Danny's Main

by Lisa N. Paul

  “It called to me,” she’d say to Danny as he shook his head and smiled.

  “There aren’t enough days in the year for all the clothes you’ve bought for her already.”

  Yet she’d catch him gently fingering the soft cotton wares as she’d pass the nursery on her way to their bedroom.

  And their lovemaking…holy hotness, she thought as she undressed and stepped into the shower one afternoon in mid-October. Sex was an area that they had always excelled in, but it had become indescribable. Between the pregnancy hormones amping up her desire, which she’d read was normal, and Danny’s insatiable appetite going from possessive to downright dominating, which she attributed to his primal need to protect his unborn child, their days began and ended with mind-blowing orgasms. She was not complaining.

  The friends Julie had made through work over the four years she’d been at O’Brian’s, both coworkers and regular customers, weighed in daily with regards to Julie’s pregnancy. And as all pregnant women could attest to, the minute the baby belly popped, so did the advice from every well-intentioned person. She’d been warned about how husbands tended to stay away from their wives sexually during pregnancy and if Danny still “participated” in sex—yes, “participated” was the word that had been used—then Julie shouldn’t be upset if he treated her like a fragile doll and left her to “take matters into her own hands.”

  “Pun completely intended, darling,” the women of the Sweet-Heart Club, who reserved the twelve-top table for the first Monday of each month, squawked before sharing their labor and delivery nightmares.

  Julie wasn’t their waitress, but they often requested management to assist even the most capable servers, and Julie was management.

  Little did the Sweet-Hearts know that Danny treated her in no such way. During the first prenatal visit, her husband had flat-out asked exactly what was and wasn’t okay sexually for her and the baby. While Julie had felt herself flush in embarrassment at the time, she thanked her lucky stars every time the man rocked her world.

  “You’ve been in there a while, honey,” Danny called from outside the shower stall. “I wanna fuck you, so you coming out or am I coming in?”

  Nope, no fragile dolls in the Marcus house.

  She turned off the taps, her lip tucked between her teeth as moisture pooled between her thighs. “I’m coming.” She startled when the stall door slid open.

  “Get out of the shower, babe”—his eyes raked over her body—“and you will be.”

  ###

  AFTER FOUR GLORIOUS orgasms—three of them hers—the pair showered again, that time together, and dressed for work.

  “You and Sheila started looking for your replacement?” Danny asked before sliding the toothbrush into his mouth.

  Julie finished applying her lipstick, rubbed her lips together, then looked at Danny’s reflection in the vanity mirror. “We’ve discussed it.” She hesitated while rolling the lipstick tube between her clammy hands.

  Danny rinsed off his brush, put it in the holder, and crossed his arms. “Spill it, Jules. What aren’t you saying?”

  Sometimes she wondered if it was to her benefit or detriment that the man knew her as well as he did.

  “I can’t wait to have this baby.” She rubbed her palm over the ever-expanding bump that chose that moment to move, as if she knew her mommy was talking about her. “And I know we decided that I would stop working and stay home with her, but a piece of me wants to continue to work.” Without waiting for Danny’s response, she quickly added, “Part time, of course. I just really enjoy being a part of O’Brian’s. I’ve worked since I was fifteen years old, and while I know that our daughter will fill my heart and my time, I can’t imagine leaving the work force completely.”

  When her parents had died, everything they owned was left to Julie, including two very large life insurance policies. Before Danny and Julie got married, they decided to sell her childhood home and start over fresh in a new place. In doing so, they moved to Baltimore to be closer to the fire station and bought a smaller house, giving them more money to invest. So between the hefty nest egg from her family and the generous wedding gift from Danny’s father—only a small portion of which went to their honeymoon vacation—they were in good financial shape. With Danny being groomed for a management position, his salary and benefits would increase in the near future. There was no reason why Julie had to keep working, but she couldn’t imagine a life without the chaos and camaraderie the bar scene offered.

  “You don’t wanna stop working,” Danny stated, no question in his tone.

  Julie shook her head. “Not completely, no.”

  Rubbing his whisker-covered jaw, he nodded. “So we’ll figure it out. While you’re on maternity leave, I’ll be working my way up at Red Bar. By the time you’re ready to go back part time”—his eyes softened the way they did just before he told he loved her—“we’ll figure it out, honey. Love you. We’ll always figure shit out.”

  “Danny Marcus, if I wasn’t already totally and completely in love with you, I’d have fallen just now.”

  “Julie Marcus, if you hadn’t just fucked my brains out and we weren’t both about to be late for work, I’d take you here and now.”

  Her face flushed at the image of him thrusting into her from behind, and a sigh escaped her.

  “Fuck,” Danny roared, and he took her there and then.

  Chapter Twelve

  That’s Gonna Leave A Bruise

  “YOU ALL GOOD, honey?” Danny asked as he closed Julie’s car door after she got in. He stood at the window under an umbrella.

  “I’m fine, babe, I promise.” She giggled. “I could have held my own umbrella.” She loved when his eyes squinted like they were, as if he couldn’t quite fathom what she was saying.

  He shrugged. “You could’ve, but why?” Cutting off her snappy retort, he continued, “Don’t forget to beep me when you get to work. Plug in 1-1-1 so I know you got there safe, okay?”

  The day Julie had learned she was pregnant, Danny went out and purchased a pager. He said the thought of him being unreachable was unacceptable. Mobile phones didn’t get signal in the bar where he worked, so pagers were the best option. After all, there were payphones on every street corner. He could return a page no matter where he was.

  “I won’t forget, handsome.”

  “Jules…”

  She sighed. “Okay, I won’t forget again, I promise.”

  “You get off at midnight. You beep me before you leave O’Brian’s and as soon as you get home,” Danny stated with no humor, just expectation, in his voice. The further into her pregnancy she got, the more Danny hovered. She had to admit, she kind of loved it.

  “Yes, sir. I love you.”

  His voiced gentled, as did his expression. “Thank God for that.” He winked. “Have a good night.” He leaned into the window of her car and touched his lips to hers.

  “You too. I’ll meet you in our bed when you get home.” Danny closed the umbrella and shook off the excess rain before tossing it over Julie and onto the passenger seat.

  She rolled up her window and watched as her husband walked through the pouring rain to his car, without hurry or care. He got in, buckled up, and turned on his ignition. She then pulled out of their driveway and left for work.

  Work was unusually busy for a Wednesday and ridiculously busy for a rainy one. Neither she nor Sheila could figure out why the volume of customers was so high. All they knew was they were jammed with impromptu big parties in the dining room and not enough staff to cover them, which left Sheila calling in favors to get coverage while Julie ran food orders from the kitchen to the tables in order to keep the food fresh and the customers happy.

  When the kitchen closed for the night, and the two “rescue” waitresses shifted from food to cocktail service to handle what was a large drinking crowd, Julie excused herself from service. Hours of running around finally took its toll on her body, and she felt as if an extra hundred pounds had been strappe
d onto her shoulders, back, and feet. The baby kicked, as if telling her it was time for bed.

  “I agree, little girl,” she whispered, rubbing her belly. “I’m heading out,” Julie called over the music. When her boss didn’t respond, Julie went behind the bar, tapped Sheila’s shoulder, and got her attention. “I’m going home, boss lady. It’s about midnight, and I’m beat.”

  Sheila gave change to a patron, then turned her attention to Julie. “I’m going to announce last call. Thank goodness we close early during the week, ‘cause I’m about ready for bed myself. Thank you so much for tonight, Jules. I would’ve been lost without you. Let me find someone to walk you out to your car.”

  Julie looked around at the packed establishment. “It’s okay, Sheel. I’m parked pretty close to the door, and it’s slammed in here. I’ll be fine.”

  “Kay. Then go home and get some rest.”

  “Will do, just gotta stop off in the office and beep Danny. Then I’m out of here.”

  Sheila nodded before turning back to the customers. Even with three bartenders behind the bar, one of them being a “rescue” waitress that doubled as a bartender, the drinks weren’t being served fast enough. What the hell is going on tonight?

  Everyone knew that the area behind the bar was a slippery, messy place. Julie knew it better than most, since she’d suffered more bruises and sore butt cheeks than she cared to remember. That was why she and Danny had agreed that she wouldn’t get behind it while she was pregnant. She hadn’t thought of that agreement when she went to tell Sheila good night though. She did, however, remember it as soon as she slipped. While she didn’t fall, her elbow hit the wall.

  “Goddamnit,” she howled. “That’s gonna leave a bruise.” So stupid, Julie. What were you thinking? She rubbed her belly and placed the call to Danny’s pager. 2-2-2 was the signal that she was leaving work and heading home.

  She slid on her coat, grabbed her purse, left the office, and headed into the narrow hallway toward the back door. Wham! The broom closet door flew open, striking Julie in the stomach hard enough to produce exploding stars in her vision and knock the wind from her lungs. Sharp pain sliced through her abdomen. She cried out before folding in half as she held her belly. When the pain subsided a bit, she looked up and stared at the two drunken people who’d practically fallen out of the closet in a drunken stupor, swinging the door open with enough force to inflict blinding pain.

  “Aww, shit, did we do that?” the man slurred to the woman as he pointed at a crouched-over Julie.

  “Naw, she prolly just listenin’ to us in there. Jealous thing, ain’t getting’ any action in the closet.” The woman leaned down next to Julie’s ear, and her breath reeked from cheap beer. “You may wanna drop a few pounds there, hefty. You could get yourself a lil’ some-some too.”

  Uncertain if anger or shock was more prevalent, Julie straightened herself the best she could—the pain made her nauseated, but her fury made her stubborn—pressed down her shirt, and cleared her throat. “I’m pregnant, you intoxicated slut.”

  “Hmm.” The girl shrugged. “Then you really should work on finding yourself a man.” She flipped her hair and walked away with her guy in tow.

  The abdominal pain wasn’t increasing and the baby was moving, so Julie decided to head home where she could think in peace and quiet.

  “Fucking idiots,” she said as she walked in the cold rain to her car. “Need to make sure that closet is locked. What the hell is wrong with people? I’m too tired for this shit.”

  Searing pain once again soared through her abdomen. This time, whether from exhaustion or shock, Julie’s legs gave out from under her. She threw her arms down to break the fall, but fire shot up her right wrist before the pain once again took residence in her belly.

  “You’re okay, baby girl,” she moaned as her left hand gripped her belly and darkness consumed her.

  ***

  “THE FUCK?” DANNY’S shoulders tightened as he looked at his pager.

  He hopped over the counter and ran to the payphones in the back corner of Red Bar. When he reached the phone, the pager beeped again. While the first page was from a number he didn’t recognize, the second was a 9-1-1 notification. His heart seized and pounded at the same time. Dropping too many coins in the pay slot, Danny punched in the metal numbers that had appeared on the tiny screen of his pager.

  “Danny?”

  “Who the fuck is this?” he screamed at the female who answered.

  “D-Danny, it’s Sheila.”

  The sound of her voice sent ice through his blood.

  “There was an accident. I’m with Julie…they’re taking her. Y-you need to come, Danny. She needs you.”

  “An accident? Is she okay?” he roared. “Who’s they? Who the fuck is with my wife, Sheila?” The phone quivered, the room quaked, and red film covered everything Danny saw.

  He heard voices through the phone a split second before a strange man spoke into his ear. “Mr. Marcus, Ted here with the emergency team. How far along is your wife?”

  “Twenty-eight weeks tomorrow,” Danny answered firmly.

  “We’re taking her to Sinai Hospital, sir—”

  Danny interrupted, “Is she okay?”

  “Danny, it’s Sheila again. I’m going to follow the ambulance. Please meet me there as soon as you can—”

  “Leaving now.” Danny slammed down the phone and ran across the hall to his manager’s office. “My wife had an accident. I’m leaving.”

  His boss leveled him with a glare. “You’re in the middle of a shift, Marcus.”

  Danny swallowed hard. “My wife and unborn daughter had an accident. Don’t give a fuck about the shift, man. Dock me. Hell, fire me. I’m out.”

  And he left.

  The nonexistent traffic allowed for Danny’s speeding to shave nearly ten minutes off the normally half-hour drive to the hospital. Rain drops, while no longer fierce, splashed his windshield like fat tears of sadness, but just as he refused to assume the worst and let his own tears fall, the wipers cleared away the wetness, leaving fresh glass and new hope.

  ###

  “JULIE MARCUS,” DANNY barked at the meek-looking woman behind the counter in the emergency room.

  “I’m sorry, sir, what is your name?”

  Pulling in a deep breath, Danny answered. “Name’s Daniel Marcus. My wife, Julie Marcus, was brought in via ambulance probably half an hour ago. I wanna see her now.” His voice raised, making it clear his words were more of a command than a request.

  “Please hold.” The woman cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder, punched in a few numbers, and mumbled something into the receiver.

  “Danny?”

  He turned to see Sheila standing a couple of feet away by the metal waiting room chairs. She was a mess—makeup streaked down her cheeks, wet hair plastered to her head and face, and was that blood on her clothes?

  “Is that blood on your clothes?” Danny gasped. “Sheila, is that Julie’s blood on your fucking clothes?”

  She nodded as fresh tears streamed down her face.

  Acid burned in Danny’s gut. He returned his attention to the woman behind the desk. “Where is my wife, goddamnit?”

  The woman returned the phone to the cradle and spoke in a disturbingly soft voice. “Mr. Marcus, someone is coming out to speak with you right now. Please wait right over there.” She pointed at the metal seats where Sheila still stood.

  “I want to see my wife!” he shouted, startling the already leery woman, before staring at Sheila, who was wearing Julie’s blood. Tears filled his eyes. I will not assume the worst. She’s going to be okay.

  He barely had the chance to walk the few feet over to his wife’s employer before Julie’s obstetrician briskly walked toward him.

  “Mr. Marcus?”

  Danny nodded. Words, just like air, forced their way out. “Dr. Burke, how is she? Can I see her? How’s our baby?” The questions spewed out like lava from a volcano.

  “How ab
out if you follow me?” the doctor suggested before walking into a privacy room.

  He closed the door once Danny had entered. Both remained standing as the older woman kept her eyes trained on him. Knowledge and compassion shone in her eyes—two things Danny had appreciated in the past, two things he dreaded in the present.

  “By the time Julie got here, she was unconscious, blood was coming from her vagina, and her uterus was contracting due to labor. We did an ultrasound and learned that Julie had what’s known as a placental abruption. It’s when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus, depriving the fetus of blood and oxygen. In Julie’s case, the separation was due to abdominal trauma, and it was severe.” Dr. Burke swallowed hard. “And…”

  The doctor’s pause felt like a dull knife being lodged into his gut.

  “And…?” He refused to believe the truth until the words had been spoken.

  “I’m sorry, Danny. I’m sorry, but Julie lost the baby. It died before we had a chance to intervene.” The doctor’s words had no time to penetrate before she unloaded even more. “Julie delivered the baby, but she was also suffering from vaginal bleeding because her uterus wouldn’t clamp down, a term we call atony. She’s been receiving transfusions and is being prepped for surgery now.”

  “Surgery?” Danny croaked as Dr. Burke opened the door to the small room.

  “We need to stop the bleeding, and we will,” she said, “but it may be a few hours until I see you again. We have a great team taking care of your wife. I’m going to go scrub in, and I’ll see you soon.”

  With those words, she fled the privacy room, pushed the square button that automatically opened a door marked Medical Personnel Only, and disappeared through it.

  “Take care of my wife,” Danny screamed at the closing door. “Please, please,” his voice cracked, “take care of my wife…”

  “Umm, Danny?”