It's Code For You (Parallel NurseryVerse Series)

Chapter 28- Loving Her

Siobhan’s chest tightened as Vivian drove quickly back into town. She couldn’t tell what she was feeling, she still held this resentment in her heart for someone who had never even asked to be born. In fact, if she were being honest with herself- Becca likely would have preferred to have not been. All of the things she had experienced in her short life had all led to the moment before them- what would come next? Would the cycle repeat? Would Becca fall victim to yet another angry man? Would she raise her daughter the way her mother had? Would everything fall into place? Had it ever?
“Where did you go, Bon-Bon?” Vivian poked Siobhan’s leg.
“Huh?” Siobhan turned her head to be met with Vivian looking concerned, her eyes still glued to the road. “I’m just nervous. Never thought I’d-” You’d what? Be at the hospital for your ex’s child giving birth? That her kid would be your sister? That you would have left the love of your life without an answer to her proposal? YOU’D WHAT!? “-...be an aunt.” Siobhan grumbled at her poor excuse of a reason.
“You’re going to be a great one.” Vivian smiled softly, but Siobhan could see the hint of rejection in Vivian’s emotions. She wanted to just say yes, to tell her that her mind was a cruel prison that she couldn’t escape from. But if she said yes now, she knew that it wouldn’t be for the right reasons and Vivian wouldn’t feel any better by having an answer. It wouldn’t be right.
“I don’t know, Viv. Becca isn’t my biggest fan right now.” Siobhan shifted down further into her seat, pulling at the neck of her dress nervously.
“She isn’t Daniel’s biggest fan. You didn’t choose who your father was.” Vivian clenched the steering wheel tightly.
“No, but she assumes that I knew this whole time that we were related. All the things she told me in the clinic that day, she feels like I betrayed her.” Siobhan felt her stomach flip as the hospital came into view.
“Well. Maybe you’ll be able to talk to her about it after this is all said and done. Hormones make you crazy. Take it from me. I was an absolute pain in the arse to my ex husband when Jamie was born.” Siobhan felt her heart sink at the word ‘husband’. She knew that Vivian had escaped an abusive marriage not long after Jamie was born, but she didn’t like the idea that Vivian had ever been someone else’s. She didn’t feel like she had the right, not after the afternoon they’d had.
“You’re coming in right? You’re coming with-...with me?” Siobhan felt her voice soften as her inner child shut down. She didn’t feel comfortable with asking people to stay, not after so long of begging them not to leave. 
“Of course I am.” Vivian put the car into park, turning to face Siobhan quietly. “Siobhan, we are okay. I am not going to leave just because you don’t have an answer for me. I am a very patient woman, and I have waited a long time to even call you mine. I can wait a while longer while you work through this all.” Siobhan searched Vivian’s face for a hint of a lie. There was no way that Vivian was so calm. “I love you..” Vivian reached across the seat to wipe a tear from Siobhan’s eye. “Shall we go meet your niece?” Siobhan groaned as she considered the hours of labour ahead of them.
“We may be here for hours, you know that right?” Vivian pressed her lips together.
“I have a son. I gave birth. I know this quite well.”
“Sometimes I forget Jamie wasn’t dropped by a stork.” Siobhan got out of the car. Vivian raised her hands and dropped them quickly.
“No sense. She makes no sense.”

**

Siobhan and Vivian no more had stepped foot into the room when Becca’s voice echoed off the walls with a scream. Siobhan met Claire’s eyes with worry, she hadn’t been around for a birth since she was a child- she had no idea what to do. Claire stepped away from Becca with a grimace as Becca’s nails clawed down her hand.
“Mum!” Becca cried out.
“Becs.. Breathe. I have to talk to your sister.”
“SHE’S NOT MY SISTER!” Becca cried out through a contraction. Claire pressed her fingers to her temples as she made her way over to Siobhan.
“She’s been like this for hours. I haven’t seen a doctor in hours. How did I do this-” She looked at Vivian quickly. “-How did you do this?” Vivian shook her head.
“Copious amounts of drugs.” Claire snorted, immediately coughing to hide her laugh.
“Becca declined an epidural.” Claire turned back towards her frazzled daughter. “I bet you’re regretting that now!”
“Drugs shouldn’t be optional! Oh my god what the fu-” Claire’s eyes widened, turning back to Siobhan quickly.
“Siobhan, I should warn you-”
“M-mum.” Becca mumbled out, barely audible. Claire kept talking, but Vivian had caught the small voice. “Mum.” Becca repeated. Vivian stepped closer, examining Becca's shift in demeanor.
“Becca... What is it?”
“Something hurts- really really bad.” Becca gripped the edge of her bed tightly.
“May I take a look...?” Vivian pointed to the sheet covering Becca’s legs. “I’m a nurse, I did three years in labor and delivery.” Vivian assured. Becca nodded fervently.
“Please- just make it stop!” Vivian lifted the sheet gently, checking Becca’s dilation with her hands. Her eyes widened as she found herself feeling a head- rather than dilation.
“Claire! We need a doctor- NOW” Vivian shouted over her shoulder, looking behind her for a chair so she could be even with Becca.
“W-what’s happening?” Becca asked fearfully.
“Sweetheart, you’re ready to push. This baby is coming now whether we like it or not.” Vivian slid her foot back to hook under the leg of a chair. With a quick flip she slid it under and sat down into it. “Claire. Go find a doctor quickly. I will handle this until you do!” Claire stuttered for a moment before running out the door. Siobhan stood motionless, fearful to move and cause more problems than good.
“Viv, do you know what you’re doing?” Siobhan’s voice cracked. Vivian quickly glanced over her shoulder back at her girlfriend with a grin.
“I’ve got this.” Vivian quickly slid her blazer off so she was left in just her silk tank top. Siobhan’s heart skipped a beat as the jacket hit the floor. Vivian’s broad shoulders adjusted into place, preparing herself to keep Becca handled until the doctor arrived.
“I have to push. I- I have to!” Becca cried out, leaning forward with a wince.
“Hold on honey, don’t push yet. Stay with me.” Vivian watched the monitor for another contraction. As soon as the waves of the monitor raised she turned back to Becca. “Okay, sweetheart. Bear down!” Tears streamed down Becca’s face as she tried to push.
“I can’t do it, I need my mom!” She cried. Vivian tilted her head to the side quickly.
“Bon!” Siobhan shook her head.
“S-she doesn’t want me I-I don’t-”
“Bon, it isn’t an option! She needs you.” Siobhan looked between Vivian and Becca quickly.
“O-okay.” She made her way over to the side of Becca’s bed, taking her hand into her own. “I know you don’t like me right now. But I’ve got you.”
“Push, Becca. You’ve got to push.” Becca squeezed into Siobhan’s hand tightly, digging her nails into Siobhan’s skin. She winced at the pain, but she couldn’t even begin to think of the pain Becca was in. Becca cried out, pushing as hard as she could. Siobhan could hear Vivian encourage her, telling her just to keep going. But all Siobhan could see was the face of her father in the back of her mind. He had given life to this woman- this child that was now facing a future alone with a baby made from someone no better than her father. Siobhan found herself lost in a mix of grief and anger as Becca pushed one last final time.
“Almost out, Becca. You’ve got it!” Becca screamed as she gave it all she had to push one last time. Suddenly the sound of crying filled the room as Vivian pulled the baby from under the sheet. “You did it, Becca!” Vivian cradled the baby in her arms, reaching back for a towel to clean up a bit. “Congratulations, honey. You have a daughter.” Siobhan slowly dropped Becca’s hand, stepping the slightest bit closer to Vivian.
“A daughter?” Becca asked quietly.
“Oh my god, we were too late.” Claire’s voice came from the door way. She ran over to Becca, running her hands through her hair. “I’m so sorry, baby. I tried.”
“Mom it’s a girl.” Becca sounded agitated, or maybe afraid? Siobhan could only hear the commotion as her eyes glued to Vivian cleaning up her niece. Vivian looked stunning, not in the sense that she was physically beautiful- she was covered in blood and she was holding a newly born baby. But she was stunning. Her eyes lit up at doing something she loved to do, she was calm and collected, something Siobhan craved to be better at. She looked at her girlfriend with a small smile before saying;
“Yes.” Vivian looked up with a small chuckle as she rocked the baby in her arms.
“What?” She rocked her weight between her legs, keeping the baby calm til someone would take her to check her over.
“Yes.” Siobhan repeated again. “I want to marry you.” Vivian stood awestruck as a doctor came and took the baby away.
“No! Mom he will come for her! I can’t keep her- I won’t!” Becca cried as she vehemently declined holding her child. “Someone else has to take her- he will kill me! Get her away from me!!”
“Becca-”
“I said get her away!!”

**
"Thank you for coming..." Siobhan whispered to Marjorie outside of the nursery in the hospital. "I know you just got married literally yesterday but.. I didn't know who else to call." Marjorie set her hand against Siobhan's arm with a soft smile.
"That's what families do." Siobhan bit her lip to hold back tears.
"I-..." She turned her attention to Autumn, who was standing further away. "I've only ever dreamt of what that would be like." She brought her eyes back to Marjorie.
"I have to go back to Becca's room now... the social worker is on their way and I think it's smart to have at least one level head in there."
"Did Vivian go back to work?" Marjorie asked with a small smile.
"Yeah, how lucky she got to work with no pay hours before her next shift." Siobhan chuckled. "I'm sure she will sneak off every now and then. You'll see her." Marjorie nodded once.
"We will come back up soon." Siobhan shook her head once before heading back towards the elevators.

Autumn pressed her hand to the glass standing between she and Becca's baby. That's all it was, a sheet of glass. So why did she feel like it was a world away? Marjorie stood behind her, her hand covering her mouth. Tears had formed in her eyes as she realized how hard this had to be for her wife. A nurse picked up Becca's child, cradling her in her arms. Autumn felt her heart rip from her chest as she took her from the room.
"If Becca truly does give her up, where will she go?" Autumn's voice was quiet, even more so than usual. Marjorie felt a lump forming in her throat. She of all people knew that Autumn already knew the answer to that question. But that wasn't what she meant, she knew that.
"My love-"
"We could take her." Autumn didn't turn around, her eyes stayed glued to the door at the back of the nursery. Marjorie's heart skipped. Why wasn't the thought scaring her? For months they had been trying IVF, round after round it had been failing. Marjorie had secretly found relief in that fact, but not for the reasons one would think. She was terrified to be a bad mother, to fail her wife- to fail their child... But as she watched her wife standing so helplessly pressed against that piece of glass... the thought seemed more like a dream than a nightmare.
"We could." Marjorie repeated, and within a single second Autumn turned in disbelief.
"W-what?" Marjorie wiped a tear from her eye, bringing her arms down to cross her stomach. She nodded before repeating again; "We could take her." Autumn quickly stepped to close the gap between them.
"My love, a-are you sure I know we wanted one of our own-" Marjorie brought her hands up to rest on Autumn's shoulders.
"And she will be. Blood or not, she will be ours." Autumn covered her mouth with her hands, tears falling down her face.
"You mean it?" Marjorie nodded with a sincere smile. She had never meant anything more in her life. As she glanced back behind her wife, the nursery brought the baby back into the room, resting her into her bassinet. Marjorie tugged Autumn's hand.
"Come on." She pulled Autumn back over to the glass, pointing to the child wrapped in pink. "Look at her. I think she kinda looks like you." Autumn snorted through her tears.
"She's a newborn Marjorie... she looks like a turkey."

**

Steam poured off of the coffee that Siobhan had just dispensed into two foam cups for she and Autumn. She could still hear Marjorie discussing things loudly with the social worker across the room, and next to shots of gin- this was the best option.
"Bottoms up." Siobhan groaned as she handed off the hot coffee. Autumn sighed, bringing the cup to her lips to feel the comfort it's warmth brought. The two women sat in a comfortable, mutual silence for a moment before Siobhan spoke back up. "This seems like a pretty split second decision... Are you sure that you want this?" Autumn smiled sadly, fidgeting with the paper wrapped around the foam cup.
"We've been trying IVF." Autumn spoke downwards into the carpet. Siobhan's jaw dropped slightly. "It's been failing, over and over. Round after round.. I was getting discouraged."
"Oh Autumn... I didn't know. Why didn't you mention it?" Siobhan tilted her head down to try and capture Autumn's gaze.
"Because it never took. I'm starting to think I missed my chance by-"
"You didn't." Siobhan cut her off. Autumn still truly believed that by choosing herself over a pregnancy she didn't want. "You made the right choice Autumn, 'God' isn't punishing you for that."
"Either way, we had one last round scheduled for next month but... I think this is our sign that this is the route we were meant to take."
"No- you listen. We work in child care we know how this all works!" Marjorie wagged her finger in the Social Worker's face. He continued to stare at her with a flat expression.
"Dear God." Autumn pressed her face into her palm with a sigh. Siobhan chuckled softly.
"You two will be great parents." Siobhan whispered. Autumn glanced back up, concern etched into her eyes.
"You think so...?" Siobhan nodded. The women spent their days fiercely protecting a building full of children- how could they be anything but?
"I know so.”

(WE HAVE TWO CHAPTERS LEFT YALL! OH MY GODDDDDD!)