by Marla Monroe
“I don’t know. She could go into a coma, or she might already be in one. I just don’t fucking know,” Jared admitted.
“I don’t want to lose her, man.”
Rusty put aside what was left of his soup. He hadn’t been all that hungry but knew Jared was right. They had to keep up their strength to take care of Jane.
“Me either. She’s going to be fine. The baby’s fine, and she will be, too.”
Chapter Fourteen
Jared watched most of the night, waiting for Jane to wake up. Willing her to wake the fuck up. He wasn’t going through this again. She had to pull out of this. How could they handle it if they lost her? Rusty would be devastated.
I’ll be devastated. I honestly care about her.
Did he love her? The thought of never seeing her pretty eyes darken with need as she rode him put a skip in his heart and made him swallow down the bile that threatened to spill over. Was it really love that tightened the iron-clad grip around his insides?
Maybe he did. Maybe while he’d been so careful to guard his feelings, it had slipped into his heart anyway. That thought amped up the burn in his gut. Surely, he wasn’t going to lose yet another woman who was carrying his child. The fates couldn’t be that cruel, could they?
“You’ve got to wake up, Jane. I can’t stand the idea of life without you in it. Can you even hear me?” he asked, feeling tears burn the backs of his eyes. He squeezed the bridge of his nose to stop them from falling.
About an hour later, Rusty woke up and got out of the recliner where he’d been spending his downtime. Jared had done the same when it was his turn to rest. Neither of them got a lot of sleep though.
“Any change?” he asked.
“No. She still responds to pain when I prick her, but she doesn’t rouse when I talk to her.”
“She will. She’s just resting now. That was a hard fall, and if she woke up now, she’d have a hell of a headache. I’m fine with her resting for a little longer to get past that,” Rusty said.
“Yeah. I’m glad she’s not hurting like that, but I really need her to at least move on her own. Something.”
“I’m up now. Go ahead and get some rest,” Rusty said.
“I’m going to take a shower then cook something. Neither one of us has eaten much since yesterday at breakfast. It’s nearly six in the morning now. I’ll nap after that.” Jared shuffled off to climb the stairs.
Visions of finding Jane at the bottom nearly choked a sob out of him. Why had she gone upstairs without them? They couldn’t leave her alone ever again. She was stubborn, and she’d told them over and over that she was going crazy cooped up inside. They should have realized she would want to go upstairs to get out of the living room for a change. Damn it all.
I should have known. Rusty hadn’t been around a pregnant woman like I have. I should have known.
It was all on him. He was so busy trying not to fall for Jane that he’d avoided remembering the important stuff like how ornery and determined a pregnant woman could be when it was something important to her. He’d found the baby book and the list of things she needed when he’d cleaned up the blood at the base of the stairs. She’d wanted that damn book and to make a list of things they didn’t have yet.
Fuck him.
This was all his fault for not anticipating her needs. If she didn’t make it, he’d have himself to blame for it. Rusty hadn’t known what to expect, but he sure as hell had.
Later when they’d eaten, and he was sitting in the recliner, he filled Rusty in on everything he remembered about Sandy’s pregnancy before she’d gotten sick. He explained that women needed to nest and would want to fix up the nursery. It was instinctual and why there was always a lot of talk about planning the nursery when women talked about getting pregnant. He told him about how Sandy had craved attention and hated being on her own for any length of time.
“We should have divided up our time so that she wasn’t alone at all,” Jared told him. “I knew that.”
“Neither one of us was thinking clearly. I should have realized she would try something like that,” Rusty said. “She was always pushing us with what she wanted. I still can’t believe we let her talk us into sitting outside for an hour last week. That was stupid of us.”
“Yeah. They get stubborn as a pack of mules.”
“She’s going to come out of this okay, Jared.” Rusty squeezed his shoulder. “I know she is.”
“I do, too,” he said, but deep down, Jared wasn’t so sure. It had been at least thirty-six hours now, and she still hadn’t moved on her own without them pinching or sticking her with something.
“I’m going to go raise the doc and see what he thinks,” Rusty told him before striding toward the office.
Jared prayed the man had some good news, but really, what could he say? The longer Jane was unconscious, the less likely it was that she’d wake up anytime soon. He leaned over and shook her shoulder.
“Jane. You’ve got to wake up, hon. You’re scaring us to death here. Don’t you want to see your baby born? Wake up, damn it.”
Jared pulled at his hair. What would they do if she went into labor while she was like this? How could they possibly deliver a baby without her awake to help? Then what? Would she make milk while she was unconscious? He couldn’t think like this. She was going to come out of it soon. She just needed time to let the swelling go down and get past the pounding headache he knew she’d have if she woke up too soon.
“I love you, Jane. Please wake up so I can tell you to your face where you can hear me.”
He couldn’t believe he’d just blurted it out like that. It didn’t matter. She couldn’t hear him he didn’t think. Well, if she wanted to hear him say the words again, she had to wake up so he could tell them to her while she was looking at him.
A while later Rusty walked back in with a scowl. “He said there wasn’t anything else we can do except what we were already doing. Keep her warm, dry, and try and rouse her every hour.”
“We’re doing it all, Rusty. What else did he say?”
“That the fact that she had a lump meant that most of the swelling was outside and not inside her brain. That was a good thing. He said he was almost a hundred percent sure she’d wake up soon.”
“That’s a good thing. Why are you scowling like a scalded cat?” Jared asked.
“I don’t know. Because I want her to wake up right now. I’m worried she won’t regardless of what he says.”
“She will. She has to. We’ve got a baby to deliver and raise. Can you imagine what he or she will turn out to be like if we have to raise it alone?” Jared tried to lift Rusty’s spirits but wasn’t doing a very good job by the looks of it.
“Oh, God. What are we going to do if she doesn’t wake up when her time comes?”
“Stop it, Rusty. Stop it right now. She’s going to wake up soon. Don’t go borrowing trouble when we have enough right now.”
“I’m going to go raise the others to let them know what’s going on. They’re going to need to keep the snow shoveled and tend to the hens and cow for now. One of us can go pick up our share, but I don’t want either of us gone for more than thirty minutes at a time in case we need each other.” Jared stood and walked toward the office. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
He called up the others and told them what was going on. They agreed to pick up the slack for them and asked if there was anything they could do. He told him they appreciated it but that they were doing all that could be done.
Jared wanted to do more, but there wasn’t anything they could do. He returned to find Rusty talking to Jane, though her eyes remained firmly closed. He talked about what they were going to name the baby and listed out some ridiculous names then talked about decorating the nursery in camouflage or wild animals.
She’d been firm that they’d go with nice animal scenes like zoo animals since they didn’t know if they were having a male or female. If they’d been able to go to Space Station One to see the
doctor, they’d have been able to have an ultrasound to know the sex. Instead, they were playing it by ear and getting a little of both colors just in case.
She’d laughed when she’d told them it wouldn’t matter. They’d probably have at least one of each before it was over with.
“You know without birth control we’re going to have at least two or three before you guys decide to let the doc snip your little boys.” They’d both held their crouches and swore they’d be fine with six or seven.
She’d shaken her head no. “Not me. I know we’re supposed to populate the planet, but more than four or so, but more than that and I’m going to be too tired to work. I’m not a baby factory so you guys can keep your little guys intact. It won’t hurt you one bit to get it done. Unless I have to have a C-section, I’m not having my tubes tied. That would put me out of action for at least six weeks. I can’t afford that with all the work that has to be done here.”
They’d promised to do all the work for her. She’d laughed and shaken her head.
“You say that now, but wait until the third or forth kid running around that you have to keep up with and you’ll change your mind pretty damn quick,” she’d told them.
He knew she was right. Once they’d had enough, he’d be more than happy to have a vasectomy to keep her safe and healthy. He was sure that, when it came down to it, Rusty would, as well. How many kids would they settle on, he wondered. Three or four? All that depended on Jane waking up and being okay.
* * * *
“Any change?” Rusty asked just before the sun rose the next day.
“No. She’s still not responding to anything but pain. I’ve been a little more aggressive with shaking her. I think at this point we’ve got to assume that nothing is broken and somehow get her to wake up,” he said.
Rusty figured the other man was right. He’d all but yelled at her the day before. He was getting so frustrated and angry that this had happened. He wasn’t really angry with her, but all the feelings inside of him were bubbling up and over as he kept trying to get her to answer him.
“There’s coffee in the kitchen. I grabbed a sandwich earlier. I’m going to go get our milk and eggs then take a shower before I catch a nap.”
“I’ve got her. Take your time,” Rusty said.
He watched as the other man walked out of the living room then heard the back door open a few seconds later. The snow was beginning to melt, and March was fading, as well. It wouldn’t be long before the ground would thaw and it would be time to till and plant the gardens.
“Jane. You’ve got to wake up, baby girl. It’s nearly time for our child to be born. We can’t do this without you. You’ve got to wake the fuck up now.”
Rusty shook her then turned her on her side to keep her from getting a sore from lying on her back all the time. They’d started changing her position every couple of hours after the doc had warned she’d get bedsores if she stayed in one place.
It had been nearly three days now. They had to get her to wake up. The baby needed feeding, and if mom wasn’t eating, neither was their little one. He worried about that and about how they’d know when she went into labor if she couldn’t tell them. Little things had his gut churning as he sipped the coffee he really didn’t need.
“Come on, Jane. Listen here. If you don’t wake up soon, we’re going to be lost. I love you, baby girl. You’ve got to come back to us. Jared looks like a ghost. He’s not eating enough and has been hovering around you even when he should have been sleeping. You know we’re taking turns keeping watch over you. You’ve got to wake up before we drop in exhaustion.”
Still, she didn’t open her eyes or in anyway move to let him know she could hear him. He rubbed his face and sat back on the chair he’d moved next to the couch. They’d argued about moving her upstairs to the bed but, in the end, had decided that they were taking a chance at moving her again and especially upstairs where they could accidentally drop her or hit her head on the wall or something. Plus, they had the fireplace to help keep her warm, where upstairs it was cooler and they’d have to add blankets.
As soon as this snow melts enough. I want to take her to the doc to check her over.
That would mean carrying her back downstairs if they’d moved her to the master bedroom. No, keeping her where she was had been the best decision. Jared had been right about that.
He loves her. I can tell. He might not admit it to himself, but I can see it in his eyes every time he looks at her.
Rusty was relieved but hated that it had taken something like this to knock him off his ass. He prayed Jane would wake up soon so the other man could tell her. She deserved to know that both her men loved her.
“Wake up, precious. Jared has something he needs to tell you, but it won’t do any good while you’re sleeping like this. Wake up and let me see that smile I love so much.”
He sighed and took the brush he’d brought down and gently brushed her hair so that it lay out around her on the pillow. He loved her hair, loved touching it, loved brushing it. Even before all this, he’d been the one to brush it for her after she’d showered. Sometimes he would sit with her in front of the fireplace and they’d let the fire dry it while he dragged the comb or brush through it.
“I miss that, Jane. I miss doing the little things for you like rubbing lotion on your body and kissing you right behind your ear where you’re ticklish. Hurry back to us. I miss you so damn much.”
Chapter Fifteen
Pain lanced through Jane’s head as she fought to open her eyes. The guys had been fussing at her to wake up for so long now she felt guilty for staying asleep. Why was she so sleepy in the first place? The last she remembered she’d had a good nap and had wanted to go with them to shovel snow. She must have lain back down when they’d gone out.
Her head hurt. Why did her head hurt? Something tickled at the back of her mind, but she couldn’t quite catch it. She didn’t hear them calling to her right now. They’d probably figured she needed the sleep and left her alone.
I need to get up and fix something to eat. I sure am hungry. Hell, I’m hungry all the freaking time.
Nothing new there. She tried to open her eyes again, but they felt stuck together. What was up with that? She needed a warm wet cloth to wipe them off but couldn’t very well do that with her eyes sealed shut. She opened her mouth to ask one of the guys to get her a cloth, but nothing came out. Had her mouth even opened? Was she dreaming all of this?
Panic that something was wrong shot her heart rate into orbit as she struggled to make herself wake up and get off the couch.
“Easy, Jane. You’re fine. We’re here with you.” Rusty’s voice came from somewhere far off.
She wanted to scream at him that something was wrong. She couldn’t get her eyes open, and she couldn’t speak. What was going on?
“Jared! She’s trying to wake up.”
She sure as hell was. Why couldn’t she?
“Thank God. Can you hear us, hon? Settle down. We’ve got you. Just relax and open those pretty eyes of yours. I want to see you smile for me,” Jared said.
“I’m going to get a warm wet cloth and bathe her face. That should make her feel better. She’s panicking. Feel her heart rate?” Rusty held his hand over her chest. “I can feel it about to beat out of her chest.”
She tried again to open her eyes, but they felt like lead weights were attached to them. Why couldn’t she open her eyes? Had she been sick? What about the baby? She felt her hands jerk but couldn’t quite get them to go to her abdomen to feel for her baby.
“I saw that, hon. You’re trying to move. You’re going to be just fine,” Jared said.
“Tell her about the baby, man. She’s probably worried about the baby,” Rusty yelled from somewhere.
What about her baby? She wanted to demand they tell her about her baby.
“You’re doing fine. The baby is fine. We feel him kick all the time now. You’ve been asleep, but he sure hasn’t. I’m betting on a boy by the
way it’s always kicking. Rusty says it’s a girl dancing around in there.” Jared rubbed her belly.
She could feel his hand rubbing over her distended baby bump, and some of the fear evaporated like fog on a clear early morning. Still, she couldn’t open her eyes or speak. She tried again but started to get tired again. She felt a warm wet cloth wipe her face, but she was so tired again. It was all slipping away.
The next time she came to, Jane opened her eyes to see Jared and Rusty both sound asleep in their recliners on either end of the couch. Why had they moved the furniture around? It looked horrible that way. She started to sit up, but everything started swirling around her. She moaned as her head started aching.
“Hey, Jared. She’s awake. She’s fucking awake!” Rusty scooted forward on his chair and grabbed one of her hands in his. “Hey there, beautiful. You’ve scared us half to death.”
“What’s going on?” Her voice came out in a horrible croak. “Have I been sick?”
“You took a fall down the stairs and have been unconscious for nearly four days now,” Jared said, wiping at his eyes. “I’m so glad to see you awake.”
“I fell? What about the baby?” She tried to sit up to check her belly.
Rusty held her down. “Don’t move too fast, or you’re going to hurt yourself. The baby is fine. You didn’t hurt the baby.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Yeah. We’ve been feeling your tummy all the time, and the little rascal is as active as ever. It’s you who’s been hurt, hon,” Jared said. “We’ve been so worried about you.”
“I don’t remember falling. What was I doing on the stairs without you guys?”
“We’re not sure, but I think you were getting a baby book and you’d changed clothes from when we’d left you that morning to shovel snow. All that matters right now is that you’re awake and going to be okay,” Jared told her.
“We’re not letting you out of our sight again, so deal with it,” Rusty added.
