by S. E. Law
“Sorry baby,” I say in a shaky voice, scratching him. “Mommy will get you out of here.”
I start to reverse, only to see the crowd of reporters closing in behind my car. I slam on the breaks as they turn, but then I rev the engine in warning. As soon as the last one scatters, I screech out of the parking space, and speed towards the entrance of the garage. I know the way I’m acting is probably only making things worse, but for some reason, every protective instinct is telling me to get away.
Like a madman, I tear through the exit of the garage and into traffic, causing several cars to slam on their brakes. Soon, I’m on the freeway cruising. Thank god. There are no cars following me and I make an executive decision to head to my parents’ neighborhood to hide out for a while. The paparazzi wouldn’t know where Ana and Ronald live, would they?
The drive is a speedy fifteen minutes and as I exit the highway, I’m feeling a little bit calmer. Stopping at a red light, I quickly pull out my phone and scroll through fifteen text messages from Simona and thirteen missed phone calls from my mom. God, what is going on? Is the world losing its head? The light turns green and I ease forward into the intersection but then a large blue sedan, coming from the opposite direction, blows through their red light and before I can react, T-bones my side of the car.
There isn’t much after that. It’s a mixture of fear, pain and adrenalin. There’s silence for a little bit, and the sound of a hissing engine. Then I hear yelling and someone trying to open my door, but it’s wedged inward from the impact of the other vehicle. My whole body hurts and I don’t want to open my eyes but I sense sirens heading towards us in the distance.
Oh no, oh no. My baby. I’m hunched over, trying to clutch my belly, but I can’t move. Tears start rolling down my face, fear shooting through my body. Is my cat okay at least? I just barely manage to lift my head and look into my bag. The kitten stares up at me with wide eyes, his little sides heaving with fear.
Flashing lights appear though my windshield and I see a female police officer running towards my car. The guy from the vehicle that hit me points to the broken door on my side and together, they make their way around to the window opposite me. The police officer leans over and sees that my eyes are open. She says something, her mouth opening and closing, but I can’t hear anything. Apparently she realizes this because she points to the lock on the passenger side, and straining, I manage to unbuckle my seatbelt and lean over to unlock the door. As soon the lock clicks, she opens the door, leaning down to my level because I can’t manage to get myself up.
Her mouth opens, and my hearing suddenly pops into place.
“Ma’am, are you alright?”
I shake my head, tears falling faster.
“My baby,” I manage to whisper. I point to my belly bulge, and the cop’s eyes go wide.
“Oh shit,” she says before pulling her radio to her mouth.
“Medical, be advised, victim is injured and she is pregnant, repeat she is pregnant...”
There’s a crackle before another voice says, “Copy that Hernandez, a bus is two minutes from your location.” Officer Hernandez turns back to me.
“Alright ma’am,” she calmly, taking my hand over my bag. “My name is Julie. What’s yours?”
She’s trying to calm me down and I appreciate it.
“Brynn,” I gasp, trying to sit up.
She stops me quickly.
“Try not to move. Are you having any abdominal cramping or pain?”
I sit for a second, and then shake my head.
“No, I don’t think so, but my whole body hurts so it’s hard to tell.”
She nods. “Got it. Just hold still, ma’am. Help is on the way.”
I can see an ambulance and fire truck pull up behind Julie’s police car.
“My cat,” I say desperately, craning my neck to locate my new kitten.
Officer Hernandez shakes her head. “Your car is totaled Brynn and your vehicle is the last thing you should worry about.”
“Not my car,” I say over the sound of the firefighters yelling to each other. “My cat.”
Her head cocks to the side and she pulls off her sunglasses.
“Your cat?”
I nod and slowly push my bag out from under me. Tom the kitten meows and tries to climb out of the bag back towards me.
“Holy shit, an animal!” the officer exclaims. “This is unexpected.” She tries to grab Tom, who hisses at her.
“Tom,” I admonish weakly. “Stop that. She’s a friend.” Meanwhile Officer Hernandez has managed to lift the kitten out, and is now holding him at arm’s length.
“He seems alright,” she says as he lets out an outraged meow. “He’s fine.”
We’re interrupted by a sickening crunch of metal as the firefighters manage to pull the driver’s side door off my car. I can see paramedics behind them with a stretcher. After asking me a series of questions about my back and neck, they gently pull me out and then strap me onto a stretcher before wheeling me towards the ambulance.
“My baby?” I ask again.
One of the paramedics, an older woman with short cropped hair and dimples, smiles at me.
“Don’t worry, ma’am,” she replies. “We’ll get you an ultrasound as soon as we get to the hospital, but I don’t see any bleeding. I think your baby is alright for now.”
The words calm me as I’m loaded into the ambulance, but then there’s the sound of footsteps.
“Wait,” Officer Hernandez cries before running up to us and placing the kitten on my chest. I can see several scratches on her hands. Tom looks put-out but he settles happily once he realizes it’s me. The paramedic shakes her head.
“Officer, we’re going to a hospital and she can’t bring a cat inside.”
“Okay,” Julie says ruefully while shaking out her hands. “But tell that to the cat.”
Tom hisses at both the paramedics, who step back.
“Fine then, but only for the ambulance ride,” warns the tall African-American paramedic as he gets us both secured.
“Softie,” his partner says, smiling at him. “You know we’re not supposed to be carrying animals.”
With that, the ambulance door slams shut and the female paramedic turns to me once again.
“Do you have any allergies to medications?” she asks as the ambulance begins to move.
I shake my head.
“Good. Then I’m going to give you something for the pain. Don’t worry, it’s safe even if you’re expecting.”
As I nod, she inserts an IV into my arm. I put a hand on Tom’s back and he meows, suspiciously watching the older woman through narrowed eyes.
“We should be there in about ten minutes, so try to relax while we check you out,” she says in a soothing tone.
The last thing I see before I close my eyes is my lover’s face. What would he say if he knew his baby was in danger? What would he say if he knew I was in danger? As I wonder, the cold feeling of the medication courses up my arm, and then I close my eyes and lose consciousness.
9
Tom
* * *
The flight to Miami is uneventful, to say the least. It should have taken longer but I have to admit that I pushed my plane a bit harder than advisable. I love flying, and the first thing I did out of high school was to join the Air Force. The first thing I did when I made enough money as an actor was to buy a plane.
After I land in a private airport in Miami, I make my way out of the doors to get a car called. As usual, immediately I’m bombarded by the paparazzi. I try to keep my head on straight, but it’s difficult. They always know what to say to push my buttons, and how to get me to react. They’re professionals, after all, and they actually get paid more if I cause a scene on video.
But then, the questions take on a new tone.
“Tom, Tom! Is it true you’re dating a photographer?”
“How long have you guys been together?”
“Do you have a comment about the fact that yo
u’ve been secretly wooing Brynn Hale?”
What the fuck? How the hell did they figure it out?
“No comment,” I say, my face like stone. I escape into a black town car that pulls up to the curb.
“Where to, sir?” the driver asks, turning around. I fumble for a minute. I don’t actually know Brynn’s address.
“Just drive towards the beach for right now. Give me second and I’ll tell you in a minute.”
The man nods and pulls carefully into traffic, leaving behind the hoard of media. Fucking rabid dogs.
“Randy,” I say, after dialing his number.
“Tom,” he replies, sounding gleeful. “Make it to Miami alright?”
“How did you know…never mind, I guess it’s pretty obvious.”
“You think?” my agent chortles.
“Anyways, did you figure out where Brynn Hale lives?”
“Jesus, you sound like a stalker, but yes, of course I did. Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
He says her address and I repeat it to the driver who nods and makes a turn onto the freeway.
“How did you figure that out so quickly?”
“I looked it up after you ran out. It’s so obvious what you’re up to, my man. It doesn’t take a detective.”
I chuckle, “I guess you’re right…”
I trail off, suddenly connecting the dots in my head. My heart skips a beat and I ask the question I already know the answer to.
“Randy?”
“Thomas?”
“You didn’t tell anybody about Brynn, did you?”
“Of course I did.”
“You did?” I yell, seeing red. “What the fuck?”
“No man. I think the correct response is “thank you,” and you’re welcome, by the way.”
I stutter for a few seconds, so angry that I can’t form words. The driver slows to a stop and I crane my neck. What the hell is going on? This day is going down the shitter so fast it’s incredible.
“Sorry sir, looks like an accident on one of the exit ramps,” the driver apologizes. “It’s just people rubber necking on our side, though. It shouldn’t take too long.”
I nod and say into the phone, “Randy, you son of a bitch, I told you this isn’t what she wants. It’s not what I want either.”
My agent sniffs.
“I don’t care. Tom, it’s my job to make sure my clients are seen in the very best possible way. You dating an artsy, pleasantly plump, photographer will really help tone down the playboy image. People are gonna love it.”
“She’s not plump! You know what?” I inhale sharply through my nose and exhale through my mouth before launching into a tirade. “I swear to God Randy, if the media has been hounding Brynn because of me…fix this. Now.”
“Fix what?” he pretends innocence.
“You know what. Shut this down. Tell them it was a lie.”
My agent laughs. He actually laughs.
“I can’t do that because it’s already all over social media. There’s actually a video of her running from the reporters. Can you believe it? It’s kind of sad.”
I swear violently, hanging up the phone before throwing it down on the seat next to me.
“Everything alright, sir?” the chauffeur asks.
“Yeah. Sorry about that.”
“No problem.”
I stare down at my phone and make a decision. I open up my social media pages and find a horror story unfolding. In the videos posted on social media, I see Brynn opening up her front door and staring dumbfounded at a gaggle of reporters as they bombard her with questions. I see her shove past them, clutching her bag and her stomach, and run down the stairs. I see her almost get hit by a car before tearing out of a parking garage and making for the nearest a highway. My stomach feels sick and I can’t feel my fingertips as I open the next video. It’s of a generically pretty female reporter standing outside a large hospital.
“I’m standing in front of St. Judith’s where, only a few minutes ago, Brynn Hale arrived by ambulance after a horrific car accident. She was accosted by reporters when the news broke that she is dating international celebrity Tom Masters. Poor Ms. Hale, who is two months pregnant with the star’s baby, was trying to get away when she was T-boned in an intersection. The paramedics who brought her declined to comment on the extent of her injuries but we can only assume they are grievous. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tom and Miss Hale’s family.”
There’s a ringing in my ears as I drop the phone on the floor of the car.
“St. Judith’s Hospital,” I manage to mutter through numb lips.
“What’s that?” the driver asks turning around.
“St. Judith’s Hospital,” I yell. “Hurry!”
If he’s confused, he doesn’t mention a thing as he quickly puts his turn signal on. The car makes its way slowly through traffic and we take the nearest exit.
I sit in anxious silence, tapping my foot on the ground, stopping myself from yelling at the poor man to drive faster. The report about Brynn spins in my head. Grievous injuries, car accident…pregnant. I bolt upright in the leather seat. She’s pregnant. Brynn is pregnant, with my child. I run a hand through my hair, and then I half-laugh half-sob as I think about my future. If she’s alright, I’ll do everything in my power to convince her to come back. She said she loved me while she was on the island. It’s not too late is it? I have to win her heart again.
“She has to be alright,” I mutter to myself as my car pulls into the hospital parking lot.
The driver stops the car right before the ER. I jump out, but immediately, reporters come running up from where they were lying in wait. I do my best to push through them but there are too many. Fortunately, my chauffeur comes to my rescue.
“Alright, you vultures,” he roars. “Get back!”
Even though he’s middle-aged, he manages to push an opening for me in the crowd. I smile at him.
“Remind me to offer you a new job when I get out of here. I’ll triple your pay.”
He grins at me as I rush through the sliding door. Then, I run up to the check-in desk.
“Brynn Hale’s room,” I say to the nurse, who is dressed in rainbow scrubs.
“Are you family?”
I pause. I don’t really know what to say.
“Let me guess,” says a gravelly voice behind me. “You must be Tom.”
I turn and find myself looking into the eyes of a well-built older man with a mustache and Brynn’s golden-brown eyes.
“Yes sir,” I say nervously. “That’s me.”
“I’m Brynn’s father, Ron.”
“Sir, I…”
He holds up a hand.
“Don’t. We’ll talk later. Right now, Brynn wants you.”
He turns without another word and heads towards the elevators. I follow humbly behind him. We wait for an older couple to exit before entering the elevator, and I chance a glance at Ron’s profile.
“How is she?” I venture.
He frowns.
“For a collision like that, she’s alright.”
I feel like I can’t catch my breath and my voice cracks as it comes out.
“Mr. Hale, please I never wanted this for her. I love…”
“Don’t.”
He exhales heavily, refusing to meet my eyes.
“Look son, Brynn hasn’t told us anything but the briefest details. I used my powers of deduction to figure out what you are to my daughter. I don’t understand your decision and frankly, I don’t care. All I care about is my daughter and my grandchild.”
“I care about her too,” I say. “I was giving her space and also I didn’t know how to find her. Sir, your daughter…” I have to stop and take a deep breath as emotions course through me. “Your daughter is miraculous. I fell in love with her in a day and a half. I was stupid not to be honest with her from the get-go, and I swear to you, if she’ll have me, I’ll love and protect her and our child until the end of time. If she doesn’t want
me, I’ll take care of our child and makes sure she has everything she could ever need.”
His brown eyes stared unblinkingly into mine.
“Tell that to Brynn, not to me.” Then, the elevator doors open, and he leads the way out into the hallway. “She’s in room 304. We’re waiting on the ultrasound tech to check the baby.”
I feel like I have to puke as Ronald Hale opens the door. Oh god. Brynn is lying in a bed hooked up to machines and her eyes are closed. Her face is deathly pale, she has a large cut on her forehead, and it looks like there’s a bruise on her face, most likely from the airbag. Around her are two women, and a small black kitten is sitting on her chest. Brynn’s father walks into the room and takes the hand of the older woman who resembles Brynn, if you were to add about twenty years. She’s shorter and darker, but other than that, they look remarkably similar.
“He’s here, love,” Robert says gently to his wife.
She turns her tear stained face and catches my eye.
“Ah, dios mio!” she cries rising to her feet and rushing towards me. “She has been asking and asking for you and now you are here.”
The woman continues in a combination of broken Spanish and English. Grabbing my hand, she pulls me to the bed. The other woman, who is near Brynn’s age, also looks up at me. She vacates the chair next to the bed, and I sit down and take Brynn’s hands, my heart in my throat. The kitten who’s asleep on her chest raises his head and meows delicately at me.
“Oh, my love,” Brynn’s mother says clasping her hands at her heart. “The cat knows. He likes him!”
Brynn’s father shakes his head.
“That cat hasn’t let anyone near since she got here. It does like you.”
I look at the kitten who puts his head back down while continuing to watch me. I can’t think of what to say. I want to say everything, but I don’t know how to.