Duty With Honor Book Five: An Unexpected Pause

by Jordan Bollinger

  "The paramedics discovered a large bruise forming on her stomach, and felt there was internal bleeding. They are doing an ultrasound now. Hopefully, they'll uncover something. The thing is they can't operate without a signed permission form."

  "Where's Andrew?"

  Fitz spoke, "He didn't want to be in town -- didn't want to enable someone to say he'd helped her. He went up to Cambridge to research something. But, he was on his way back when I called. He should be here any time now."

  "What about Father?"

  "Sir Roger didn't answer his phone. I've left messages on both his cell and home phone -- but just for him to call me immediately. I didn't want to leave a message about Beth being in the hospital. But, as of yet, I haven't heard from him."

  "No, of course not."

  A doctor came through the double doors marked 'surgery' and looked around. "I'm looking for the family of Elizabeth Oliver. I need a permission form for surgery signed."

  "Her husband should be here any moment," Richard said. "But, I'm her brother. Can I sign your form?"

  The doctor frowned. "Ah, I think I need to speak to her husband -- if he really is due any minute."

  "But, I'm sure he wouldn't object to me signing for him," Richard pleaded.

  For a second, it looked as though the doctor was going to waiver, when the elevator doors opened, and Andrew hurried out. Richard gestured to the doctor. "This is her husband."

  *****

  Andrew rushed over to where his brother-in-law stood, talking to a doctor. "Where is she? What happened? I want to see her."

  Richard put a hand on Drew's shoulder. "Take it easy, Andrew. She's going to be fine." He looked over at the doctor and asked, "She is going to be fine, isn't she?"

  The doctor nodded his head. "I believe so. However, I need permission to operate. I also need to speak to you, privately." Then he led Drew across the waiting area from the others.

  "Please, just let me sign the form," Andrew answered in a frantic voice. "You said that she'd be fine if you operated."

  "Yes, but it's not that easy. I need to explain some things to you. Let's sit down here and talk. We think her spleen is ruptured. We need to either repair or remove it--"

  "Yes, yes. Do whatever you need to do. Just give me the forms. Please."

  "And, we will. But, there's something else you need to know first."

  "What?"

  "As far as we can tell, the baby hasn't been affected. But, if we operate..."

  "Baby?"

  The doctor stared at him. "Surely you know your wife is about five months pregnant?"

  "No. You've made a mistake," Andrew said in an overly-loud, plaintive voice. Richard immediately hurried over, with Fitz and Bridget close behind, just as Drew repeated, "No, Beth's not pregnant."

  "Andrew, why didn't you--"

  "I'm telling you all, I didn't know."

  The doctor squirmed a bit, before asking, "Is there a possibility of the baby not being yours?"

  "Absolutely not," Andrew said. "I don't believe she knows, herself."

  The doctor shook his head, insisting, "She must know."

  "I agree with Drew," Richard said. "I don't think she does. She's always wanted a child. If she even thought she might be pregnant, she'd never risked the baby's well-being by taking scuba diving classes. Or, accepting an assignment."

  "But surely she would have noticed she hadn't had a period in the last four or five months? Or, has she been having her period the entire time?"

  Andrew sat still for a moment, thinking. Then he answered, "As far as I know, she hasn't had a period since before we were married. But, that doesn't mean she hasn't."

  "The bottom line is," the doctor said, "we need to operate. And, we can't guarantee that she won't miscarry. She, and therefore the baby, have already suffered a severe blunt force trauma. And, the internal bleeding led to shock. Either of those things could have caused her to lose the baby. The actual surgery and the anesthetic are just two more potential risks to this pregnancy."

  "Please," Andrew said, his voice becoming louder and less controlled, "Just do whatever it is you need to help her." He scribbled his signature on the proffered form.

  "I assure you, we will do our very best," the doctor told him, took the form, and went back through the doors to the restricted area.

  Richard took the doctor's seat, and told him, "Everything is going to be fine. Just calm down."

  Just then Fitz's cell phone rang. She looked at it, and then the men. "Sir Roger, Elizabeth has been in an accident. She's at Gordon Hospital. That's the one just across the Vauxhall Bridge.

  "Yes, they're both here. And Andrew's given them permission for the doctors to operate. They're about to do exploratory surgery to find out where she's bleeding internally. Yes.

  "I'll tell them. Goodbye."

  Fitz shut her phone and said, "Sir Roger will be here immediately. I'm going to call Sir Anthony. I believe he was planning on bringing Mrs. Gleason here.

  "Now, what about the Richard's children?" She looked from Drew to Richard and back, and asked, "How much should I tell them?"

  Drew's head popped up. "Just tell them about the surgery -- but nothing about the baby -- at least not now."

  She nodded, and moved back with Bridget, leaving the two men alone.

  "But why?" Richard asked. "You must know how much she would want this? Besides, Sarah might even have some useable input about all this."

  "That's just it, Richard. I think we should keep this to ourselves. At least until we know one way or the other."

  He felt his brother-in-law's eyes burning holes through him, before he asked, "Andrew, you are happy about this baby? Aren't you?"

  "Yes, of course...I think."

  "What do you mean 'you think'?"

  Andrew felt nauseous. His head ached and he'd broken out in a cold sweat. Finally, he answered Richard, "It's just such a surprise. I never thought about it. We never spoke about it.

  "I know she's always wanted a child, but... I mean...after all those years she was married to Tom..."

  "Are you all right?"

  "I don't know. We never thought it was possible." He looked at his brother-in-law, and asked, "What do I know about a baby? What do I know about being a father?"

  "I know how you feel," Richard told him, as he led him to a row of chairs. "Just sit down, bend over, put your head between your knees, and just breathe for a few minutes. You'll feel better." He bent over and breathed along with him.

  They were still bent over breathing when Sir Roger's booming voice came from above them, "What's happened?"

  Richard sat up, but he kept his hand firmly on Drew's back, so he couldn't get up. "Beth's in surgery. They think she has a ruptured spleen."

  "What happened?"

  Andrew made a rather feeble effort at struggling against his brother-in-law's hand, but in the end, just allowed Richard to field the question.

  "Beth stopped a kidnapping attempt, but took a blow to her abdomen during the fracas. She passed out in Sir Anthony's office during her debriefing. We think he's gone to get Millie, and will be here soon."

  "Let me up, Richard," Drew said, still leaning over, head between his legs.

  "You stay just as you are," Richard told him. "I'm going to ask a nurse for something for you."

  "I don't need anything!"

  "Just calm down. And don't move," Richard insisted as he tried to catch the attention of a passing nurse.

  "Why," Sir Roger asked, with a scowl, "are you holding Andrew like that?"

  Andrew tried to sit up again, but Richard held fast. He looked over at his father and said, "I'll get to that in a minute. But, first, I think you better sit down, too. Here, sit on this side of me. That way I can keep you down, as well, if I need to." He again motioned to a different nurse, who also ignored him.

  Once his father sat down, Richard said, "I need you to remain calm."

  "Richard, what the hell is going on?"

  "Beth is five months
pregnant."

  Andrew shook at the words, and turned his head to see the blood drain from his father-in-law's face at the news.

  "Come again, please?" the older man said. "I thought you said Elizabeth was pregnant."

  "I did. She...is."

  "Let me up, Richard." Andrew slid away from his brother-in-law and stood -- albeit, wobbly. He moved in front of Sir Roger and said, "I didn't know, sir. I don't believe she knew. I'm sure she would have told us. Don't you, sir? Really?"

  "Yes, my boy, I agree. If she knew, she would have told you, at the very least. Unless..." His eyes narrowed, and he stared at Drew. "Unless, she was afraid you wouldn't be happy about it."

  "Sir?"

  "Well, what am I to think? Just look at yourself. You look as if you're about to give birth. She must have known, or at least suspected about her condition and worried about your reaction.

  "I told you, before you married her, what I would do to you if you ever hurt her," he growled.

  "I didn't know. I swear. It's something we never spoke about. And, while it's unexpected, it's certainly not unwanted.

  "I admit, I was a taken aback. But, that doesn't mean I don't want the child." He sunk back down on the bench, "This is probably all moot, anyway."

  "Why?" Sir Roger roared.

  Richard jumped in between them. "The doctor is worried that trauma, shock, surgery, anesthetic, or any combination thereof, could cause her to miscarry."

  Andrew bent down and looked into his father-in-law's eyes. "I love Beth. You know I do, sir. I love her more than life itself. This baby would be a blessing, a miracle.

  "And, I'm sorry about the way I initially reacted. It just seemed so...surreal." Then he leaned back on the bench.

  "Father, Andrew would never hurt Beth. You know that. And you have to admit, even if this happened thirty years ago, it would have still taken us all by surprise."

  Fitz materialized, carrying a tray of large coffees and a frown. "I take it there's no news."

  "No," Andrew said, tersely, before he jumped up and began rocking on the balls of his feet.

  Sir Roger accepted a cup, and said, "I'm sorry, Andrew. I should never have implied you didn't want this child. It's just, as you said, so surreal."

  "I don't think we should tell her."

  "What?" Sir Roger and his son asked Drew, simultaneously.

  "I don't think she should be told," Andrew repeated. "At least, not until they're sure the baby is all right."

  He saw their looks of horror and hurriedly continued, "Don't you see? If she knows about this child and then miscarries, it will kill her. She'll be convinced it was her fault. You know how she takes personal responsibility for everything.

  "Why can't we just wait until things settle down, before we tell her? If she loses the child she never even has to know. We need to keep this between us for now -- at the very least."

  "I'm not sure about that," Richard argued. "She would feel terribly deceived if she ever found out we'd kept it from her."

  "I just don't know," Sir Roger mused. "I understand both your points of view.

  "It's true she will be very disappointed in all of us, if she ever finds out we kept this from her. But, I understand why Andrew would rather we keep this from her -- at least until she's out of surgery, and we know about whether the child will survive, or not."

  "But, Father..."

  "Richard, I know you see this as just more of us being secretive and deceptive, but you also must be able to understand how her own anxiety could have a detrimental effect on the pregnancy. Give her a chance to recuperate and regroup."

  "All right," Richard conceded, "but I really think she needs to know as soon as possible. Please."

  *****

  Sir Anthony and his wife, as well as Richard's brood, had all arrived before they got any word.

  Finally, the doctor returned through the surgery doors, and announced, "She's stable, and so far, the baby's holding its own. We were able to repair her spleen, rather than removing it.

  "Once she's ready to leave post-op, I'd like to move her to Obstetrics. We can have her examined by an obstetrician and then closely monitored.

  "I think I know just the--"

  Andrew interrupted him, "Fine, I'm sure we'll agree to anyone you recommend -- at least initially.

  "But there are some things we need to discuss with you first. We -- Beth's father and brother and I -- do not want Beth to be told about the baby until you all are reasonably sure it will survive.

  "And, I need to stay with her." He saw the doctor scowl and rushed on, "Please. She's very distressed by hospitals."

  Richard jumped in, explaining, "You see, doctor, she stayed with my wife during her battle with cancer. She was never calm about hospitals, but watching Cathy just waste away and eventually die has made her...uh...it intensified that distress."

  Beth's father stepped forward, thrust out a hand, and said, "I'm very sorry, doctor. I neglected to introduce myself. I'm Sir Roger Emery." Turning to Richard, he added, "This is my son, Richard Emery. And, you've already spoken to my son-in-law, Andrew Oliver."

  He leaned in towards the doctor, and continued, "I'm going to have to insist that you do as my son-in-law asks."

  He turned, gesturing for Sir Anthony to step forward. "Both Andrew and my daughter work for the government. This is Sir Anthony Gleason, the Minister of Defense, the head of MI-6.

  "I'm sure, should you be unwilling to honor our requests, he'll be more than able to, shall we say, exert...adequate pressure...wherever and on whomever necessary. However, I'm sure it won't come to that, now will it?"

  The doctor scowled again, and Richard picked up where his father had left off, but with the charm that got him all those phone numbers and other personal data he collected for the SIS over the years. "Now, Father, I'm sure the doctor understands completely."

  He moved his father in the direction of the Gleasons, but kept talking, "Beth was injured on an assignment, and there might be further attempts on her life. So, the most prudent thing for you all to do would be to allow Andrew to stay with her, and for us to visit as well.

  "You move Beth to the Maternity Ward, under another name. I'm sure we'll be able to provide another ID -- for say, Beth Bennett.

  "You'll be able to keep a close watch on her. Carry out all the tests and examinations you need -- while she's still knocked out. Just don't tell her anything about the baby.

  "All she, and the other hospital personnel, need to know is that she's there because she will always have someone staying with her. After all, the rooms on that ward are set up for overnight visitors.

  "Once you all decide which way things are going to go, we'll have another talk. But, until then, Beth is to know nothing about the pregnancy."

  The doctor's face had gone slack, as Richard turned to Andrew. "I'll have Sarah call Cathy's OB/GYN group and get some referrals. And, I'll send Fitz to pick up some things for both of you."

  Then he reached out for Andrew's arm, and added, "And don't worry about Father. He didn't mean the comment about you not wanting this child.

  "He would never admit it, but pregnancies frighten him -- because of Mother. He was nervous and snappish for all of Cathy's pregnancies.

  "I'll try to talk to him. Or maybe, I'll have Sarah do it -- she does seem to have a way with him.

  "Just don't repeat what I told you. You know how he hates to admit weakness."

  Chapter Seven

  The doctor had been in, told him that they'd done an ultrasound and several other tests, and that so far everything was fine. He also thought Elizabeth would be waking up soon. Then he'd left.

  If anyone came into the room, they might have said Andrew was sitting beside Beth's bed, waiting patiently for her to wake up. But if they had a window into his head, they would have seen he was anything but quiet.

  A cacophony of thoughts bombarded his brain -- echoing around his skull, all at once. He sat, staring at her, thinking about the tiny life hidden deep w
ithin her. A baby, their baby, a blessing, a minor miracle created from their love.

  But...a baby.

  It was something he'd never really considered before. Not really. He might have thought how Beth had wanted children in her youth. But he'd never reflected on children. At least, not his children.

  Certainly, he and his first wife hadn't wanted a child. Perhaps that wasn't quite true. He mightn't have minded, if he'd thought about it. He'd just never thought about it.

  He couldn't ever remember holding an infant. Perhaps, he never had. He was nearly fifty. He knew nothing about babies.

  Did Elizabeth know anything about babies? Was that something women were born with, inherent knowledge of babies? Or, was it something they would need to learn together?

  He kept thinking of the possibility of having a daughter. Imagine, a tiny version of Elizabeth. Or, perhaps, a miniature version of himself. Surely, any child of theirs would be amazing.

  The problem was he kept returning to the baby idea. Babies were demanding. You couldn't reason with a baby. And they needed constant attention. How could they continue working and care for this insistent little being?

  Don't be silly, he told himself. People had babies all the time. People worked, and went to school, and managed to do all sorts of things. Besides, they were well off. They could afford a baby nurse, a nanny, and even a governess. Did people still have governesses?

  Okay, first thing is to have Fitz find out if Nanny Roberts was still alive. Of course, she would be too old to care for an infant. But surely she would be able to recommend someone. Perhaps, someone she even had trained.

  They would be a family. Families had pets. Maybe he should get a puppy. They could practice on the puppy. He shook his head, thinking, that was absurd -- practicing on a puppy. Perhaps, it didn't need to be a puppy.

  He was beginning to feel he was losing his grip on reality.

  What if this was a dream? Some trick of the mind? Maybe he was captured. Perhaps he was drugged...