Victoria bent down to gather the scattered ultrasound photos from the marble floor. Her heart was beating fast against her ribs like a trapped bird. She kept one eye on Eleanor, whose dark shoes remained completely still right beside her. The grand American flag hung straight ahead on the central wall, bathed in bright, natural sunlight from the skylights above. Everything in the luxury home seemed peaceful on the outside, but inside, a dangerous storm was brewing.
Victoria: Please, just let me pick up my things and leave you alone.
Eleanor: It is too late for that, my dear.
Before Victoria could stand back up completely, Eleanor moved with sudden, furious speed. She slammed her palm hard against Victoria's shoulder, pushing her sideways toward the open space of the upper balcony railing. Victoria lost her footing on the polished floor. Her red dress swished through the air as her feet slid out from under her. She let out an ear-splitting scream that echoed throughout the entire mansion.
Victoria: No! Stop!
Her fingers scraped wildly against the smooth mahogany top of the railing, but she could not catch a grip. The momentum carried her upper body over the edge. Time seemed to slow down into a agonizing crawl as Victoria fell backward into the open atrium air. The ultrasound pictures floated around her like falling autumn leaves. She clutched her hands tightly over her belly, wrapping her arms around her baby to shield him from the impact. Fear gripped her throat, choking back her breath as the ground floor marble rushed up to meet her.
Downstairs in the study, Mark heard his wife's terrified scream ring out across the high ceiling. He dropped his pen onto the glass desk and kicked his chair backward. He sprinted out of the office doors into the main hallway, his heart hammering in his chest. He looked up just in time to see his pregnant wife falling through the central atrium space in full view under the bright sunlight.
Mark: Victoria!
Mark: Hold on! I am coming!
Mark ran faster than he had ever run in his entire life. His leather dress shoes skidded on the glossy marble, but he did not slow down for a second. He ignored the burning sensation in his legs as he dashed across the wide corridor floor toward the exact spot where Victoria was falling. His mind raced with pure horror at the thought of losing both his beloved wife and his unborn child in a single second.
Mark: God, please let me reach her in time!
He threw his body forward in a desperate slide across the hard floor under the American flag. He extended his arms wide, placing himself directly beneath her falling path. The air rushed past him, and a split second later, Victoria landed heavily against his chest and arms. The impact forced all the air out of Mark's lungs as they slid together across the slick marble landing, coming to a stop near the base of the staircase.
Victoria: Ah!
Mark: I got you! I have you, sweetheart! Breathe, just breathe!
Victoria was trembling violently in his arms, her cheeks covered in hot tears. Her red dress was rumpled, and her hands were still locked in a protective grip around her belly. Mark held her close, checking her head, legs, and back for any sign of broken bones or blood. He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving up and down as he rocked her back and forth on the cool floor.
Mark: Are you hurt? Talk to me, Victoria! Is the baby okay?
Victoria: I think... I think he is okay. You caught us, Mark. You saved us.
Mark: Thank God. Thank God almighty.
Victoria squeezed his suit jacket tightly, her eyes wide with lingering terror. She lifted a shaking finger and pointed directly up toward the upper balcony where Eleanor was standing near the railing, looking down at them with a pale, cold face.
Victoria: She pushed me! Mark, she shoved me on purpose!