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That part of me outweighs all the anxiety I feel.
Unable to hold back a smile, I mouth the words to myself.
A baby.
I need her to wake up, so I can tell her I was wrong for saying I was done. I love her so much, and now that she’s carrying my baby, I want nothing more than to take her home and spend the rest of my life with her and our child.
On the bed, she continues to lay perfectly still, almost in a catatonic state until a slight whimper escapes her lips. My eyes search her face for something, but all I see is a blank stare until she turns her head further in the opposite direction.
I wait with bated breath for her to speak, for any words to ease my worry.
“I didn’t tell you, Lex, because… because it’s not yours.”
CHARLIE
Far in the distance I start to hear noises, the beeping of machines and the clicking of feet bouncing off the walls around me. There’s a faint whisper, maybe the sounds of voices, but I’m not sure. I remain still, the heaviness weighing me down. I attempt to lift my arm, but the weight is so heavy it tires me quickly. I try again. No, it’s too heavy. What’s happening? Where am I? I try to open my eyes, but all I see is darkness, so I fall back asleep.
I wake up, this time feeling some light shining on my closed eyes, almost like a pink glow. Struggling to open them, slowly more comes into fuzzy focus. I see stark-white walls, everything bright. It hurts my eyes forcing me to close them to ease the pain. The smell, it lingers in the air like the smell of sterilization. It’s familiar, and I know where I am, but I can’t say it. I attempt to scream, but my throat is dry and aching so I’m unable to make any sound, and all that comes out is a tiny whisper. “What happened?”
“Charlie?”
I turn to face where the sound is coming from. Nikki and Eric are by my bedside. Eric is repeatedly rubbing his face, stopping momentar
ily to bite his nails. Beside him, Nikki is more composed, watching me with a worried expression. They both reach out to touch my hand.
Nikki leans over and taps the red button which hangs on the wall. Between them, they say something, but my eyes close again, heavy and weighed down with exhaustion.
There’s more noise now and standing at the foot of my bed is a doctor. Removing the chart from the bed railing, his eyes scan across the notes before he retrieves his pen from his coat, scribbling on the piece of paper. I want to ask him why I’m here, and more importantly, what is wrong with me, but all that comes out is a rasp.
“I’m Dr. Schultz. How are you feeling, Miss Mason?”
Nikki passes me a cup of water which I gladly take. With the cool liquid easing my throat, I clear it with more effort, willing to speak. “Tired. Sore. What happened to me?”
“You have a collapsed lung caused by pneumonia,” he states, watching me with a gentle gaze. “We have you on an IV because you are severely dehydrated. Don’t worry, the baby is fine. We ran all the necessary tests, and the baby is doing very well.”
There’s that word again.
I close my eyes, desperate to shut out reality. Taking a deep breath, I open them to see Eric’s eyes wide in shock.
“Baby?”
Nikki shakes her head, warning Eric to shut the fuck up.
“In the meantime, Miss Mason, we need you to get plenty of rest, and if you feel uncomfortable, the nurses can give you a mild sedative. I expect you’ll be here for another few days.”
Dr. Schultz places the chart back at the foot of my bed before leaving the room. I want nothing more than to ignore everything right now, including the questions Eric is itching to ask.
“Okay, Charlie, I won’t ask until you’re ready.” Eric’s voice is calmer, and I can see he’s more worried than he is itching for gossip. “Do you need anything? Food? Anything from your apartment?”
I want to be alone, and to get that, I send Eric on a mission to grab me some things from home.
“Okay, so I’ve got everything written down. I’ll also make sure Coco is fed.”
“All done, Eric,” Nikki tells him. “Mrs. Landry, Charlie’s neighbor, has taken Coco in the meantime.”
“Great,” Eric says with relief. “The last time I was there, she tried to claw my new suit.”
Eric says goodbye leaving me alone with Nikki.
