Tempest Torn
Page 15
Her laugh was hollow. “Yes, everyone is entitled to make one or two, but you...you insist on making all of them!” Suddenly, before he could even respond, Marti doubled over and hissed in pain.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, certain all the color had drained from his face. “What’s going on? Is it the baby?” Joey didn’t wait for an answer. Picking her up, he carried her lovingly through the kitchen door, cradling her up against his chest. He murmured the only words of comfort he knew. “It’s going to be okay. I promise. You’re going to be fine. Our baby is going to be strong and healthy.” He wanted to believe it. He had to think it was possible. In his arms, Marti shuddered.
Burrowing her face deeper into his chest, she seemed to be trying to control her breathing. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she warned through panting breaths.
Sighing, he frowned. “You’re right,” he mumbled. He had no control over what was going to happen this pregnancy. All he could do was make it as easy on her as possible. He just wanted to take care of her, of them. Joey carried her through the bedroom and into her bathroom. “Let’s get you changed into warm dry clothes. Can you do it, or do you need my help?” Setting her down on the lid of the toilet, he backed slowly away while he waited for her response. Grabbing a towel from the hooks on the back of the door, he passed it to her. When he looked back, her chin was jutted out proudly.
“I can do it,” Marti said evenly. Can you just get me some clothes from the dresser before you go?”
Immediately he walked briskly to the dresser and pulled out the top drawer. Inside, he spotted the charm bracelet he had lovingly picked and filled with mementos for her. It was his fault she no longer wore it. There was no time to wallow in the past. He had to focus on the present and save their future. Inhaling sharply, he asked, “Do you need a bra and panties too?”
“Yes, please,” she mumbled weakly.
Glancing her direction, he could see her there, bent over on the toilet seat. Her eyes were closed, her breathing obviously labored. Fear gripped him, but he fought through it. He had to be strong for her. After a moment, he had gathered a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt to go with her unmentionables. When he returned to her side, she was still leaned over, staring at the floor. “Are you sure you can do this?” he asked gently. She didn’t look like she could handle much of anything at the moment. Still he had to save her pride. “I don’t mind helping.”
“I’m fine.” Marti looked up at him, eyes shining with tears as she reached for the clothes he held.
Though he wanted to fight her, to refute her claim and urge her to stop being so stubborn, instead he carefully passed the clothes to her. Nodding, still unconvinced, he slowly backed away. “Okay. I’m going to be in the living room changing into dry clothes. I’ll be right back.” Then he rushed out of the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Maybe if he were fast enough, she’d just give in to his offered assistance. His only clean clothes were in the duffel bag in the living room closet tucked under the stairs. It took him less than a minute to pull out dry jeans and a fresh brown thermal shirt. Grabbing his wet clothes, he headed through the kitchen and tossed them on the dryer in the mudroom. Rushing back to the bedroom, he knocked and entered without waiting for a response, just like he always did.
Marti was still sitting where he had left her. Slowly, she looked up at him. “I lied.”
Joey dropped to his knees before her, waiting to see what she was going to say next. What was this lie she was about to reveal? His heart was in his throat. What if it wasn’t his baby? Then he realized, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t about the baby or his paternity. It was about Marti. He loved her, and therefore her child, no matter what.
Waiting patiently, he cupped her face, hoping to offer her the comfort to continue. Marti pressed her face closer to his hand and sighed weakly. Her head dropped some in shame. “I guess I can’t get dressed by myself.”
In an instant, he positioned himself so he could help her stand. When he grasped her waist and started to lift her, she whimpered. “Did I hurt you?” he asked, stricken at the thought of causing her any further pain.
Shaking her head, the tears began to flow more freely now. “I’m afraid to stand,” she whispered.
Studying her, Joey quickly discerned she wasn’t being overly dramatic. That had never been her style anyway. Swallowing hard, he was almost afraid to ask. “Why, babe? Does it hurt too much?” If that were the problem, it would be easily solved. Marti was so light, he could maneuver her to dress her without any problem.
Shaking her head, she bit her lip a moment before responding. “I’m bleeding,” she murmured sadly. Marti motioned to show where she meant, pointing to the junction of her thighs.
Seeing nothing coming through her jeans, Joey propped her up against the back of the toilet. “Hold on,” he instructed, focused on his task while trying to hide his fear. She gripped the edge of the vanity on one side and the wall on the other then nodded at him to let him know she was ready. Her tears had stopped. She was clearly trying valiantly to hold it together. After unbuttoning her jeans, he pulled down the zipper. Then grabbing the waistband, he peeled them off her. Her panties were barely damp from the rain, but sure enough there was spot of blood leaking through.
Inhaling sharply, he looked up at her and channeled his best soothing demeanor. “It’s not so bad. We’ll just leave those on for now. Dry pants and shirt, then we’ll slip on new socks and shoes before we head to the ER.”
It was obvious she was trying equally hard to relax. Marti spoke carefully. “I have a doctor. We could call him first.” She glanced at the clock. “It’s after hours. And it’s still early in the pregnancy.” She closed her eyes. He could imagine her train of thought. There wasn’t much that could be done. The doctor would probably tell her to go to the ER anyway. Finally, after breathing deeply a few times, she opened her eyes. “You’re right. Let’s go.”
Within minutes, Joey had dressed her, slid socks and a pair of Crocs onto her feet, then carried her out to the truck. Then he drove as quickly as he dared to get her safely to the ER. During the entire process, no matter how sweet and gentle he was, Marti couldn’t help but cry. The sadness was absolutely overwhelming. In her mind, she was already anticipating the worst. Though she stared out the window, Marti could feel him looking at her. He had reached out and held her hand. In fact, he had barely taken his hands off her since she finally acquiesced and allowed him to help her.
Finally, she decided to break the tension of the situation by speaking. She knew he was waiting quietly for a cue it was okay to talk. “We’re quite the pair, aren’t we?” Marti murmured. “You with your panic attacks, me with my miscarriages.” She gave him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Miscarriages?” Joey shook his head and scoffed at the idea. “You’re not having a miscarriage this time.” Somehow, even though he had probably just said it to comfort her, she wanted to believe him.
It was so tempting, to fold to his thinking. Still, she was afraid of being disappointed again. Maybe she wasn’t meant to have a child. Maybe her body wasn’t built for carrying a child to term and giving birth. As sadness overwhelmed her once more, she looked out the window.
Soon enough her thoughts were interrupted when Joey pulled up at the ER. There was plenty of parking, which rather surprised her. Marti was still staring at the entrance when Joey made it to her side of the vehicle.
“I’ve got you.” He reached up and as soon as she unhooked her seatbelt, he slid a hand under her and the other arm shot around her, pulling her close until she was once again in his arms.
“I feel ridiculous letting you carry me,” she complained.
“Well, get over it. What if the doctor simply recommends some bed rest? You could have just overdone it today. Maybe you are working too hard.” He hugged her tightly to him. Then he pulled back, looked her in the eye and teased, “I’d absolutely believe that. This is merely a warning.”
“What brings you here tonight?” the nurse asked.
A single tear dripped down Marti’s face as she responded. “I think I’m having a miscarriage.” She pasted on her bravest face, but the nurse immediately buzzed them into the triage area.
The first stop was the scale. Joey set Marti on her feet and started to look at the digital read out. Before she stepped on the base, she glared at him. “I swear, if you look at the numbers, I’ll have security kick you out.” She put her hands on her hips and gave him her most serious look.
With two hands raised in surrender, Joey backed away. “If it means that much to you…”
“Oh, it does.” Proudly, she stepped onto the scale and watched as the nurse jotted down the number on her chart. Then she carefully stepped off and waited for the numbers to disappear before she turned around. “Okay, now where?”
“Follow me,” the nurse urged. They were brought into a triage room. “Have a seat on the table.” She pointed to the padded paper covered table.
Standing next to it, Marti realized it was taller than she expected. Before she could even ask, Joey was by her side, helping to lift her onto it.
“Here you go, cupcake. Try not to fall off.” He winked at her.
“I’ll do my best,” she murmured. Studying him, she realized he was doing his best too. Joey was determined to keep her calm. Her heart thudded heavily in her chest. As emotional as she was feeling, Marti started to blink back tears. The nurse waved a tissue in front of her. With a weak smile, she mumbled, “Thank you. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. You’re scared. Who can blame you?” Reaching up on the wall, she grabbed a blood pressure cuff and wrapped it around Marti’s upper arm. “Now try and relax.” Marti just looked at her. “Yeah. I know. Just do your best.” Pressing the button, the cuff began to inflate. A few seconds later it was all done. Since the machine was facing away from her, Marti had no idea the results.
Walking away, the nurse sat down on a stool in front of a monitor and pulled out the retractable keyboard. She tapped on the computer and started working on creating Marti’s chart. After adding the vitals, she started filling in the rest of the blanks. “What was the date of your last cycle?”
Inhaling sharply, Marti considered how to answer. The same question had been asked at the doctor. It wasn’t straightforward. “Okay, this is complicated. Ready?”
The nurse looked at her and nodded, but asked incredulously, “How can it be that complicated? It’s a date.”
“Oh, you’ll see,” Marti assured her. “I had a miscarriage the day before Thanksgiving. I bled after the D&C. I only have one ovary, due to a cyst I had when I was a teenager. My cycles have never been regular. So, seriously, my last cycle was probably late August. Does that make sense?”
While talking to herself, the nurse typed in the history she had acquired. “So you never had another cycle after the D&C.”
“Right, but I also didn’t have sex until like six weeks ago. So that’s the farthest along I could be.” Marti looked at Joey, her cheeks coloring as she remembered their moments of passion.
The silence was only broken by the sound of tapping on the keyboard. Finally the nurse spoke. “I think I have everything. Your blood pressure was a little high, but that’s to be expected given the circumstances.” She held out a hand to help Marti off the table. “Follow me. Let’s get you in a room.” Along the way, she reached into a cupboard and grabbed a gown. “You’ll need to change into this,” she explained. Then she brought them into the last room at the end of the hall. “Get undressed. The doctor will be in shortly.”
Nodding, Marti solemnly started to strip down. She was nervous and uncomfortable. In all honesty, she wasn’t sure she and Joey had achieved this level of intimacy, which was strange given the fact they had made a baby together. Looking up at him helplessly, she tried to figure out what to say to him. Marti knew he had been watching her, suspected he wanted to help, but she just wasn’t sure what to do now.
“Hey, want me to turn around, or pull this curtain for you? Or if you need help, I can do that.” His face was drawn. Exhaustion marked his face, causing deep creases around his eyes. Had he always looked like this or was it a simply his physical reaction to the current situation? Obviously Joey felt just as helpless and lost as she did. For some reason, she took great comfort in that.
“The curtain, please.” Her voice came out just a notch above a whisper.
Taking a step closer, he reached up and pulled the curtain in the arc that would separate them, but before he left her alone, he walked over, bent slightly and kissed her gently on the forehead. “Let me know if you need anything.” Then taking just a few steps back, he was on the other side and out of sight.
It took her a little longer than normal to get undressed. Working with the gown was a struggle. Finally, Marti accepted she might just need to accept some help if she planned to spare her dignity. Peeking around the curtain, she gestured for him to come closer. When he neared, she turned and showed him the back.
“Oh, I’ve got that for you,” he assured her. Seconds later, he stepped away and her gown stayed shut, though a good eight inches too long and innumerable sizes too big.
Climbing onto the bed, she pretended this was some great feat she had accomplished. “Ta da!” Marti tried to smile brightly at him. It was nothing like her normal smile, but she at least wanted to make an effort.
Grinning, Joey showed he was a team player. “Remind me, next time we’re at the hospital, if I want fast service, I’ll tell them I’m having a miscarriage.” He winked at her.
Somehow, she managed to laugh, despite her fears. “Totally believable.”
They didn’t have time to worry or sit in an uncomfortable silence. Soon there was a knock on the door. Before they responded, a doctor had entered the room to check on her. He sat on the stool and wheeled over to beside the gurney. “So, you are concerned about a miscarriage, which is understandable since you have a history of miscarriages.” The white haired bespectacled doctor looked at her.
There was something so comforting about him, Marti couldn’t help but feel better in his presence. Nodding, she waited to see what he would say next.
Setting down the chart on the tiny wheeled tray near the end of the bed, he asked, “What makes you think you’re having a miscarriage?” Then he stood up and walked closer to her.
“Well, not so long ago I was doubled over in pain and there has been some bleeding.” She knew he would have to check her, but even wearing a gown she felt naked and exposed. Plus, there was something really strange about having Joey watch this.
The doctor glanced over his shoulder then looked at Marti. “Is this the father?” he asked.
“Yes,” she murmured.
Turning back to Joey, he suggested, “Why don’t you come over here and hold her hand while I examine her?”
Immediately Joey walked from where he was leaning against the wall, to Marti’s side. Reaching out, he took her hand from where it was folded in her lap and clasped it in both of his. “It’s going to be okay.” Sitting on the chair beside the gurney, he settled in, game face in place.
In that moment, Marti loved him just a little more. Given their recent history, she wasn’t sure he was a man she could count on. He seemed to be so quick to take off, run away. If this had been a test, he was passing with flying colors.
“Okay, lean back and get comfortable,” the doctor ordered. “I’m just going to take a look at you.”
Watching him pull on gloves, Marti swallowed hard. She knew doctors didn’t need gloves for just looking. It was her second internal in a week. He had looked at her panties. “Have you changed them since you started spotting?” he had asked. When she shook her head, he smiled reassuringly. “This isn’t bad. I know it seems terrible to you, but it’s not much at all.�
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After doing some calculations, he agreed it was still a little early for a heartbeat. “This could be implantation bleeding,” he suggested. It seemed another thought had occurred to him. He paused and asked, “What were you doing when the pain and bleeding started?”
“Trying to cover my plants in the garden before the hail killed them.” She shrugged.
The doctor looked at Joey who raised his hands. “Hey, I told her to stop and finished the job for her. She took it upon herself to try and be all independent. While I was looking for the tarps, she was already doing it.”
The doctor turned to Marti. “Our other option is you may have just overdone it.” He frowns at her a moment. “You need to go see your OB/GYN on Monday. In the meantime, rest and relaxation. Low stress. Sit around doing nothing as much as possible. Think you can handle that?” He stares at her pointedly while waiting for a response.
With a sigh, Marti nodded. “Yeah. I can lay low.”