Chapter two hundred and twenty-four:

Isaac was sitting at the kitchen table. It was shortly after one in the afternoon, and he had never felt more worried in life. He had eaten the breakfast Christy had prepared and saved a plate for her, before doing the dishes. He had even spent some time reading through Christy’s parenting books.

“Isaac?” Christy asked quietly.

He looked up to see his wife, with most of the color returned to her face.

“Hey, C. Are you okay?” He asked, half turning. She was still wearing the sheet, which she had wrapped around herself and formed a crude gown with.

She nodded and slipped into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder.

“Honey, I’m sorry…”

She drew in a deep breath. “I’ve never been sick like that… Never. I… I don’t know if I can take few weeks of this…”

“It’s okay, C. I’ll be here. I’ll do what I can…” He gently rubbed her back.

“I’m sorry I made you go away. I just… I don’t like to be touched when I’m sick.”

“That’s okay.” He smiled. “I understand… I feel horrible. This is partly my fault.”

She smiled. “But at the end we’ll have a beautiful baby.”

“True.” He grinned.

“I should get dressed… and brush my teeth four or five more times.” She stood.

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Taylor slung his messenger bag over his shoulder and took a sip of his venti dark roast coffee. He had decided to come in early and check on Jen, but that required a stop for caffeine. He arrived in the waiting room to find Becky and Luke standing in the outside Jen's room.

Luke looked incredibly worried and Becky was in tears.

“What’s going on?” Taylor demanded immediately. “What happened? Is she okay?”

He was interrupted by a team of nurses and two doctors wheeling Jenna through the waiting room.

“What the hell?” Taylor demanded again, watching them wheel her away.

“What happened?” Luke asked Becky.

She sobbed. “I was just talking with her and she… she fainted…”

“I’m going to find out what’s going on.” Luke said quickly, and took off running down the hall, following the gurney.

 

Taylor turned to Becky who was full on crying now.

He grabbed a handful of tissues from the box on the table and handed them to Becky.

“Here, sit down.” He instructed. “Just try to breathe calmly and relax… Can you tell me anything else that happened?” He knelt in front of her.

“No, she was worried about Luke being mad at her.” She sniffled. “Because he hasn’t been in to see her and she seemed really tired, but the doctors said that was natural, or at least she said the doctor said…”

Taylor furrowed his brow. “Anything else?”

“She was nauseous yesterday.”

Luke appeared in the waiting room and flopped down on one of the chairs.

“What is it?” Taylor stood, “What did you find out?”

“She umm… she’s severely anemic.” He began. “And her liver was in bad shape, so it wore a weak spot and perforated. They think they can fix it, but it means surgery…”

“Oh my god.” Becky gasped.

“They’re prepping her now.”

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