CHAPTER 26
When they arrived at the neo-natal unit, Tony was looking at the baby through the window. He turned at the sound of approaching footsteps.
"I wondered when you'd come."
"How she's doing?" A.J. asked.
"See for yourself," Tony said, stepping aside.
A.J. looked from Tony to Keesha, who smiled and gave him a small push towards the window. He took a calming breath before approaching the glass and taking a peek. What he saw mesmerized him. The tiny girl in the incubator was angelic.
"She's so small," A.J. spoke reverently. "But she's beautiful."
She was connected to various machines which were monitoring her, but A.J. didn't notice. He watched her peacefully breathing and sleeping. Nothing else mattered.
He turned and motioned for Keesha, who had stayed behind, to join him. As she moved to stand next to him, she vowed to be objective. After taking one look, though, she agreed the infant was adorable. She briefly opened her eyes, causing them to smile. The three of them watched through the window until the nurse came to examine her.
"I'm holding off on the paternity test until she's healthy and strong," Tony told A.J.
"Absolutely," A.J. agreed. He did not want to cause any harm to that precious infant. "How about Carly? How's she doing?"
"Better from what I understand."
"Have you seen her?"
"No."
"Can she have visitors?"
"You want to see her?" Tony asked, unable to mask his surprise.
A.J. wasn't sure if he did, but he didn't think it was fair for Carly to be all alone.
"Maybe."
"She's been moved to ICU. I don't know whether or not she can have visitors. Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to see the baby again."
"A.J., do you want to see Carly?" Keesha asked.
"Yes, I do. I know it sounds crazy, but I need to see her. Will you come with me?"
"I can't. I'm sorry. I guess I feel the way Tony does when it comes to her."
"Will you wait for me here?"
"Sure," she said, giving his arm a squeeze.
A.J. arrived at Carly's room the same time as Bobbie. She was there to take Carly's vital signs.
"Are you here to see Carly?" Bobbie asked.
"Yes. Is she allowed visitors?"
"Technically, no one, other than family, is allowed in ICU, but I'll ask her if she'd like to see you."
Bobbie entered Carly's room and was greeted with a wary stare.
"Are you my nurse?" she asked, suspicious.
"For now. We're shorthanded and have been juggling shifts all day. You have a visitor."
"Who?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. She was not well enough for a confrontation with Tony. Or with A.J. and Keesha for that matter.
"A.J."
"No," Carly said, shaking her head. She pulled the blankets tighter around her as if for protection. "I don't want to see him. Make him go away."
Why so terrified? Bobbie asked herself. She felt compelled to reassure Carly, who looked like a little girl herself.
"It's okay, Carly. You don't have to see anyone you don't want to. I thought he was a friend you might like to see."
"He's not," Carly said, visibly upset. "I don't want to see him or Tony or Keesha. I hate all of them!" she cried, her eyes filling with tears.
"What happened with Tony?" Bobbie asked, unable to hide her shock.
"I don't want to talk about it," Carly said, tears continuing to fall. "Just make A.J. leave. Please!"
Bobbie wanted to console her, but she didn't know how. "I will."
"Thank you."
Bobbie stepped outside the room and spoke to A.J. "Carly doesn't want to see you."
"I thought she might feel that way."
"What's going on, A.J.?" Bobbie asked, clearly confused and concerned. "She also said she doesn't want to see Tony or Keesha."
"That doesn't surprise me. It's a long story, Bobbie," he said and sighed.
Bobbie sensed A.J.'s reluctance to say more, so she didn't push, but she definitely planned to talk to Tony.
"Have you seen Alan?" she asked to change the subject.
"Not since he's been admitted. Are you still helping with his care?"
"As time permits. Amy's with him now. And, speaking of time, I need to take Carly's vitals for her chart."
"I'll see you later."
A.J. headed back to neo-natal ICU while Bobbie returned to Carly's room. She found her curled up, lying on her side, as though trying to hide.
"Carly," Bobbie spoke softly, tentatively approaching her bed. "I need to take your vitals."
She turned. "Is he gone?" she asked quietly.
Bobbie nodded and gave a small smile. "Nobody's here but me."
"Thank you," she said weakly, slowly positioning herself for Bobbie.
Her face was flushed. Bobbie knew she had a fever before she took her temperature. When she did, she was alarmed.
"What's wrong?" Carly asked, seeing Bobbie's concern.
"Your temperature is high. I'm going to page your doctor."
Bobbie remained with a very frightened Carly until the doctor arrived. He determined that she had gotten an infection during the surgery.
"What does that mean?" she asked, feeling very scared and very alone. "Am I going to be okay?"
"You're going to be fine," her doctor reassured her. "Thanks to Bobbie."
Carly looked at her with mixed emotions. Why did Bobbie have to be the one to take care of her? she thought. But then Bobbie's taking care of her helped Carly to see her in a different light.
"We'll start you on the medication to combat the infection," her doctor told her. "I'll check on you later."
"And I'll be right back with the medication," Bobbie said.
Carly closed her eyes and tried not to think. She wanted to blot out the images of a concerned Bobbie, of a caring Bobbie. She wanted the images of a mother who didn't recognize her own daughter when she saw her and called her every name in the book. She wanted to feel that anger and vengeance towards Bobbie that had driven her for so long, but now that she had given birth to her own daughter, those feelings had vanished.
Bobbie returned with the medication. Carly watched as she deftly administered it through her IV.
"There," Bobbie said, satisfied that the first step had been taken to stop the infection.
"I'm glad I didn't have to feel that."
She nodded in understanding. "Is there anything I can get you or anything you need?"
Carly started to say something but stopped. She shook her head.
"Are you sure?" Bobbie asked, sensing her hesitancy.
Carly nodded.
"Try to rest. Press the nurse's button if you need anything."
She had made it to the door when Carly's voice stopped her.
"Wait."
She turned.
"How's my daughter doing?" Carly asked, her voice choking.
Bobbie smiled and walked back to her bed. "I thought you'd never ask."
She hadn't wanted to ask Bobbie, but the question escaped before she could stop it.
"She is making great strides. She's the belle of ICU."
Carly smiled through her tears. "When can I see her?"
"As soon as your doctor gives the okay. Now that you have an infection, though, you'll have to view her through the window."
"That's fine. I can do that," she said, wiping away her tears.
"I'll check with your doctor and let you know. In the meantime, sleep. It's the best thing to fight that infection."
Carly nodded, and before she thought about what she was doing, she reached out her hand to Bobbie who held it in hers.
"What is it, honey?" she asked, sensing Carly's vulnerability.
"I never realized what a compassionate person you are."
"I'm a nurse," Bobbie said, touched by Carly's words and gesture. "It's what I do."
"You're also a mother," she stated.
"Yes, I am," she agreed. "And Lucas teaches me and B.J. taught me a lot about compassion and patience and love."
"What about the daughter you gave up? Do you think she would have taught you anything?" Carly desperately needed to know if she had made any kind of an impact on Bobbie's life.
"She did, Carly," Bobbie answered ruefully. "She taught me about unselfish love, doing the right thing, and loss."
Carly looked away, unable to continue the conversation.
"Carly?" Bobbie asked gently.
She closed her eyes against the tears that threatened and waved her away. Bobbie looked at her curiously before leaving the room.