White Lies

Chapter 27

The paramedics allowed Happy to ride with them to the hospital but only because Rory panicked at the idea of being without him. It didn't take long for her to lose consciousness, barely a block away from the clubhouse she was out most likely from a mix of blood loss and shock.

"How far along is she?" The medic asked as he threaded an IV into Rory's hand.

"Uhh, 29 weeks, I think." Happy compulsively stroked her hair as he watched his favorite shade of pink drain from her lips.

"That's good," the medic said optimistically, "If the doctors can't keep the baby in, at 29 weeks it'll have a good chance."

Happy nodded, not bothering to correct the medic on the number of babies, and kept his eyes on her. He hadn't thought of them being born early, all he focused on was Rory and the twins staying alive but now he had a new fear and reality. If the paramedic spoke again, Happy didn't notice. He hurried out as they arrived and watched in despair as they sprinted Rory down the hall and out of view.

"This is my fucking fault." Happy moaned as he laced his fingers behind his head.

--

Not too long after they left Happy alone in the ER waiting room, Tara went rushing by with Tig and Emma not too far behind.

"Sorry man," Tig whispered as he passed Emma to him. "She was hysterical, I had to bring her. I also had to hot-wire Rory's car, you know for the carseat."

"It's all good, thanks."

Happy clutched Emma close as she sniffled and began to doze off finally feeling safe enough while in her father's arms.

"Any news?" Tig checked his watch shocked to see how little time had passed. "Guess not."

"No, nothing."

"What are we gonna do about her?"

"I'm gonna gut her like a goddamn fish."

The caustic words were barely audible but Tig could feel the hate in Happy's voice loudly. "Think she'll run?"

"If she does I'll find her. I can't go, I can't leave Rory right now. I left her for that skank before and this is what fucking happened." Happy was ravenous, he wanted blood and he wanted to make Jenna hurt but even more than that he wanted to make himself pay. He just wasn't sure exactly how to do it. He may not have been the one to actually plunge that blade into his pregnant wife but it happened because of him, he felt he gave Jenna the reason, and now it was all on him.

"Nah man," Tig spoke firmly, confident in what he was going to tell Happy. "Jenna did this, this ain't on you."

"Yeah, brother, it is."

"Happy," Tara jogged down the hall and turned the corner. She was in her scrubs now, having changed from her jeans when she was called in, with a dark look on her face. "They're going to perform an emergency c-section. Rory's lost too much blood and one of the twins, your daughter, is in distress. Your son looks okay but we can't know for sure."

"It's too early," Happy protested forgetting what the paramedic had said earlier. "Rory said her doctor wanted them to stay in until at least 32 weeks, something about twins always being early. I don't, I don't really remember."

"It is early, early even for twins, but they have a better chance outside than in at this point."

"Alright," he said suddenly zoning out.

"I'll be treating them both, if that makes you feel any better."

"Yeah," he nodded, holding Emma tighter. "Thanks."

--

Nothing they could do would convince Emma to leave. Even as she slept her tiny fingers curled around the neckline of Happy's cut. It had been a few hours since Tara gave him the news, a few hours that felt like one long torturous lifetime.

"Ems," Happy tapped her back and kept whispering until she slowly opened her eyes. "Are you hungry baby?" She nodded but didn't speak. "Do you wanna go with Tig and Gem to eat?"

"No," she whispered.

"Please baby, you gotta eat. Do it for me and Mommy, be a brave girl."

She looked back at Tig who gave the girl a small smile. "I'll let you have ice cream for dinner, Em."

She kicked her legs and Happy let her down to her feet but as she walked the length of the hall with Tig and Gemma her little brown eyes wouldn't leave Happy's. He nodded and gave her a thumbs up right before she turned the corner.

This time when Tara greeted him she seemed much less pessimistic than before. "Rory is stable. Her appendix and left ovary were removed, they were too damaged but other than that she's going to be okay. Your son, aside from the early birth and a small cut to his cheek, is healthy but your daughter, she wasn't as lucky. The blade actually tore into her stomach, she needs surgery to repair the internal damage but right now we've stopped the bleeding and put her on a ventilator. She's not strong enough for surgery yet and it doesn't look good for her, Happy. I'm sorry."

"Alright," he said quietly as he tried not to think about the news. "I can't see em', can I?"

"You can, just remember, there's a lot of monitors and machines. Okay?"

Tara was shocked Happy had asked but she didn't try to understand his thought process, not that many people would. It was less about seeing his daughter alive in case she didn't make it, although that was a factor, but more about how much it would hurt him to see what he did. He couldn't ignore their suffering for his own emotional comfort, he owed it to his children to be there and, subconsciously, he was done being selfish in any way.

Holding the door to the small room the twins were in, bundled together in one incubator, Tara watched as Happy hesitantly walked over to them. At first his eyes roamed over the monitors and ceiling tiles before forcing himself to look at his children. They were skinny, frighteningly so, but beautiful and he instantly fell in love. As they slept, tiny knit pink and blue hats on their heads, he watched their little bellies rising and falling with each breath. If it weren't for those labored but rhythmic movements he would have thought they had already passed away. Tara quietly closed the door but continued to stare as Happy buried his face in his hands and began to cry.