Nothing In This World (BWWM) ✅

Chapter Thirty Two

"I oughta knock your lights out boy!" Charles charged at Lance in the waiting area causing Lance to flinch at the sudden rage of a man rushing through the hospital doors. Darla stepped in front of Lance causing Charles to stop suddenly and almost smack into her and Ricky. "Move out of my way, Darla. You don't got no business standing in front of me right now."

Darla didn't move and neither did Lance who just got done getting a new ice pack since his first one melted on his head. "He's hurt too. You're acting crazy while Charlene needs to recover. Look at yourself first." Charles huffed at her then threw himself in a seat at an empty chair.

"He's supposed to be in the white only section of the hospital."

Darla chuckled. "You know they don't give a damn where these whites go. If they told us to leave right now then we'd have to."

Those words caused Lance to hang his head in shame. A nurse entered the room soon after and everyone was back to their feet. "Is she alright?" Lance almost tripped over himself. "She didn't lose anything did she?! She ain't lost nothing!"

The nurse tried to look as professional as possible but the truth was written all over her face. "The baby did not make it. We ran some test and discovered that Charlene has weak cervical tissues. Her uterus was not strong enough to develop the baby even being over a month along."

"Well, what does that mean? Will she ever be able to have a child?" Darla stepped forward. "What are the side effects and chances being taken."

The nurse smiled. "Her uterus should grow stronger in the years to come and miscarriages are highly common in the first pregnancy. Her condition is not permanent but it is difficult to deal with. Are you next of kin?" She pointed to Charles who quickly nodded. "Just need to you fill out some paperwork since she is underaged. Follow me."

Lance gawked. "Well, when do we get to see her?"

"When she's released." The two left back into the double doors causing Lance to slump back into his seat.

Darla took a seat next to him and bounced Ricky up and down on her knee. The silence was dreadful especially since there was a million thoughts roaming the air. "What are you thinking?" Darla asked. "If you're thinking it's your fault then you need to stop. Things like this happen. It happened to me. I was under so much stress that... it happened to me." Lance quickly looked over at her and set his ice pack down. "I'm only telling you this because I've seen it before, but you can't hurt yourself."

"I'm not thinking of-"

"That means you can't hurt Charlene. It was really difficult. The whole commitment thing. Charles was the most loyal husband in the world then we lost our first child. He went on a downward spiral and I barely saw him for months. Drunk. Cheating. Angry. It took a while of recovery to get him back and sometimes I fear he still ain't the same. You don't want Charlene to live with that fear do you? Always scared that you two will never be the same."

Lance dropped his head in his hands. "I don't want to hear that I'm changing. I'm scared I won't know how to go back. I've already done put her through so much. She missed her mother. She's away from home. She lost her best friend. It's all me. It is my fault. Now I'm in and out of jail and Joanne-"

Darla's eyebrows lifted when that name got stuck in his throat. "Who is Joanne?" Ricky turned his head too when the bouncing stopped. "You know what? Doesn't matter cause you're here right now." She rested a hand on his tense knee. "All you really have to do is support her through it. Go to work, come home-"

"Charlene and I are leaving. Got some bad news from the judge and we can't stay here no more. I have enough money to get us a few states over then after that, I don't know what we're going to do. She just wants to be with me and I want to be with her."

"Upside is that a child shouldn't be dragged through all that." Lance quietly agreed. "Does Charles know you two are headed out again?" Lance remained quiet. "You two weren't planning on telling a single soul. Very smart. If Charles knew then no way you'd make it out the front door. You can trust me though. I won't say a word. Just send us a letter when you make it where ever you're going. I need to know you two are safe."

Charlene grabbed his hand as he lifted her out of the front seat of his truck. Their belongings were placed in the back and the moon cascading over them through it all. The plan was to move as quietly and quickly as possible. Charlene, in minor pain, did her best to keep up with the demands that poured out of her mouth. She seemed more anxious than Lance because she was truly scared.

"How many more stops?" She asked when he pulled out a map from his back pocket that they got from a gas station. "We can't keep stopping places we don't know."

Lance groaned as he tried to concentrate. "We don't know crap, Charlene. Tell me how many places you've been. I'd love to hear it." The frustration in his voice caused her to close her mouth. She knew he was under as much stress as she was. "Billings, Montana. It's where my dad used to go to take care of his parents property. I just can't remember if it's 1207 or 1270."

"The house number?" Lance nodded. "How long has it been since he's taken care of it? The man hasn't been on his feet for years."

Lance scratched his head and put the map away. "We'll try 1207 first. It's closer." He gave her a peck on the cheek then dipped into the bushes. "Gots to pee right quick! Stay near the door."

Charlene held her stomach as the sounds of Lance's fluids leaving his body was all that was heard. She hated being parked on the side of the road where any car could come and question them. Constantly living on the edge of danger. Charlene wished Lance would have just chose the farm so she could go back to her sense of security with Charles and Darla.

"Hurry up, please."

Lance rushed past her to open the passengers door and let her back in. "Just wanted you to stretch your legs. Didn't mean to keep you waiting." Her smile was faint as she watched him close the door then lean in the window to stare at her. "I love you, Charlene. I can already see us settling down and not having to worry anymore. It's my mission to make sure of that."

"I've heard many stories of love and sacrifices is one of them." She kissed him on the lips. "Now can we go? I'm tired. It's been two days."

"No problem!" He chuckled while hitting the side of his truck in excitement. He skipped back over to the drivers seat while Charlene giggled the whole time. The two of them held hands as they headed to the house that would hopefully be their new place to stay.