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"Were you pressurized into taking this case?"

"Do you think this criminal could be let off?"

River turned the TV off, rolling her eyes at the stupid questions that there being hurled at her criminal lawyer of a mother. She thought back to the times her mom was living a peaceful life. It was all gone now with this controversial case she had taken.

"Man, it's a struggle!" River sighed as she threw her head back, resting it on the headrest of the couch as she inhaled the aroma of the smoked salmon was being cooked by her lawyer mom. She had a bowl of cereal in her hand, though it was eleven in the morning. And it was her fifth bowl of the day.

"I know right! Your mom moved me here because they are camping outside the house." Lilith Johnson said, munching on her own cereal.

"Riv, will you be around for lunch?" Susan asked, drying her hands on the checkered apron as she walked over to the couch, where her daughter and mother-in-law sat.

Susan had taken up a very risky case. And the guy she was defending was sketchy as well. But she believed he was innocent and she meant to get him acquitted.

"Hopefully. I don't like missing out on your smoked salmon." She replied.

The perks of having the mom around.

Susan let out a chuckle before making her way to the guest room she was staying at.

"Call Sebby and ask if he can join us for lunch. It's been a while since I saw that mug-face." She turned at the door.

"He has this plan to submit next week and Mia has a throat infection. He is not coming." River said, not taking my eyes of my TV.

Of course, she had called my best friend.

He was a sucker for smoked salmon just like her, and he had the declined the invite quite regretfully.

The poor boy was working from home while taking care of their little baby so that Alison can live out her dream. She was PA to the CEO of Rhodes Industries now. Her dream was to be the CEO.

Those two took #couplegoals to the next level. River had to constantly remind myself to not be envious.

"Alright." Her mom said as she closed the door behind her.

The kids were at school and River's grandmother was staying with them since the last week. Susan only came now and then when she needed a break from the media.

"Sebby's calling." Mrs. Marley said as she walked over to River, handing her the phone before settling down on the couch, taking River's cereal bowl from her hand.

"Yes my dumbass?" She took the call and leaned her head against her darling housekeeper's shoulder.

"Why are you such an ungrateful bitch?" He said in a hushed voice.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because I didn't have a good upbringing considering I spent more time with you growing up than with sensible people."

"Remember when I took care of you drunk-calling your crush in college?"

"Remember me prank-calling the police to save your ass from that brawl outside the club?"

"Remember how I took care of you when you were pregnant?"

"Remember how I let you freeload in my apartment for some four years?"

"Ugh- Just bring over some food you booger brain!"

"What's the magic words you little pee-pee?"

He groaned.

"Show some mercy, my queen."

River smiled smugly. "Alrighty."

"You are such a child!"

"Not everyone's senile in the head."

"Ugh!"

River laughed as she hung up and kept the phone down on the coffee table.

"Pack some for that idiot. I need to drop it off on my way to work." She requested Mrs. Marley who nodded with a small smile on her face. Sebastian and River had such a great relationship, being the children of two best friends and growing up together. They were close more so because both were single child to their parents and they were both like siblings. "I am going to go get ready so I can leave after lunch."

Mrs. Marley and Lilith nodded and she left the two ladies to eat the cereal. Going into her room, she quickly packed her duffel bag in which she kept spare clothes and some essentials just in case her shift got extended due to more emergencies. Being an orthopedic surgeon was tough work because there was no shortage of accidents in New York city and seven out of ten times, bones were broken in ways only specialists could fix. Yay!

River decided on a long bath. Taking off her clothes, she sighed.

Another one bites the dust. She sighed, looking at her soiled panties.

Bitchy Aunt Flo was here. This was going to be one long shift.

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River filled a paper cup with hot steaming water and sat down on the chair in the empty waiting area. She pressed the cup onto lower abdomen, sighing in content.

Oh, the joys of womanhood!

"There you are!"

She didn't open my eyes as she heard Jacqueline's rubber sandals squeak against the pale white tiles.

"What up?" River asked, as her best friend sat down next to her.

"That bitch, what's her name?"

"Bianca?"

"Yeah her!"

River chuckled. If there was one person who could rile Jacqueline Meyers up, it was that wretched nurse.

"What did she do now?" She asked.

"She was feeling up Dr. Kyler."

"That new hottie who transferred from Edmond's?" River instantly opened her eyes. Man, that man was hawt!

"Jesus, not you too!" Jacqueline groaned while River grinned.

"I am stating a fact here." I shrugged. "Anyway, continue."

"And I had approached him because I wanted his signature on one of his patient's prescription."

"Hmm."

"And that bitch is like, 'Whoa Jackie, why do you look like you have been sucking faces with a hyena?' "

"Where does she even come up with these analogies?" River raised her brow, sitting up straight before she started punching her back.

"I know right! She's just.. Ugh!" Jacqueline said, massaging her best friend's back. "Last time it was, 'you smell like Mrs. Kalney's barf'."

"One time she told me that my hair looked like poop covered pubic hair." River said, remembering last year's incident. And those caramel eyes. Yeah, a certain Italian still lingered in her brain.

"What?" She looked intrigued and almost devilish. "What did you say?"

"' I guess how you know what that looks like is a question for another time.'"

Jacqueline burst out laughing, punching her back harder than necessary.

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"Mateo!!" Michelia screamed as she clutched her seven-month pregnant belly. "It hurts so bad!!!"

"I know I know Lia.." Mateo tried to calm her down. "We are just there, okay? Take deep breaths!"

"I can't breathe.!" She cried out in pain. "I am scared!" She sobbed.

"It's nothing love, he's going to be fine. He's the son of a Capo. He's too strong to let this little scare hurt him!" He reassured her, though his own heart was thumping erratically against his rib cage. If something was to happen to his little Renzo, he would never forgive himself.

"We are almost there. Just take deep breaths." He chanted, for both of us to hear.

Pulling up into the hospital, he called for help and the medics wheeled over a stretcher and took her. She was gripping on his wrist like her life depended on it.

"Dr. Odum is in another surgery. Call the surgeon on call." Mateo heard someone shout out orders.

"Dr. Johnson."

Mateo looked up from Michelia and at the brunette who was speed-walking towards us, already pulling a stethoscope from her scrub-pocket.

"Blood pressure." She hummed, pressing the round end of the stethoscope to the swollen belly.

"One thirty-nine over eighty-three." A nurse said.

"How far along is she? Twenty-eight weeks?" She looked up at him for the first time, the sign of recognition being only a slight widening of her eyes.

"Twenty-nine." Michelia wheezed out as River nodded, checking her eyes with a flashlight.

"Do an ultrasound and see the position of the baby and the umbilical cord." She said. "Did you take a blow?"

Michelia nodded.

River didn't respond as they wheeled her away but this time Mateo stayed back.

"Will they be alright?" He asked, making her turn to him.

"Hopefully."

"What do you mean?"

"The baby is premature and his or her heart beat is unstable. I think there is some damage. I am hoping it's a false alarm but if there is physical damage, we will have to do a C- section."

"He will be fine if we do that?"

"Can't be too sure unless we know where he took the blow." She replied. As if on cue the nurse from earlier approached them.

"There's strain in the amnion and a part of the umbilical cord looks damaged."

"Get the OR ready. Ask the patient about the medicines she takes before administering the anesthesia. I will be right there." She said and turned to the Italian. "If the baby isn't hurt in any other way, he's gonna be fine.

She gave him a reassuring smile and speed-walked away. And he was approached by the same nurse yet again.

"Could you please tell me the patient's name?"

"Mrs. Michelia Adesso."

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River wasn't a gynecologist but the many years of residency taught her a lot, so it wasn't too hard delivering a baby.

This case was called a very preterm birth given that the fetus was only 29 weeks. The C-section went smoothly and the mother was fine and healthy.

But the baby was rushed to the NICU. He had to stay in there for a while but if everything went right, he too was going to be just fine.

Dr. Odum was the gynecologist on duty and River let him finish it all up. She had to be around the ER.

As she walked out into the waiting room, she saw that Mateo was sitting on one of the plastic chairs, head in his arms, looking scared and tired.

River sighed and walked over to him. "Hey."

He looked up, shooting to his feet before he grabbed her shoulders.

"How is she? And the baby?" His blood-shot eyes bore into hers pleadingly.

He really loved his wife and child. River thought to herself before she gave him a reassuring smile.

She squeezed his hand on her shoulder and said, "The baby will have to be retained in the NICU for a while, but that's only normal considering he was born this premature. Mrs. Adesso is absolutely fine and will be moved to a room soon."

"He's fine right? He's gonna be fine right?" He asked pleadingly.

"Of course."

The duo turned around to see Dr. Larry Odum, the gynecologists, walk out. Mateo dropped his hands from her shoulders and turned to the other doctor.

"She saved them in time."

He smiled at his colleague and gave her a side hug. The guy was a hugger. "You never cease to surprise me, Ivy." And a nickname-giver.

"Her name's River." Mateo said, his concern and fear turning into a unfathomable emotion.

"I call her Ivy. Only I get to do it." Dr. Odum said. River shook her head chuckling. Larry was a complete idiot, but also a genius doctor.

"Let's leave personal stuff for later." She interjected and turned to Mateo. "You can see your wife once she's moved to the room, and you can visit your son during specific hours about which you will be briefed. He will be moved to the Incubation ward in two-three days after his vitals are normal and you can meet him any time. "

"I-" He started but stopped before nodding and walking away.

"Oh by the way." He turned as she said it. "Congratulations, Mr. Adesso."

He nodded again and left.

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River blew out a breath as she violently rubbed rubber face with the palm of her hands.

Why the hell am I feeling so blah?

'Aren't you just jealous of Mrs. Adesso because of how loving her husband is to her?' River narrowed her eyes as soon as she heard from the little devil in her brain.

And I thought you had finally left me for good.

'Nah, that's not exactly how this works.'

River rarely had to deal with anything that was not concerned with broken bones. But she always felt envious of people with loving companions. But her stubborn ass still refused to settle down, because she never ever got to date a guy who loved the way she did, mostly because she never let any of her previous boyfriends much close to the kids because she did not want them to get close to them only to have them leave.

Because whether she agreed or nor, the truth was that River was a very difficult woman to be in a relationship with. More so now that she is an independent surgeon.

River only had Sebastian, Jacqueline, her mother and grandmother when she went into labor. And hers was a scary one. The darlings had managed to crack two of her ribs and both were strangling on their own umbilical cords. It was a disaster. And she didn't have anyone, like Mateo was there for Mrs. Adesso.

Maybe I should start calling him Mr. Adesso now that he was married and had a son. I don't think I want the woman to go through any negative emotion in such a stressed-out state knowing that the woman who slept with her husband was the one who delivered her baby. River thought to herself.

'You are right. I know it's a thing of the past but I know I wouldn't take it well if such a situation happened with me.' Her inner voice agreed with her for once in her life.

River felt a pair of familiar arms around my shoulders.

"I am dying!" She whined.

River let out a chuckle.

Jacqueline Meyers and River were two peas in a pod. They were so alike in how they reacted to things. And that was why River made her the kids' guardian if something was to happen to her. Because she wanted them to grow up with her or someone who thought like her.

Though I don't plan to leave them any time soon. Not a chance there. She thought lovingly, thinking about the two darlings who waited for her at home.

To say Sebastian didn't take that well would be the understatement of the century.

River had to make Alison the godmother because that man-child was adamant that Jacqueline couldn't get to be both guardian and godmother.

Compared to him, River's children were angels AND mature.

"Your shift's over?" River asked.

"It will be at seven in the morning." Jacqueline sighed. That was two more hours ago.

"Me too." River said. "Let's go to my home after that then. The kids miss you and even Nanna is home! Mom might be too. "

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"But Mommy, we never go to the beach anymore!" Kiara whined as she curled up on River's lap, tugging at her shirt sleeve.

"Because it's so crowded in the weekends baby and I told you right, Grandma said no outings without him." She tried to pacify her little one. Susan had asked them not to go to casual outings and picnics while she was on this case.

She said it's because the reporters would trail them or ambush them but River was smart enough to figure out that it was because she was scared an enemy of that shady guy she was defending in court could do something.

And that thought was very scary and unsettling, so River had decided that she was going to listen to her. For once.

"At least to Uncle Sebby's house?" She asked, pouting.

River almost gave in when Lucas said. "Wow Ki, that's very disrespectful to Auntie Jackie. She's here and you are not even playing with her."

She raised a brow as she watched Kiara jump off from her lap and charge at Jacqueline who gave her best friend an amused look before welcoming Kiara into her arms, Lucas joining them.

Lucas really was mature beyond his age. He had figured out that they were in a pickle and that's why they didn't have any of those random outings after school anymore. And to an extent, Kiara was holding back too.

But it was a Saturday and they had nothing to do so she had reached her limit.

"Let's play Zenga!" My grandmother exclaimed out of nowhere.

"YES!!!" The kids chorused excitedly.

Zenga it is!

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