Drive Me Crazy

Start Over

Two weeks had now gone by and Millie sat at the same counter desk, with a wide smile as she helped the young girl in the wheelchair huffing and puffing. "Ok...I'm so sorry, uh if you could just put this on" she placed the band over the girl's tiny wrist and smiled "You're ready, just go through that door on your left and it leads you to the maternity ward. Good luck!"

She had grown used to the different emotions in the women that came up to her, some were at ease, others looked like they wanted to beat her with the clipboard and others just took out their aggression on the man next to them. As for the men, some looked scared shitless, and others were patient or they just didn't care. At times she would stare at them and the sadness would creep up on her, days later, she would watch them wheel by with a bundle in their arms.

"Hello there Millie" Benny the older nurse leaned over the counter with a deep sigh. "We just delivered the most gorgeous baby boy...his skin is peachy, his eyes are blue like the sky and he is a fighter." she shook her head.

"He's a fighter?" Millie looked at her confused.

"Yeah he's a preemie and his parents are a pair of bums, she doesn't even want to hold him. Uh...that's what brings me here, I was wondering if you had some extra time to help us out." Benny raised her eyebrows.

Millie sighed "Benny!" she exclaimed "You know that I can't be around babies...especially that small I just can't." she frowned, dreading the thought of holding such a little thing.

"Oh stop it! Listen honey I know that what happened to you was awful, but he/she is now an angel and well you have a chance to help...another little angel" Benny smiled, nudging Millie "We still don't know if he's going to make it, and if your help could save him, wouldn't that make you happy. Also being a volunteer gives you credit for the boss. All you have to do is come in and just sit there and talk to him, and touch him, you won't have to hold him till the end of the week. Please! We are just swamped this week."

Millie thought for a while and finally sighed in defeat "Alright...but only this week...that is it!"

"Thank you...you're off now, so I'll see you up there in a bit." Benny whistled away as she hopped into the elevator. Millie watched her disappear with a confused smile.

Howie looked around the already furnished apartment, California was slightly different, a little chilly in October. He swallowed hard, there was a chance to start something new, find Millie and make things right. If she wanted to. He smiled, then AJ blurred his thoughts. The twosome hadn't spoken since the charity incident and he felt only hatred towards him.

Now AJ had called for an emergency meeting, no one knew what it was about. He changed his clothes quickly and hopped into his new Land Rover and headed to the office. He looked at his watch impatiently. He sighed, changing the station and speeding up to his destination.

AJ paced back and forth on the balcony of his manager's office. He had thought this over and over, he knew he would be hurting lots of people. The guys, the fans and himself, but he had to do this. Try it out, even if he ended up failing and all alone. He jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry didn't mean to frighten you!" Brian gave him a weak smile. "Is everything ok?"

"It will be once I say what I came to say." he huffed.

"Have you talked to Millie? Does she still hate you?"

AJ gave him a crooked smile "I did talk to her and she DEFINITELY still hates me. I guess I really fucked up this time" he sighed as they entered the office, he met Nick and Howie's eyes as he took a seat.

"So what the hell is all this about an emergency meeting?" Nick questioned a little annoyed.

Brian glared at Nick "Nick cool it please."

AJ looked at each of his band mates, one by one. "Uh...I don't know how to say this..." he drummed his fingers on the table, while everyone looked at him impatiently.

Millie exited the elevator and walked down the long corridor, greeting the nurses at the nurses station. Then stood at the nursery window, she looked at the six newborns, two girls, they wore pink beanies and four boys, they wore blue ones. Two were sound asleep, one was sucking on his hand and the other three were having weeping fits.

"You came, I was starting to think you might just run off." Benny giggled "Come on kid." She entered the nursery.

Millie trailed behind, getting an uneasy feeling. "Well I told you I would come and here I am. I feel dizzy..."

"Just breathe." Benny instructed as she handed Millie some scrubs and a mask. "I'll be in the next room, just go through this door when you're done." She exited the room.

Millie slowly put on the scrubs, then proceeded to enter the room, with a faint beeping sound and a lot of machines. In the far corner was the incubator, with two large holes on the sides, big enough to fit arms. "Here he is...he doesn't have a name yet. We just call him "Preemie' for now."

Millie gasped as she saw the perfectly formed child nestled on a blanket, five fingers, five toes, a bald little head, eyes, ears, nose, and a pink little mouth. "Oh my god he's perfect...I mean for a homeless woman's child. A woman like that doesn't take good care of herself...I wouldn't think." she smiled as the newborn gazed her way with big blue eyes.

"Look at that..." Benny laughed "He's looking straight at you. Actually she only went to the doctor once, in an emergency, but she doesn't have any drug habits. He's healthy! Just has problems breathing like any other preemie. Now, I know I said you couldn't carry him. But it's feeding time and we like them to be held, so let me..." she opened the incubator and carefully took the tiny person out. He fit in her two hands and she slowly held him out to Millie.

She froze, staring at the child "Uh...I don't know how to hold him."

"It's ok...don't get upset. Take a seat on the rocking chair and I'll hand him to you."

Millie sat down and took the baby that slid into her hands carefully, she cradled him between her arm and chest as he continued to gaze at her with his tiny sleepy eyes. Making her break into a nervous chuckle, she hadn't even noticed that Benny had exited the room and was back with a feeding tube. She sat there for as long as she was aloud, holding on to the precious unwanted baby.

Nick took his seat again, "Sorry it was Sarah...ok so back to our conversation." he gave everyone a cheesy smile.

"I had something important that I wanted to do...but I had to come here, cause we had a meeting and you're not saying shit." Howie complained, pursing his lips with discontent.

AJ furrowed his brows with anger and glared at Howie, cleared his throat and spoke up "Fine, you guys want to know already. I was trying to find a nice and gentle way to say this...but I guess it doesn't matter." he stood up, slamming his hand on the table. "I QUIT! I'm going on my own, and I'm leaving tomorrow to London...you guys can't stop me."

Brian gasped in surprise "What?"

"You can't do that..." Nick whined.

Howie smiled, it had to be AJ to do something so selfish. It didn't really bother him, maybe with his plans he didn't need to be in a boy band anymore and the best part was he wouldn't have to see the jerk any longer.