A Twist in Fate

Chapter ten

Beth

Shawn ended in a coma after taking bullets while carrying Melanie's father back to base. Melanie still blames herself and it's been six weeks. Since Shawn was healed of all her sustained injuries internally from the bullets, I was able to take her back to America, where she was continue her endless slumber at the hospital. The military is paying for her life support given she has a good chance of waking up.

Jordan has been growing nicely in my belly, the only thing that brings a smile to my face while Shawn lays in the hospital wasting away. I woke up this morning to his first tiny kick. I broke into uncontrolled sobs and my mother runs in, taking me in her arms without question. I don't let her feel my stomach and she leaves it be. The kicking picked up as if Jordan was trying to comfort me from the inside.

I shutter a calming breath and my mother kisses my temple, stroking my hair. "It's okay Beth, you're home now," she says in a soothing whisper and I relax in her arms.

"I'm going to shower and go to the hospital," I choke quietly and walk off to the bathroom off Shawn's room.

"Sweetie, can I fix you some breakfast before you leave," she asks softly from the other side of the door.

"Yes, thank you," I say quietly as I step in the shower.

I let the warm water cascade down my body, closing my eyes to imagine Shawn with her arms around me. I bask in my fantasy until there's knocking on the bathroom door. "Sweetie are you okay in there? It's been an hour," my mother's worried voice cracks as she calls through the door.

"I'm fine," I call back, shutting off the shower. I wrap myself in a towel and open the door with her still standing there. "I'm just tired and want to see Shawn."

She lets out a relieved breath seeing that I was okay and kisses my forehead. "I'll warm your breakfast and drive you. Everyone else has already left to see her," she says in sympathy and I just shrug.

"I'll be there in a minute," I say quietly and she nods lightly, leaving the room.

I put on some of Shawn's sweats and her hoodie before going down to eat the breakfast my mother made for me. I ate in silence and my mother sighs, hating to see me like this and not knowing what to do. She tries to rub my stomach while I eat, but again I stop her. She knows it's been calming me down the last few days since we returned home and looks at me confused to why I've stopped her twice now.

"Beth," she asks with concern and I meet her eyes. Tears were threatening to fall and now she looks worried about what's wrong with me. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"How could you possibly help me mom? Do you have some magical way to make her wake up? There's nothing anymore can do that will help me," I choke in a wavering whisper, pushing my unfinished breakfast away.

"Why won't you let me rub your stomach Beth? What's different than yesterday," she asks in a soothing whisper and the tears fall rapidly down my cheeks. Realization hits her like a brick and she smiles with understanding. "You want her to be the first to feel it?"

I let out a relieved breath that she's so understanding and she takes me in her arms, rubbing my back. I shutter a calming breath and she wipes my eyes. I finish my breakfast and we drive to the hospital in silence.

Joyce calls as we're pulling in the hospital and my mother lets her know we're here. We walk to Shawn's hospital room and everyone was crowding her bed. I sigh and walk away toward maternity. I hear them call out for me, but I keep walking. "Give her a moment," my mother says with understanding.

I was looking at the newborns in the nursery when someone steps next to me. I look to see Max, Melanie's dad. She made full recovery a few weeks ago and came home with her wife while I stayed with Shawn. "I'm sorry," she says in sympathy and I look away from her. "If it hadn't been for me, she wouldn't be laying in a hospital bed. She's a lot stronger than I am, I'll give her credit for that.