by Nikki Ash
I should have been at the park with her and Marco. If I were there with them, they never would have been taken. She never would have been so close to being raped.
I grab ahold of both Marco and Hayley apologizing over and over again. I can see when her fear turns to anger and then she gets up to walk away. What I’m not prepared for is when she doubles over in pain and a loud scream rings out in the warehouse, and I realize something is very wrong.
Luckily when the police came they also dispatched ambulances. The EMTs come running in and cut her shirt open. That’s when I see all the bruises. She had to have been beaten. There are bruises all over her stomach and legs. Her face has several bruises and her lip is split completely open.
“We’re going to bring her to the nearest hospital. They’ll be able to assess her and check for internal injuries,” the EMT says, carefully placing Hayley on the gurney. As they’re rolling her out, Hayley comes to and starts calling for Marco. She’s hurt and her only concern is to make sure Marco is okay.
I run over to her side and tell her Marco is with me and we’ll follow her to the hospital.
Marco starts crying and I grab ahold of him, holding him close. “It’s okay. She’s going to be okay.”
“They hurt her!” he cries.
“Did they do anything to you?” I ask. “Are you hurt?” I look over his body, making sure he’s okay.
“No, they didn’t do anything to me. Can we please go to the hospital? I want to make sure Mom’s okay.”
Hearing him call Hayley Mom warms my heart. I wonder if she knows he’s calling her Mom.
Cooper comes over. “Why don’t we head to the hospital with you guys and stay in the waiting room with Marco until they say it’s okay for him to go back and see Hayley?”
“Okay.”
On our way to the hospital I give Hayley’s sister a call to let her know what’s happened. She lets me know they’re on their way and she’ll call their parents to let them know.
When we arrive, the nurse won’t tell me anything. I try to play the fiancé card Hayley played to get in to see me, but this nurse isn’t having it. Thankfully Hannah comes running through the door demanding answers and since they’re sisters and she’s on her emergency contact list, the nurse will speak to her.
“Ms. Roberts is okay. She has a couple bruised ribs and is currently receiving stitches for her lip. They’re running tests because she hit her head pretty hard, and they’ll keep her overnight in case of a concussion. Once the doctor gives the okay, I’ll let two at a time go back and see her.”
Knowing Hayley is alone back there and in pain makes me feel sick, but at this point, we’re lucky she’s okay. I sit with Marco and hold him like Hayley would have done until he falls asleep.
A little while later Hayley’s parents arrive, then Ashley, Kayla, and Liz all come in.
“You guys didn’t have to come here. She’s okay.”
“Are you crazy? Of course we’re here. Once I can see her for myself I’ll bring Marco home with me,” Kayla says.
Marco tenses up, telling me he’s awake and listening. “I don’t want to leave my mom. Please don’t make me leave her.” He starts crying and shaking his head, clearly scared of losing another mom.
“Hey, it’s all right. You don’t have to go anywhere. As soon as they say it’s okay, I’ll bring you back to see her.”
We all sit and wait for another couple hours and then finally the nurse comes out and calls Hayley’s name. We all stand. “Hayley is ready for visitors, but she requests that Caleb Michaels not be allowed in—I’m sorry.”
Everybody’s eyes fly to me and I don’t know even know what to say. I should have seen this coming. You can only push someone so far before they give up fighting for you.
Chapter Thirty-One
Hayley
Once I’m brought to the hospital and admitted, they draw blood to run tests, perform scans to check out my head and ribs, and hook me up to an IV. Luckily I’m just sore with bruised ribs, but nothing major that will require surgery or a cast. The worst part is them having to sew up my bottom lip with a few stitches. I think I’m finally done being checked out when another doctor comes in and shocks the ever-loving shit out of me.
“Good morning, Hayley, my name is Dr. Jones. I’ve been looking over your chart and it appears you’re pregnant. Were you aware?”
Immediately, my hands go to my stomach, to the flashbacks of those horrible men kicking me. I had no idea I was pregnant. “I didn’t know, but I can’t imagine after the beating I had I’m still pregnant,” I say, feeling numb.
“You would be surprised how well the womb protects the fetus, but instead of assuming one way or another, why don’t we do an ultrasound.” He rolls the ultrasound cart over.
“It says you’re a doctor as well. What’s your specialty?” I know he’s only making conversation to calm me, but I’ll take it.
“I specialize in sport’s medicine. I work with UFC fighters at a local gym.”
“Very nice. Since I don’t know how far along you are, I’m going to do a vaginal ultrasound,” he says, rolling a condom over the wand and then inserting it slowly into me.
The monitor is on, but I can’t look at it. I wish Caleb were here with me to hold my hand. But then I remember why I’m here. He ran, instead of fighting for us, he walked away and wasn’t there when Marco and I were taken. I hate feeling so consumed with anger, but I can’t help it.
Caleb doesn’t deserve to be here. He didn’t want me. He wanted an apartment and to be away from me. He chose to let whatever was wrong, probably his past, win out over me, over us.
“… And there’s the heartbeat.” I completely forgot about the ultrasound. I bring my face up to look at the screen and sure enough there’s a lima bean-size baby and a heartbeat. Tears spring to my eyes and spill over.
“It’s a strong heartbeat, Hayley. I don’t see any tears in the uterine walls. The amniotic fluid looks good. Your body did its job. It protected your little one. You look to be close to six weeks. It’s still very early and while I don’t want to scare you, I’m going to recommend once you’re released you take it easy your first trimester. Your body needs time to heal. I’m not putting you on bed rest, but don’t overdo it.”
“Thank you, Dr. Jones.”
The doctor prints out a couple pictures of the cute little lima bean and then says he’ll let the nurse know I can receive visitors.
“Umm, wait. Can you please let her know I don’t want Caleb Michaels visiting?”
He nods once and then leaves.
A few minutes later my sister walks in with Marco. He bursts into tears and I welcome him in my bed so I can hold him. He lies next to me and within minutes passes out.
“Everything is okay, right?” Hannah asks.
It won’t be long until my parents and friends are fighting to all come back so I need to tell her now. “I need to tell you something, but you can’t tell anyone, not yet.”
“Does this have anything to do with why you wouldn’t let Caleb back? He’s completely torn up. A tornado couldn’t rip him from that waiting room.”
“He left, Hannah!” I yell, but take a calming breath before I continue. I don’t want to wake Marco or do anything to put the baby at risk. As a doctor, I know it would take more than yelling to do anything to my baby, but as a mom-to-be I’m not going to take any chances by working myself up.
“What do you mean he left?”
“He was giving me a massage and I think he had a flashback of some sort. I don’t know for sure, but I have seen them happen a few times, except this time, instead of fighting through it, he left. Then he said he was moving out. Marco and I were at the park alone while Caleb was looking for an apartment to rent.”
“Hayley, that’s not fair,” Hannah says. “I know you’re upset right now, but think long and hard before you place that blame on Caleb. People get upset all the time. People leave and many women take their kids to the park alone. Most jus
t don’t have psycho drug dealers stalking them, waiting to kidnap them. Caleb leaving isn’t why you’re upset. He came back a few hours later. He’s the reason you were even found. You know this. So, what’s going on?”
I sigh loudly. I know she’s right and that’s why I didn’t want Caleb coming in here. I’m a mix of emotions and I imagine being pregnant isn’t helping.
“I’m pregnant.”
“Oh my goodness!” Hannah squeals. Then she sobers. “Is the baby okay?”
“Yes, the doctor did an ultrasound and I’m roughly six weeks along. He wants me to take it easy for the first trimester to be on the safe side, give my body time to heal.”
“So you aren’t going to tell Caleb? Was this planned?”
“That’s the thing. We knew we were having unprotected sex and we knew this could happen, but I had it in my head it would be harder to get pregnant than it actually was, and while I’m so excited about this baby, I’m afraid Caleb will regret it.”
“I think you need to give him a chance, Hayley. I don’t know all that happened, but the guy out in the waiting room doesn’t look like a guy who would ever regret having a baby with you. On the plus side, we’ll have our babies months apart.” We both squeal, and it wakes Marco up.
“What happened?” Marco asks.
“Nothing, sweetie. We’re okay. Go back to sleep,” I say, threading my fingers through his soft hair.
Hannah and I chat for a few minutes and then she goes back to get our parents. They give me hugs and kisses, thanking God I’m oaky. As much as I want to tell them about my being pregnant, I think it’s best to keep it to myself for now. Anything can happen and every person I tell will be another person I have to tell if I lose the baby.
Once they leave, my friends take turns coming in and out. Finally Bentley and Kayla are last.
“He’s a mess, Hayley. I know you’re upset, but he’s a freaking mess out there. Please don’t punish him for too long. Even if you’re ending it with him, just let him know,” Bentley says.
After spending the evening with Marco by my side, the nurse lets Marco know he can’t spend the night. He’s not happy at all, but when Kayla tells him he can have a sleepover with Chloe, he reluctantly gives in.
The next morning I’m released. Since Kayla had taken Marco home with her, she picks me up and brings us home. Marco and I both take showers. When I tell him I’d like for him to stay home one more day to get some rest, he asks if he can sleep with me. I can’t even imagine how traumatized he is from all of the recent events. He obviously doesn’t want to be alone and the truth is I don’t really want to be alone either. I thought maybe Caleb would try to come home, but I guess not. Marco cuddles into bed with me and I put on a kid movie hoping he won’t have nightmares. The kid has been through way too much.
* * *
I look at the clock and see it’s two in the afternoon. I go to grab my phone and remember it was smashed the day we were taken.
Marco stirs awake, and I decide I’m not going to let what happened bring us down. It will definitely be discussed at his weekly therapy session, but I’m not going to dwell on it. We’re both okay. My baby is okay, and the men who are alive will be locked away for a long ass time.
“Hey sweetie, did you have a good nap?”
He nods and cuddles up next to me.
“I need to go to the mall to get a new phone. Why don’t you get dressed and we’ll stop on the way and get lunch?”
“Okay.”
After we’re both dressed, we walk out to my car to head to the mall. I stop short, seeing Caleb’s truck parked in the front of my house. “What’s he doing out there?” Marco asks.
“I’m not sure. Why don’t you get in the car and I’ll go speak to him?”
I get to the truck and see Caleb is texting on his phone. I knock lightly on the window, and when he sees it’s me, he rolls it down.
“What are you doing out here?”
“I couldn’t leave you guys alone. I just figured it would be better to sit out here since you didn’t want me to be around you.”
God, I’m such a bitch. I refused to see the man who saved us and he sat in his truck because I didn’t want him near me.
“Thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank me. This was entirely my fault. I saw his threats but didn’t take them serious enough. And then I walked out, and while I was looking at apartments, you both were kidnapped. Do you think maybe we can talk?”
“I would like that, but Marco and I are heading out to the mall. The guys who took us smashed my phone so I need a new one. I also need to get him lunch.”
“Would it be okay if I went with you guys?”
I want to say no because being around him hurts, but at the same time being around him completes me. It also doesn’t help that I feel guilty for hiding this pregnancy from him. This whole situation sucks.
“Sure.”
He gets out of his truck and runs in the house to change quickly and is back a few minutes later. On our way to the mall he asks Marco how he’s feeling and Marco says he’s okay. He also says he wants to eat at the food court, so we head straight to the mall. After we park, we go straight to the wireless store. I let them know my phone was destroyed and decide to upgrade to a new phone.
Marco and Caleb are looking at the latest technology when a salesman walks over and starts talking to Marco. “You should ask your dad to buy this for you.”
I hold my breath, praying Caleb doesn’t deny it. It would hurt Marco’s feelings. Instead, he pats Marco on the back and says, “He just got a new iPad. We can’t spoil him too much. We’ll have to see how his report card is this semester.”
Marco laughs and points out his grades are really good.
After the gentleman sets up my new phone, we head to the courtyard to get something to eat. Marco is so hungry he wolfs down all of his food and asks for more.
“Hey, Mom, can I go grab another chicken sandwich?”
“Sure, sweetie.” I hand him money and watch him walk the ten feet over to the counter to order a sandwich.
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to let him go to school. I don’t want him leaving my sight.”
I look at Caleb and realize I said that out loud. He’s staring at me weird… like with adoration maybe… I’m not sure.
“What?”
“He called you Mom again. He did it when you were brought to the hospital.”
“Oh, yeah.” A big smile graces my face. “He asked me if he could call me Mom at the park. I also told him I was approved to adopt him.” Tears spring forward and blur my vision.
“Why are you crying?” Caleb leans over to wipe the tears falling down.
“When we were being held hostage, I thought that moment in the park would be the only time in my life somebody would call me Mom, and I was just so glad it was Marco. And then I found out…” I stutter, realizing I almost announced my pregnancy to him right here in the food court, so I try to play it off. “Umm… when I got out of the hospital and we were lying in bed watching a movie, I realized how short life is. I really want to be a good mom.” I laugh, knowing my hormones are going crazy. I seriously need to stop talking. I’m barely making any sense.
“Hayles, you deserve it all. More than anybody I know. I’m glad Marco is calling you mom. You are his mom. You’re amazing with him, and you will be just as amazing with any kids you have in the future.” And insert guilt because I haven’t told Caleb he is going to be a father.
I look over to see Marco heading back and think back to him saying he wants to call Caleb Dad. “He asked if he could call you Dad but didn’t get a chance to ask you.”
Caleb doesn’t have a chance to respond, but his face says it all. He would like nothing more than to be a father to Marco. I know regardless of what happens between us, he’ll be an amazing father to this baby as well.
The rest of the day goes by quickly. We walk around the mall and shop a little. Marco picks out a new game
for his PlayStation and asks if we can go home so he can play. My body begins to feel achy and Caleb notices, insisting we go home. When we get home, Caleb heads back to his truck, but I stop him.
“Come inside, please. I know we have stuff to work out, but until you find a place you’re welcome to stay here.”
He says okay and then follows me inside. I can tell he wants to say more, but this isn’t the time to talk.
We sit on the couch and watch Marco play his game. Caleb joins in for a little bit but excuses himself to make a few phone calls. While he is on the phone I let Marco know it’s time for bed.
“Can I go to school tomorrow?”
“Are you sure you’re okay to go to school? You have your therapy session in two days… Maybe you can wait to meet with her.”
“I’m okay going back. I know what happened sucks, but I like going to school and I don’t want to get behind. Please.”
How can I possibly say no to my kid begging me to go to school. He’s so much stronger than me and I won’t let my parental fears scare him.
“Okay, fine. But why don’t I pick you up from school and you can practice MMA while I work in the afternoon?”
“Sounds good. Can you ask Caleb to come in as soon as he gets off the phone? I want to talk to him.”
“Sure thing.” I give him a kiss on his forehead and say goodnight.
When I get back out to the living room Caleb is sitting on the couch with his head sagging down.
“You okay?”
He looks up and shrugs. “They have enough evidence to put the guys who survived away. They need yours and Marco’s statements but they won’t need us to be at the trial. They’ll be held without bail. It’s over.”
“So why are you sad then? That’s a good thing.”
“I walked away. I know I messed up, Hayles. I should have been there at the park with you guys and none of this would have happened. Please tell me you’ll be able to forgive me.”