Back in the Game

by Lisa Scott

  "Does Jeff know?" Kyra asked.

  Georgia nodded. "He was great about it. Really excited."

  "But what about you?" Kyra asked. "How do you feel?"

  "Terrified. Shocked. Sick." She dashed to the bathroom just in time to puke again.

  When she sat down, Marly and Kyra joined her on the couch. "What did Ashleigh say?"

  "I didn't tell her yet."

  "You're not just going to be a grandma, you're going to be a pregnant grandma," Kyra observed.

  "Sexy," Marly said, waggling her eyebrows.

  Georgia started laughing until she cried.

  * * *

  Her daughter screamed when she heard the news. "Our babies will be best friends growing up. And Jeff sounds so wonderful. I'm so happy for you, Mom!"

  Everyone was excited about her pregnancy. Except for her. She wished she could be, but a baby wasn't in her plans. She rubbed her belly, thinking. Truth was, she didn't know what was in her plans for the future. Life was kind of deciding that for her.

  Jeff called every day to check on her. He brought her pizzas several times a week and cleaned her kitchen when she was too tired to do it. If she was going to be accidentally knocked up, she'd picked a good stranger to do it with.

  One Friday night, he showed up with chicken burritos (her new craving) and a catalog from a baby store. "I thought we could pick out some baby furniture so I can order it." He sat next to her but didn't open the catalog. "What do you think about living together?"

  "We're not a couple," Georgia said, feeling like the breath had been sucked from her lungs. Live together?

  "I've wanted another chance with you since the night we met. I know you said you weren't ready to get your heart involved, but this baby changes things. Can we give it a shot?" Jeff asked.

  Georgia's heart pounded. Clearly, she was attracted to Jeff and he was wonderful - amazing, kind, and handsome. But she was scared. "And if things didn't work out? If it ended on bad terms? We still have to raise this child together."

  "But what if it did work out?" He gave her a mischievous smile and reached for her hand.

  She took his hand and squeezed it. "You're right. We should give it a chance."

  Jeff slid his other arm around her shoulder and kissed her. It was soft and slow and lovely.

  Then it became something more as she climbed onto his lap and ran her fingers through his hair, their kisses becoming desperate.

  He pulled back for a moment, out of breath. "I didn't think you felt this way about me."

  "I'm really attracted to you, Jeff. I was just embarrassed that I dragged you home the first night we met. That's not who I am, and I didn't think I could make a relationship work with you after that."

  He cupped her cheek with his hand. "Then we're starting over today."

  She bit her lip. "Well. if today's day one of a fresh start, that probably means I shouldn't drag you to bed again so soon."

  He stood up and scooped her into his arms. Her heart soared even as her belly protested.

  One corner of his mouth curled up. "Then I'll drag you this time."

  * * *

  Within a few weeks, Jeff was staying over every night. He'd kiss her goodnight, then kiss her belly bump, too. Her heart clenched every time he did that. They made love when she was feeling well enough. She wasn't falling for this guy - she was already there. She was just too scared to tell him so.

  He went to all her doctor's appointments. When the ultrasound showed they were having a boy, he cried, then immediately went out and bought supplies to decorate the nursery.

  "Are you going to move in here permanently?" she asked as they watched a movie that night.

  "We could move to my place. It's bigger."

  "That's something to think about." And it might be easier to start this new chapter of her life in a place that wasn't filled with so many memories, with the remnants of dreams unlived.

  Thinking about it, she settled into the crook of his arm and fell asleep.

  The phone woke them at one in the morning. "Mom, the baby's coming. I'm headed to the hospital!"

  "I'll be right there!" She turned to Jeff, who was sitting up, rubbing his eyes. "Ashleigh is having her baby."

  He hopped out of bed. "Let's go."

  "You don't have to. I can drive myself," she said, pulling on maternity pants that were much cuter than the ones available twenty years earlier.

  "I want to come. If that's okay with you."

  She grinned. "It's perfect."

  * * *

  Jeff waited outside the room while Georgia went inside. Ashleigh's face was pale as she lay in the hospital bed, breathing through her contractions.

  "This really hurts!" she told Georgia.

  Georgia smoothed her daughter's hair off her forehead. "It'll be over before you know it."

  But three hours later, she was still laboring, and not fully dilated. "Let me check in with Jeff." She ran out to the waiting room and found Jeff dozing in a very uncomfortable-looking plastic chair.

  She rubbed his arm. "Things are moving along slowly," she told him.

  His opened his eyes and sat up straight. "She doing okay?"

  "It's been tough, but she's a trooper." She clenched her hands in front of her. "I'm so excited to see this baby!" She turned to head back to the delivery room when a terrible pain stabbed her stomach. She dropped into a chair, wincing.

  "What is it?" Jeff asked, wide-eyed.

  "I don't know," she panted. She went to the restroom, sucking in a breath when she discovered blood in her underwear. She came back to the waiting room in tears.

  "Should I get a doctor?"

  She nodded, terrified.

  Jeff ran to the nurses' station while tears slipped down her cheeks. It was hard to believe now that the last time she'd cried was when she found out she was pregnant.

  * * *

  Jeff found a nurse and told her what was happening.

  "How far along is she?" the nurse asked.

  "Almost six months."

  "I'll get someone to the waiting room right away," the nurse told him.

  He dashed back and grabbed Georgia's hand. "You're going to be fine. Someone's coming to help."

  "I wanted to be there for Ashleigh," she said, choking back a sob.

  "She's in good hands." He struggled to swallow. He couldn't even let himself think about losing this child. Or this woman.

  Two aides arrived with a stretcher and rushed her to the emergency room.

  "Is she going to be okay? Can they save the baby?" he asked the nurse.

  "The doctors will do all they can. Is she your wife?"

  Why wasn't she his wife? He should have married her or at least proposed. "No, she's my ... girlfriend." It was the first time he'd referred to her that way. They'd just sort of grown into their relationship over the past few months.

  The nurse patted his arm. "Let's hope for the best."

  Jeff headed for the emergency room, then realized he should let Ashleigh know what was going on. She was probably wondering where her mother was. The door to her room was open, and he heard the soft cries of a baby.

  He rapped on the door. "Can I come in?"

  Ashleigh smiled. "Please." Then her brows scrunched together. "Where's my mom?"

  "She was having some stomach pains and bleeding. They took her to the ER."

  Ashleigh's eyes went wide. "Is she going to be okay?

  "We're in the right place. I'm sure she'll be fine." He walked closer. "How are you?"

  "Tired, but good. Little Katie is finally here."

  Katie's fiancé, Mike, sat next to her holding her hand.

  Jeff ran a finger across the baby's cheek. "She's beautiful." His throat tightened as he looked at this impossibly tiny child. So fragile, even at full term. Was his baby going to be okay?

  "I'm going to go check on your mother. I'll come back when I know something."

  He left the room and hurried to the ER.

  Can they weather t
he loss of a child?

  Can bed rest save their child?

  Please turn back to the previous page and use the links to advance to the next section of this story.

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  Please turn forward one page and use the links to advance to the next section of this story.

  This story is not intended to be read front to back in a linear fashion. As you make choices (by clicking the links) the story will unfold for you. If you need, you can go back to the table of contents to find choices you made previously.

  You can also read this story at https://www.silkwords.com/stories/back_in_the_game in your web browser.

  After an exam and blood tests, the doctor informed Georgia that she had placenta previa. "That means your placenta is low, too close to the cervix. Unfortunately, yours is completely blocking it. Since you're nearing the third trimester, you'll need a C-section when you deliver. And given your age, I want you on bed rest. Not complete, but don't be on your feet longer than an hour. We need to keep pressure off the placenta."

  Georgia could only nod. An odd mixture of relief and fear swirled inside of her.

  Jeff sat next to her pale-faced, holding her hand. "Will they be okay?" he asked the doctor.

  "Most women with this condition go on to deliver perfectly healthy babies," the doctor said.

  She couldn't help dwelling on that last word: Most.

  * * *

  Three weeks later, Georgia rolled over in bed, the jumble of crossword puzzles, books, and magazines slipping to the floor. Since she'd had another bleeding episode, she was now on full bed rest. It felt like a prison sentence, but she could handle it if the baby was going to be okay. She hadn't realized how much she wanted this child until she thought she was losing him. The fear that something might go wrong was never far away . She still had seven weeks to go until the C-section. It seemed like an eternity.

  She'd been trying not to complain. At least her doctor agreed to let her get up to shower and use the bathroom. Some women couldn't even do that, she'd learned. And she had incredible support from her daughter, who visited with the baby most days and also did the cooking and cleaning. Marly and Kyra popped over whenever they could. Jeff took over at night, bringing her dinner, doing her shopping or whatever she needed. He'd been sleeping in the guest room, nervous that he'd jostle her in her sleep.

  He'd been putting in long hours at the office, trying to get ahead in his work so he'd have ample time off when the baby was born. But time away from him had her wondering if their experiment in being a family was working. Did he love her, or were his feelings only wrapped up in the baby? She turned on the television, flicking through the channels and settling for a home improvement show. Ashleigh had just left, and Jeff would be home any minute.

  She could smell the balsamic pizza when he walked through the door. She still had an intense craving for it. He brought her a few slices on a plate, along with a glass of water and lemon. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

  "Fine. Bored. Anxious."

  "It's so hard for me to watch you go through this." He squeezed her hand.

  "You can make it up to me by changing more than your share of diapers." She grinned.

  "Done."

  When he'd moved in to help her, they hadn't discussed their long-term plans. "What do you plan on doing once the baby comes? Will you be moving back to your house?"

  He stared at her. "I don't want that. I want to be here with you. I've been waiting for the right time to ask you this, but there just doesn't seem to be a romantic way to do it." He reached inside his suit coat and pulled out a ring. "Will you marry me, Georgia?"

  She dropped her slice of pizza. The ring was gorgeous: platinum, with a huge stone and a swirl of tiny diamonds along the band. Her head spun, but then she remembered this was more a practical gesture than a romantic one. "Jeff, that's really sweet of you. But you don't have to marry me just because we're having a baby. We wouldn't be together if not for this pregnancy. Lots of people raise a child together without the commitment."

  He curled his fingers around the ring. He opened and closed his mouth and then nodded. "I wanted us to be a family."

  "We will be, in our own way." If she were ever to marry again, it would be for love, not because it seemed like the right thing for him to do.

  He stared at the bedspread. "I should go. Do you need anything else right now?"

  She struggled to swallow, hating that she was hurting him. But what kind of marriage would they have if the entire relationship was built around the baby? "I'm fine. Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it."

  He walked out of the room, and she flopped back on her pillow. Seven more weeks until the baby would be delivered. And then what?

  * * *

  Jeff didn't mention the proposal over the next few weeks. He was still staying in the guest room to help her. "How long do you want me to stay here with you after the baby comes?" he asked one night while they ate dinner on her bed.

  She blew out a breath. She hadn't thought about that. "A month?"

  "And how are we going to handle custody?"

  Damn. She hadn't thought about that, either. "What works for you with your job?"

  "Maybe I can take him two nights a week and every other weekend? I can provide child care a few days a week too, if you need it."

  "I plan on bringing him to the shop with me, at least for a while." She rubbed the edge of her blanket. This had all been so surreal, but soon it was going to be very, very real, and she hadn't really thought about what it would mean to share this child with a man who wasn't her husband. With Ashleigh, Matt had been at her side every moment, there to change her in the night or feed her in the morning if Georgia was tired. "We'll figure it out," she said.

  "My folks are coming to town the week you're due to have the C-section. They're so excited. I'm an only child, so this will be their only grandchild. There are a lot of people excited to meet this little guy."

  "He'll be here in three weeks." Georgia felt stunned saying that. Her life was going to turn upside down shortly. She wasn't sure she was ready.

  * * *

  In the shower a few days later, Georgia noticed the water pooling at her feet was pink. She was bleeding. "Jeff!"

  He ran into the bathroom and his eyes went wide. "What is it?"

  "I'm bleeding. I need to get to the hospital."

  "I'll call 911."

  Minutes later, she was on a gurney being loaded into an ambulance. Jeff climbed in with her, grabbing her hand. "You're going to be fine."

  At the hospital, they ordered an emergency C-section. Jeff wasn't allowed in the room and she panicked, knowing he wouldn't be there. But her world quickly dimmed as they gave her anesthesia.

  Her mouth was dry when she woke. She pulled the oxygen mask off her nose. "Is my baby okay?"

  "He's fine." A nurse came to her bedside. "He's in the NICU with your husband."

  Georgia didn't bother to correct her.

  "We can make a stop there before I take you to your room," the nurse said.

  Jeff was sitting in a rocking chair next to the incubator, smiling and talking softly to the baby. Tears flooded her eyes.

  He jumped up when he saw Georgia. "Are you all right?"

  "I'm okay. Sore. I feel sick to my stomach." Her voice was hoarse.

  The nurse wheeled the bed close to the incubator. She sucked in a breath, speechless at the sight of their child wrapped up like a little bundle. Like a present she couldn't believe was hers.

  Jeff came to her and brushed back her hair, then kissed her forehead. "How can I ever thank you for everything you've been through for this baby?"

  She chuckled. "He
's my baby, too."

  "I know. It just feels like such an incredible gift that I had very little to do with."

  She smiled. What a wonderful guy he was. It seemed unlikely she'd ever find another man like him. She tried to remember why she'd turned down his proposal. Pregnancy hormones? Temporary insanity? He had wanted them to be a family. How many men in his position would do the same thing? How many men could have taken such good care of her? Her chest tightened as she realized he'd be moving out soon.

  "Time to get you to your room," the nurse said.

  "I'll be there in a little while," Jeff said.

  Georgia closed her eyes and felt tears leaking down her cheeks. So what if this baby was the thing that had brought them together? She loved Jeff, she knew that now. She had to talk to him.

  Settled into her bed, she soon drifted off to sleep. When she woke, he was there, holding her hand.

  "How are you feeling?" he asked.

  "I'm feeling like I made a big mistake."

  His eyebrows shot up. "How so?"

  "A fantastic, incredible man asked me to marry him, and I told him no. I didn't want him to be with me because he felt he had to. But now I'm thinking maybe he does love me, and not just because I had his baby."

  He bit his lip, then grinned. "Well, good news. This is a mistake you can fix."

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. "Did you really think I wasn't going to ask you again?"

  Her lip trembled.

  "Georgia, would you marry me? Not because we're parents of a beautiful child, but because I want nothing more than to make you happy, to love you with all my heart? I want to be around to see that beautiful red hair turn white."

  "Hey!" she protested through tears.

  "So, will you marry me?"

  Biting her lip, she nodded. "Yes."

  He kissed her hand. "As soon as the baby's home and you're feeling better, we'll make plans."

  "I don't want anything big. Is that okay? I know you haven't been married before. Were you hoping for something grand?"

  "Nope. I was simply hoping for someone like you. We could get married here for all I care. The sooner I can be your husband the better."

  She raised an eyebrow. "They have chaplains in hospitals, don't they?"