"Complications"

Two nights later, Ashley was awoken by the worst pain in her life. It was a sharp, stabbing sensation that seemed to rip through her abdomen and leave her breathless. She gasped, her eyes flying open, and reached out to grab the bed rails as the pain intensified. The hospital bed sheets were covered in blood, and she felt a wave of panic wash over her. The baby's fetal monitor, which had been quietly beeping in the background, suddenly began to beep like crazy, the sound piercing through the air. Ashley's heart racing, she looked around the darkened room, trying to make sense of what was happening. A nurse rushed into the room, her face pale with concern. "Ashley, what's going on? What's happening?" she asked, quickly assessing the situation. Ashley couldn't speak, she was too busy trying to process the pain and the blood. She shook her head, trying to indicate that she didn't know what was happening. The nurse quickly grabbed a phone and dialed a number. "Code brown, room 304. We need Dr. Smith and the OB team, stat." Ashley's mind was racing as she tried to comprehend what was happening. She had been stable for two weeks, and she had just been told that the baby was doing well. What was going on? The nurse was trying to stay calm, but Ashley could see the fear in her eyes. "Okay, Ashley, I'm going to get you comfortable. Just hang on, okay?" Ashley nodded, trying to hang on, but the pain was getting worse. She felt like she was going to pass out. She tried to focus on the nurse's calm voice, but it was getting harder and harder to stay awake. The door burst open, and Dr. Smith rushed in, his face grim. "What's going on?" he asked, quickly assessing the situation. The nurse filled him in, her voice shaking. "Ashley's having a placental abruption. We need to get her into surgery, now." Ashley's eyes locked onto Dr. Smith's, and she saw the concern etched on his face. She knew that she was in trouble, and she knew that the baby was in trouble too. She tried to speak, but all that came out was a faint whisper. "Is...is the baby okay?" Dr. Smith's face was grim. "We're going to do everything we can, Ashley. Just hang on, okay?"