Evil with a D

Chapter 21

Image: Yvette
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          Stacy was a little more than frustrated. She'd had quite a few setbacks even with Lucas' pull in the business world. Three months and her studio was only just opening. Even Lucas seemed annoyed by everything, but they still pushed forward. It was finally over though, finally ready to open. Stacy had decided to throw a small party, inviting the people who'd already signed up for classes and anyone who happened by and showed interest in signing up. She smiled and chatted as she mingled, making her way around the large open plan on the first floor until she found herself standing with Lucas at the back of the room.
          "Have you heard from my parents?" she asked as she checked her phone again for the hundredth time. She'd asked if they wanted to come and Monika had said they'd be there to help set up. When they hadn't, Stacy had just figured her mother couldn't make it early. But three hours late was bordering on something being wrong. It was making her worry.
          Lucas shook his head. "No. Why?" he asked as he turned to her when he noticed how she fidgeted and glanced at her phone again. "Have you called?"
          "The house and my mom's cell. Dad still refuses to get one." she muttered as she tried dialing her mother's cell again only to have it go to voicemail.
          "Do you want to drive over?"
          "Yes," she turned and hurried off, glad for the help of her newly hired instructors who offered to take over hosting when they heard. "Let's go." she said as she hurried past Lucas to the door. Stacy was anxious the whole way, holding her breath as they neared the house. She started to fidget when she didn't see the car in the driveway. Her father made sure this last month that the car was always at home just in case something happened. Stacy jumped from the car before it'd even stopped completely. She all but threw herself at the door when she reached it, knocking almost frantically as she leaned to peek in through the side window.
          There was no movement inside and the lights were off. As she turned to hurry back to the car she noticed Lucas on the phone, a frown in place as he looked at Stacy and motioned her over. Stacy picked up her pace, hogging to the car and hurried into the passenger seat.
          "What is it?" she asked as she slammed the door close, glaring a little when Lucas winced.
          "It was Frank," he said as he hung up and started to pull out of the driveway. "We need to get to the hospital."
          Something was wrong. "Why didn't he call me? Why your phone?"
          "He tried, but said it was busy every time he called and when they got to the hospital he stopped trying. Stacy flushed a little when she thought of the back to back calls she'd been making earlier to make sure everything was still settled for the party. "He was using the hospital phone to call me."
Stacy bit down on the inside of her cheek as Lucas started to speed a bit, not bothering to ask him to slow down. She wanted to get there just as fast. She was grateful when he dropped her off at the emergency entrance while he looked for a parking space. Rushing through the doors, Stacy looked around the waiting room as she made her way to the counter. She paused though when she spotted her father and hurried toward him instead. Frank had stepped out of a side hall. forcing a smile when he'd spotted her. "Is she and the baby okay?" Stacy asked when she reached him, reaching out to take his hand.
          Frank hesitated, shifting as he glanced at the doors behind him. "I don't know yet. We were getting ready to leave when she started having shooting pain in her abdomen." Stacy watched her father shove a hand through his hair causing it to look even more disheveled. His shirt was ruffled and he just looked exhausted although they'd only been here a couple hours. "There was blood Stacy." he whispered, sounding a little lost and a lot worried.
          Stacy sucked in a breath, stepping in to hug her father tightly. "It'll be okay." she whispered as Frank pulled her in tighter for a bear hug. She said that, but couldn't stop the fear building inside her. Please let her be okay, she silently begged. Please. Lucas found them like that five minutes later. He gave a small nod to Frank when he noticed him, hand touching his shoulder lightly. Frank motioned them to the waiting area in the maternity wing, walking to take a seat on one of the double chairs. Stacy joined Frank instantly, leaning into him a little as Lucas took the single next to her. Lucas slipped his hand into Stacy's, knowing she and her father needed each other's support right now, knowing full well they'd be better for each other than he could be for either of them.
          It was a long wait, one that saw Stacy nibbling on her nails and Frank causing his hair to all but stand up. Lucas sat forward, elbows on his knees as he watched the hall for signs. He sat up when he spotted a doctor moving toward the waiting room, all three jumping up when they were called.
          "How are they?" Frank asked when they met the doctor in the hall. "Please say they're okay." he breathed as Stacy slipped her hands around his arm.
          The doctor smiled as if to reassure them. "Your wife is fine. It was a little touch and go, but she's resting now. We'd like to keep her for the time being."
          Frank frowned at the man. "What about the kid?" Lucas asked before he could speak, shrugging at the look Frank and Stacy shot him.
          The doctor hesitated then, motioning for them to follow as he turned to move down the hall. Stacy bit down on her bottom lip to hold back the tears. "Your son...is a little delicate right now. We had to do a c-section or risk losing them both. However, his lungs are under developed and it seems he's contracted ammonia. We're placed him in NICU in an incubator. I can't tell you it's one hundred percent right now." he turned to face them when they reached NICU. "We'll need to keep contact to a minimum until the worst passes. I'm hopeful though." he said as he gave them a smile, nodding toward the large window they'd stopped in front of. The nurse inside the room spotted them, turning to wheel over an incubation unit.
          Stacy sucked in a breath as she pressed into the window. The baby in the unit was sleeping, his breath shallow. She couldn't believe how small he was, only more so with all the wires and tubes hooked up to him. The doctor started talking again, but Stacy had tuned out everything as she watched her little brother struggle for life with each breath he took. She turned her attention to her father, noting the doctor had left at one point. Frank stood watching his son, eyes damp. He glanced down when Stacy took his hand, giving a light squeeze.
          Lucas hesitated before touching Frank's back lightly. "Did you two think of a name?" he asked almost timidly, something Stacy hadn't heard from him before.
          Frank actually let out a small, humorless laugh at Lucas' bid for a normal conversation. In all honesty, it did help a little. "Briar." he said as he looked back at the boy. "Briar Reese Rogers." he muttered, returning Stacy's hand squeeze.
          "Cool," Lucas said as he stepped up closer to the glass. "I take it Monika thought of it?"
          "Yes. She said it suited him. Just came through the door and said he'd told her." Frank said with a small laugh.
          "I wonder if we can see mom yet." Stacy muttered.
          "Yes. The doctor said her room was down the hall," Lucas said as he stepped back, probably the only one who'd actually heard what the doctor said to them.
          "Maybe we should go see her." Frank nodded, hesitating as if torn.
          Stacy smiled and gave his hand a small tug. "It'll be okay. You can come right back. Mom will probably want to know how he's doing."
          Frank gave a nod and stepped back, seeming exhausted all over again as they walked down the hall to Monika's room. She was sleeping when they entered, Frank moving instantly to take her hand. Lucas set a chair down behind him while Stacy moved to sit on the other side of the bed. It was a good twenty minutes before Monika's eyes fluttered open, her breath leaving her when she spotted Frank. "Briar?" she whispered as she squeezed his hand as best she could in her weakened state.
          Frank's eyes started to grow damp, causing Monika to start worrying that he hadn't made it. Stacy spoke before the situation took a nose dive further. "He's in NICU," she said, smiling when Monika turned her attention to Stacy. "The doctor is hopeful, but he said he'd have to stay in an incubator for a while." So she'd lied a little, but her mother wasn't in a condition to know the full truth. Not right now at least.
          Monika let out a strangled sound causing Frank to look away, eyes closing as he linked their fingers. Lucas shifted as he watched Frank sit forward, the two giving each other light kisses and whispered sweet nothings. Stacy stood, nudging Lucas quietly from the room.
          Lucas waited until the door closed silently behind them before he spoke. "This was like Frank's worst nightmare taking form." he said as he pulled Stacy into his side.
          "Yes. I'm just glad it wasn't worse. Though I have a feeling he's going to be even more protective of Briar than he ever was with me." she walked with him down the hall, but pausing at the small NICU again. Briar's unit had been moved back into place with the other four units, only one of which was in use other than his. Stacy was half tempted to ask if there was anything Lucas could do, but stopped herself. She knew better. Anything dealing with his powers had bad consequences for someone. Instead she steeled her resolve and straightened a little. "He's going to make it Lucas. He has to. I don't know if my parents could survive losing him.
          Lucas moved, turning Stacy so she faced him. His hands encased her face, forcing her to look at him. "He'll make it Stacy. Because he has a strong family that doesn't have it in them to lose to anything, let alone death. And he'll  be just as strong after." he kissed her forehead, pulling her into a hug. Stacy's arms slipped around him, tightening as she pressed her face into his chest.