of Winter. “Hello, sweet girl. Daddy’s here.”
20
“Isn’t she the most beautiful thing in the world?” Winter said in an awestruck voice, staring at the tiny being she and Viper had created. She pressed her hands against the shield preventing her from holding her baby. “I want to hold her.”
“Just for a minute.” Dr. Price nodded at the primary nurse who was standing nearby.
She raised the top of the incubator and lifted Aisha from the warming pad before placing her in Winter’s arms.
Winter couldn’t help herself; she began crying as maternal instinct overwhelmed her. When Aisha’s face scrunched up and she began crying, Winter started to hand her back to the nurse.