Five More Minutes

Six Years

I placed the positive test on the counter of Cody and I's shared bathroom as my phone started ringing. Cody and I had been trying again but we weren't really expecting anything to happen so soon. About Two years after we lost Brooklyn Cody and I found out we were pregnant again with a baby girl in whom we named Charlotte Grace Bellinger. Cody loved calling her Charlie. Charlie is now almost two so a couple months back Cody brought up the idea to me of trying for again and well here we are. Not recognizing the number I picked it up and said "Hello." I heard the voice on the other line ask "Hi is this Carlie Bellinger?" I could feel my eyebrow raise as I said "Yes. This is her." I heard the voice on the other line say "Ma'am this is UCLA Medical Your husband was in a car accident, and he's in critical condition. We need you to come in right away." My face dropped hearing those words so I said "I'll be there as soon as I can." The phone soon hung up as I could remember every feeling and all the numbness from last time. I took my phone away from my ear and started crying as I looked down at the pregnancy test staring back at me on the counter. I walked out of the bathroom and started getting ready to leave when I heard a little voice ask "Mommy. Where are you going?" I finished putting on my coat as I turned and saw Drew standing there looking up at me. I got on my knees and my hand on one of her tiny shoulders as I said "Mommy has to go run some errands real quick okay, But I'm going to bring You, Lexi, Brady, and Charlie to Auntie Ellen's and Uncle Clayton's before we go okay. Go put your shoes on while I go get them okay." Drew nods and runs in the opposite direction to go put on her shoes. I sighed as I stood up and watched her run to her shoes. It feels like just yesterday Alex and I were taking the pregnancy test as immature twenty year olds. I can still here him say to me "It's okay. We're going to be the best parents ever yeah." I turn and walk towards and up the stairs to all the kids rooms.

I held Charlie in one of my arms and grabbed one of Drew's hand in my free one after knocking on the door of the Kershaw household. As Clayton opened the door and saw it was us he smiled and asked "Hey Carlie what's up? You didn't bring Cody?" I looked at him and said "Clayton something happened. I just need you to wath the kids for a few hours so I can make sure he's okay. I can can bring them somewhere else I just-" Before I could finish my sentence Clayton interrupted and said as he welcomed my kids in the door and took Charlotte from my arms "Go see him. Me and Ellen can watch them." Ellen came to the door as Clayton was talking and waited until he finished talking to ask "Carlie what's wrong?" I burst into tears and put my head in my hands before bringing my head back up and saying "There was an accident." Ellen stepped forwards out of the doorway as she hugged me and said "Oh Carlie." When we let go she stepped back as I said "I'm having deja vu." I saw Clayton's face slowly drop as Ellen asked "Do youwant me to come with you hun?" I nodded and said "I can't go through that alone." She rubbed my arm quickly before putting it back at her side and saying "I just have to go grab a pair of shoes and my purse okay? I'll be right out." I nodded before she turned and walked inside. I looked at Clayton and he just said "Come here." I made the quick walk towards him and hugged him. He held me up from collapsing to the ground and rubbed my back as he said "It'll be okay Carlie." Without thinking I said "I'm pregnant." He pulled away and let me go before saying 'We've got your back Carlie. You won't go through this alone. We didn't let you last time so you won't this time." I nodded as I sniffled and said "Just please don't tell anyone. I'll tell Ellen I just want to go through this peacefully without the media." He nodded and said "Of course. When you get to the hospital tell that pain in the ass that he still owes me twenty bucks." I smiled and said as Ellen walked back outside with her purse on her shoulder "I will." Ellen smiled and asked "Ready to go?" I nodded and looked at Clayton. He gave me a quick smile before Ellen and I turned and walked back towards my car."

"I'm Pregnant." I said to Ellen as we waited to hear anything about Cody in the bland hospital waiting room. "Oh Carlie." She said looking up at me. "I can't do this without him. I don't want to." I said in tears. I prayed that the doctors would give us news soon. After a quick conversation and a long silence I looked up to see a doctor in scrubs covered in blood. I stood up quickly and Ellen noticed so she stood up with me as the doctor walked over to us. "Please tell me he's okay." I begged in tears. "Are you the family of Mr.Bellinger?" he asked. I nodded as I felt Ellen put her arm around my shoulder. The doctor sighed before saying "He was in a car accident. He swerved avoiding a young girl and her mother but didn't realize that a tractor trailer was going right towards him. he was hit on the drivers side door. He was unconscious when first responders arrived on scene and hasn't woken up since. I know there's not a lot of good news coming out of this but one thing to maybe help you was although he was unconscious the whole time was that he refused to let us take his wedding band off. Every time one of my co workers would try to take it off he'd seize and his hands would stiffen. I can take you to his room now if you'd like." I nodded not wanting to speak knowing that if I did I'd burst into tears.

I walked into Cody's hospital unsure of what to expect. I gasped seeing he was almost unrecognizable. "Is it that noticeable?" I heard his groggy voice ask. My head shoots up and I see his eyes slightly open. He had a small smirk on his face as I rushed to his side. "Baby." I said to him as I rushed to his side. I saw a single tear fall as he said "I couldn't let her go through what we went through. I miss Brooke." I watched his face as more tears fell and I knew that he was getting tired and his breath was shallowing. "I tried to fight baby, I tried." Cody says as he struggled to keep his eyes open.  I burst into tears knowing that he was saying goodbye for the last time.  "I know baby. It's okay you can rest now Cody. I love you." I said in tears. Cody's limp hands reached up to kiss me. He kissed me the best he could and let go before saying "I love you to." I watched as his eyes closed slowly and it felt as if it were slow motion as the doctors came in to perform chest compressions. Deja vu hit me as the doctors called off chest compressions and called his time of death. The numbness hit almost immediately as I sat in the uncomfortable hospital chair next to the bed as I watched Cody's face lose color. I didn't realize how long I had been staring until a doctor kneeled in front of me and said "Ma'am we have to take him now. Would you like a minute?"

"We will keep the kids for a few days." Ellen said breaking the silence in the car. I didn't say anything as she kept driving. When we got to the house I was about to get out of the car when Ellen said "At least promise me that you'll call your brother." I nodded before getting out of the car and walking to my door all while not saying anything. I unlocked the door and went inside before closing it and sliding down the door as I burst into tears. After a few minutes I muttered up the strength to take my phone out of my pocket and dial Joe's number. I tried not to cry as the phone rang and I held it to my ear. "Hey Carlie what's up?"