The Girl in Seat 24B

by Jennifer Peel

  They both looked happy as they flew into my arms. I hugged and kissed them until they giggled. I looked up to find Michael staring at us. I hadn’t heard him come up.

  “Daddy’s going to tuck us in tonight,” Mia explained.

  I smiled at Michael, and for a moment I saw something of the man I loved in his eyes.

  “Then I guess you better get your jammies on and brush your teeth.”

  They both quickly ran to their rooms. Michael sat down on the chair near the couch where I was sitting.

  “Did you have a good time?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I took them to the new indoor miniature golf course.”

  “That sounds like fun.”

  He leaned forward. “Carly, I want to talk to you after I put the kids to bed.”

  “Ok. I’ll be here.”

  He got up and walked to Ashton’s room. I watched him go. He sounded solemn when he asked to speak to me. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I listened as he tucked the kids in and read to them. I was called in to give kisses and hugs and sing to them. Michael stood by and watched. He used to kneel down next to me, and oh how I wished he would. I looked up at him, and he was looking at me like he was remembering something. I smiled at him and he even smiled back, but then it was like he realized what he was doing and he quickly turned. I couldn’t figure him out. What was going on in his head?

  Once we had them tucked in, we quietly exited. I went to sit back on the couch in the loft, but Michael had other plans.

  “Let’s go downstairs and talk.”

  I grabbed my laptop so I didn’t have to come back up for it. The more energy I could conserve, the better. This baby seemed to zap the energy out of me more than the first two did. I’m sure the emotional turmoil didn’t help one bit. Michael sat on the living room couch and I sat next to him and placed my laptop on the coffee table.

  He turned the laptop toward him to see what I was working on. “I forgot how talented you were.”

  “Thanks, I think.”

  He half smiled in response. He pointed at my logo. “Studio 24B?”

  “I thought it had a nice ring to it.”

  He turned toward me with confusion in his eyes. “You don’t have to work. I promise I’ll take care of you and the kids.”

  “Michael, I realized this past month how many things I just took for granted, thinking they would always be there, and how blind I’ve been about the things you’ve kept from me. I want to trust what you say, but I just can’t right now.”

  “What do you mean, things I’ve kept from you?” he asked defensively.

  “Well, for starters, you leased an apartment and took assignments without consulting with me, and then I found your secret bank account with thousands of dollars in it. How long have you had that?”

  He looked stunned. “How did you find out about that?”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “Well what about you?” he fired back. And he still didn’t answer my question.

  “What you mean?”

  “The kids told me how you’re still throwing up every day and you look like you’re about done for.”

  I started crying. “You have no idea what I’ve been through this past month. Do you know how hard it is to take care of two hurting kids all by yourself, all while hurting yourself, and then keeping up with the house and all the kids’ activities and starting up a business? I’m doing the best I can by myself, Michael!”

  “Then don’t work.”

  “That’s all you have to say to me? Don’t work?”

  “What do you want me to say to you?”

  I picked up his hand and held it. At least he didn’t pull away.

  “I want you to tell me why you’re really doing this and what’s really going on. I want you to tell me that you’re coming home where you belong, so we can work this out together.”

  He looked away from me.

  “Please look at me. I deserve that, at least.”

  He slowly turned back to me. I reached up and placed my hand on his cheek. “Bishop, I love you. I love our life together.” I moved my hand down to his chest over his heart. “And somewhere in there, I know you do too, but for some reason you’re fighting it.”

  “It’s late, I’ve got to go.”

  I sighed and dropped my hand. “Ok go. But know, someday I’ll quit trying.”

  His eyes widened for a moment and he stood up. “You should go back to the doctor about the vomiting.”

  I sighed. He wasn’t getting it.

  “I already have an appointment for next week.” It wasn’t about the vomiting, per se. It was just my monthly exam, but he didn’t need to know that yet.

  “Oh, well … good. Goodnight, Carly.”

  “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Bishop.”

  Chapter 6

  So the good news was that I was out of my first trimester and I wasn’t vomiting every day. The bad news was, ok it wasn’t really bad news, but it meant my secret wasn’t going to be a secret much longer. I looked down in the shower and noticed a small bump. I could swear it wasn’t there the day before, but it was definitely there now.

  The other bad news was that Michael was still living alone and doing his best to avoid us. We even tried dropping by his favorite cookies one night only to be disappointed by his lack of hospitality. He even ignored Mother’s Day, which was beyond hurtful. My rug rats did their best to make sure I knew I was loved, but it wasn’t the same without Michael. Every year since we had Ashton, he would make me breakfast in bed, he would add a rose bush to my rose garden, and he always got me some sort of gift certificate to a spa or for a shopping spree. This year I didn’t even get a phone call.

  I kept wondering why I was even trying. Then I rubbed my baby bump and looked at my son and daughter, and even into my own heart, and I reminded myself why. I just wasn’t sure how long I could keep it up.

  Some other good news, my business was taking off like wildfire. I even had to turn down some shoots. It was annoying to Michael, though I couldn’t understand why. He’d never had a problem with me working before—he wasn’t a male chauvinist pig. Ok, he was kind of a pig now, but at least not the chauvinist kind.

  Mia was doing ok. She was resilient, but Ashton was more quiet than usual. He wondered if his dad didn’t love him, or if he was mad at him because he’d said he hated him. I tried to assure him it had nothing to do with him. I also had to assure myself it had nothing to do with me, but that was becoming increasingly more difficult to believe.

  I also worried about how to tell Michael I was pregnant. I had lost all hope he was coming home anytime soon, if at all. I didn’t have to worry about it long, because the decision was taken out of my hands. School had just ended right before Memorial Day weekend. Michael had missed the end-of-school awards and field day due to an out of town assignment in Florida, or so he said. I was feeling better, so I decided we were going to celebrate the end of school and the awards Ashton had won. He had read the most books in the first grade and he was Star Student, and Mia learned how to tie her shoes and she graduated from preschool. I was so proud of them, and I was especially thankful for the shoe tying accomplishment; I had a feeling bending over was going to be difficult in the near future. We settled on going to Lego Land in Atlanta on that Friday since it was just a half day.

  I had been working late every night that week, editing after the kids went to bed. I was having a hard time sleeping by myself anyway. I was tired, but not overly so, at least that’s what I thought. We had a terrific time at Lego Land, and we walked out of there with more Legos than was necessary, but I’d had a hard time telling them no even before this fiasco. The kids were as happy as they had been in the last couple of months when I tucked them in that night. We talked about all the fun things we would do this summer. I just hoped Michael would be a participant.

  I was happy to see them happy, but very tired. I skipped editing and went straight to bed, but it was anything but re
stful. I was up to use the bathroom more than usual and my back hurt. I figured I’d likely just overdone it, like I had a tendency to do, especially lately. Single parenting really stinks.

  I woke up the next morning feeling like I had been hit by a train, and I was back to vomiting. I called Michael and, of course, he didn’t pick up. I left him a message and asked if there was any way he could take the kids for the day. I had never done that before, but I had never felt so awful in all my life. He never called back. Poor Mia and Ashton did their best to take care of me. I was just grateful Ashton knew how to make cereal and sandwiches. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see what the kitchen looked like, but I didn’t really care.

  Late that afternoon I called Dr. White’s office, but she wasn’t on call. Her after-hours service just directed me to the emergency room. That was going to be difficult with two little ones, and I wasn’t even sure I was safe enough to drive. I tried to push the liquids and hoped it would pass. I called Michael again, but still no response. I was really starting to hate him. By eight that night, I was more than worried. There was blood in my urine, and I knew I had no choice. I had to seek medical attention.

  In my desperation, I called my in-laws. I probably should have called them earlier, but my mother-in-law, Danielle, really didn’t like me. I’m not sure what I ever did to her, but I wasn’t high on her list. I’m sure she was happy to see that Michael and I had separated. She had wanted him to marry his on-and-off girlfriend, Lyla June. What kind of name was that anyway? I just prayed Jack would answer; he actually liked me, but he could only show it when his wife wasn’t around. Finally, something went my way when Jack answered.

  “Hi, Jack,” I could barely get out. “Do you think you could drive me to the hospital while Danielle watches the kids? I’m not feeling all that well.”

  “Yes,” he responded with no hesitation or even a question why.

  I turned to my sweet kiddos. “Mimi and Papa are on their way.”

  I could see the relief in their eyes that help was on the way. I knew I was relieved, even though Danielle was not my biggest fan.

  Mia reached up and touched my cheek softly. “It will be ok, Mommy”

  Poor Ashton looked pensive. He had been asking me all day what he could bring me. I sure did love my kids.

  My in-laws lived about twenty minutes from us, and within the half hour, they were there. I could barely make it to the door when they knocked. I had to keep stopping on the way there. By the time I made it to the door, Danielle looked quite put out.

  “It took you long en…” she began to say. Then she looked at me.

  Jack rushed to my side and helped hold me up.

  The kids came running out and Danielle turned her attention to them.

  “The kids can just sleep on my bed,” I managed to tell Danielle. She didn’t say anything back, which was a nice gesture on her part. She never had anything nice to say to me. “Thank you. I’m sorry it’s so late.”

  Danielle pretty much ignored me, but Jack waved off my apology. “Don’t even think about it,” he said. “Can you walk to the truck? You look like we should call an ambulance.”

  I panicked. “No, I don’t want the kids to worry. I can manage to the truck.”

  I had Ashton bring me my purse, and he and Mia both hugged me goodbye. They looked so worried.

  “I’ll be ok.” I tried to smile at them both. It didn’t help.

  They both started to cry and I did too. Thankfully, Danielle came and scooped them up and reiterated I would be just fine. I was more than grateful to her at the moment. I leaned on Jack all the way to his pickup truck. He helped me in and hurried to the driver side. He drove quickly toward Pine Apple Hospital.

  He kept looking over to me. “Honey, did you call Michael?”

  “I tried. He’s not one to answer my calls anymore,” I practically cried.

  He shook his head in disgust.

  As we neared the hospital, I knew I was going to have to reveal my secret. “Could you please go to the Women and Children’s entrance?”

  “This is an emergency, let’s go there.”

  “Jack, I promise they’ll send me there. I’m pregnant.” There was no other way to say it.

  “Well, ok. I wasn’t expecting that.”

  I tried to laugh. “Yeah, me neither.”

  “Does Michael know?”

  “No.”

  “Honey what’s going on between you two?”

  I leaned my head against the window. “Can we talk about that later?”

  “Sure, honey,” he said as we pulled into the entrance. He pulled up curbside and went in. Moments later an attendant brought out a wheelchair.

  I hated wheelchairs, but I practically kissed this one. There was no way I could walk in. Jack parked the truck and met me at patient registration. His presence was a comfort to me. I had always really liked Michael’s dad. I always felt like we would have been good friends if Danielle liked me. Tonight his concern was more than appreciated. If I felt better I would have smiled at his behavior. I don’t know how many times he asked the registration attendant if they could just take me back, but I could tell she was getting annoyed. I didn’t even take offense when he kept pointing out to her how horrible I looked. I did look horrible.

  It was to no avail. They refused to take me back until every “T” was crossed and every “I” was dotted on the endless paperwork the attendant had given me. Finally when the time came the nurse told Jack they would come get him when I was in a room. Jack kissed my head before they wheeled me off. It was a very sweet gesture, and one I welcomed. I needed some affection.

  The nurse that showed me back took my stats and vitals, and asked about my symptoms. She also asked me how far along I was. I was already fifteen-and-a-half weeks. The weight loss and loose clothing helped me hide it, but now the secret was out. I was afraid to tell Michael, but I guess I had no choice now. I would have to worry about it later. Right now I was worried about what was going on with my body. I was shivering and felt like I might pass out. The thermometer that had been placed under my tongue read one hundred and two. I could tell that concerned my nurse.

  She set the thermometer down and handed me a plastic cup. “Do you think you can manage to give us a urine sample?” she asked.

  “I’ll try.” It took everything I had in me to make it to the restroom. I just prayed nothing was wrong with the baby.

  I barely managed the task. My nurse’s look of concern returned when she noticed the red tinge. Apparently, it was enough that I was taken straight back to a room and admitted. Once they had me in a lovely hospital gown and hooked up to an I.V., they called my father-in-law back to be with me. He came right to my side and held my hand. He had never done that before. It made me miss my own father, and of course Jack’s son. It reminded me how utterly alone I had been feeling.

  I started to cry. I did that a lot lately.

  My father-in-law swept away my tears. “Now, now. There’s no need for those. It’s all going to be ok.”

  “Jack, thanks for being here with me.”

  He squeezed my hand tighter. “Don’t mention it, my dear.”

  Jack and Michael looked very similar, but Jack looked kinder. I wondered if that came with age. Jack was sixty-seven and thinking about retiring. He was an aerospace engineer, and for the last couple of years, he’d talked about retiring but never pulled the trigger. I wondered if this was the year.

  Several nurses came in and out. I was hooked up to all sorts of machines, including a fetal monitor. Just hearing my baby’s heartbeat made me feel better. It was strong at one hundred and fifty beats per minute. Music to my ears.

  I looked at Jack and he smiled. “Is that my grandbaby’s heartbeat?”

  I nodded my head yes and smiled.

  “You know, honey, you’re going to have to tell my son.”

  I closed my eyes and sighed. I didn’t want to think about it. “I know, but he’s making that very difficult.”

  “W
hat’s going on? He won’t say, and he keeps avoiding us.”

  I slowly opened my eyes. “Jack, I wish I knew. He just told me one day that he didn’t love me anymore and he rented an apartment and left, just like that. He rarely sees me or the kids and he won’t talk to me either.”

  Jack just shook his head, dumbfounded, and then he found me a tissue and handed it to me. “I don’t believe that he doesn’t love you.”

  “It’s true. If he loved me, he would be here and not you.” I squeezed his hand. “Not that I’m not happy you’re here.”

  He laughed, but his demeanor was anything but lighthearted. “I don’t think I ever told you this, but when Mike…” (only his dad called him that) “…came home after meeting you, there was this excitement in him I had never seen. And then the first time we met you I saw how enamored he was with you. He was never the same after that. I thought he would be an eternal bachelor, but you changed him for the better. And I’ve frequently seen that enamored look he has when it comes to you.”

  “Well, that’s long gone. He won’t even look at me now.”

  “I just can’t believe it,” he kept saying.

  “I couldn’t at first either, but believe me it’s true.”

  We had to put our conversation on hold. The attending physician finally came in. “Mrs. Bishop, I’m Dr. Cameron Shay.” I wondered how long I would have that title. I introduced my father-in-law.

  Dr. Shay looked over the nurses notes and what I assumed where my lab results. “You have a kidney infection and you’re dehydrated,” he informed me. “We’ll need to keep you overnight, maybe longer to make sure the infection doesn’t cause preterm labor.”

  My eyes widened at that news.

  I’m sure he could see my concern. “Don’t worry, we’ll monitor you closely and we’ll begin administering antibiotics intravenously as well as something to reduce your fever. All baby safe of course.”