Dreamers

Chapter Forty-Four

As Jessica slept off her exhaustion George talked with her doctor. He was becoming more and more concerned with taking her home as time went on.
"If all goes well you should be taking her home tomorrow. We have to watch her heart rate for tonight and if she can keep it steady she will be in the clear." the doctor explained.
"That's grate news. I just know she is about ready to jump out of her skin being stuck in her." George laughed.
"There are however a few complications to all of this." Dr. Carter went on. "She will be on strict no exertion rules. That means no lifting, heavy exercise, standing for long periods, or any kind of physical exertion. Absolutely no sex for at least six weeks. Her body can't handle any kind of physical trauma. We will need to keep up on checkups for the next little while to make sure she is gaining weight as she should. I will send you with a diet she should maintain."
George nodded silently taking mental notes. "So once her body heals she will be totally back to her normal self? No complications, no changes?"
"Well not exactly. She will be quite weak for some time. And there is one thing I must discuss with all of you, including Danny."

Because Jessica had no idea Danny had been there this whole time with her they decided to tell her on her own and wait to tell her about him.
As she opened her eyes a soft knock fell on the wooden door and both George and dr. Carter stepped around it.
"Jessie we need to talk to you about a few things." George explained. "You know we plan to take you home tomorrow afternoon, but there are a few rules you are going to have to follow. At least for the next little while."
Dr. Carter took over explaining all the details he had just told George and Jessica excepted them. Regardless as to how much she hated staying still. When he reached the end of his instructions and she had taken everything well he decided it was time to spring the biggest problem on her.

"Jessica because of the trauma your body has gone threw during all of this it can't stand any kind of strain. Having children is a huge strain and your body would not be able to handle the stress. I strongly advise against you having any children in the future. Now this doesn't mean that you are incapable of becoming pregnant again this only means for your own health I would advise you not to."
Jessica looked at him in shock unable to fully comprehend what he was saying to her. It couldn't be true. If she could get pregnant why shouldn't she. If Danny still wanted her she wanted to give him children if he wanted them. No-one could take that from her. She had already suffered the loss of one child she couldn't take the thought of being to weak to care for any others she may conceive.

George sat staring at her blank face, she couldn't think or function it was all to much to handle. After a moment of piercing silence Jessica looked up at George blinking only once before asking.

"Does Danny know?"

George looked at her a little confused "Does Danny know what honey?"

"About any of this. Me, the b-" she choked on her own words. "The baby?"

George stood taking her hand in his and looking to the doctor and back to her. "Jessie we need to talk."

"So talk. This couldn't get any worse." She spat at him her words stinging like venom in her throat. She had blocked out every emotion afraid that she would brake under their weight.

"Danny he... Jessie he knows everything."

"So, why isn't he here? Doesn't he care at all?"

George sighed shaking his head. "Jessica he has been here since the night we brought you in. You asked for him the whole way here and every minute since. I called him as soon as I knew you where stable. He rushed her from Nola and never left your side for a moment. Jessica he has done everything for you for the past three weeks." Jessica looked at him in shock, she couldn't believe he was there, that he would do that for her. George went on explaining to her every detail, everything Danny had done for her. He told her about his reading to her, his singing, how all the nurses loved to hear his daily reports, how he spoke to her everyday telling her how beautiful she was, and how she was going to get threw this. He told her he had fought to get to her when she woke up, and how he never slept because he was afraid to miss her. He even told her about their fight, how Danny gave every reason not to leave her even if it was for his own health.

Jessica let one tear roll down her flushed cheek as her throat burned. She listened to every detain soaking it all in and not knowing how to take it.

"He loves you Jessica." George sighed. "The things he has done for you the things he has said..."

She cut him off. "I never stopped loving him."

"I know honey... I know." George held her in his arms as she stared off into space thinking of him everything that had happened, everything she had missed.

***

The next morning Jessica woke to George packing her bags. She looked around the room not sure what to say. She looked out the window a tiny ray of light showing threw the clouds, and she smiled.

"I wanna go home." She sighed. George turned to look at her and smiled.

"Lets go home sis. You have a man waiting for you."

Jessica smiled her heart singing in her chest. She dressed herself in a pair of blue skinny jeans and a tight gray sweater with a black underarmor symbol on the front along with a pair of black toms. She moved to the door taking one last look around she sighed. 'Thank god.' George led her down the hall to sign all of her paper work and take her home. Anne met them out front of the hospital in George's white 2008 Ford. He helped Jessica in and walked around to the drivers side as Anne scooted over to the middle seat.

"Gypsy has missed you Jessie." Anne smiled. "It will be nice to finally have you home."

Jessica smiled as the truck shifted into gear and started off out of town. She looked out the window watching the fence posts fly by her. Not noticing what she was doing she placed her hand on her stomach drawing small circles across it with her middle finger. She smiled to herself soft mumbles of conversation floating threw the cab as Anne and George talked of everyday busyness .As they drove further and further away from town open pastures became more and more frequent. The clouds over head drew in darker and darker causing Jessica to become uneasy. George looked up at the darkening skies and sighed.

"Looks like we might get a little rain."

"Good the south pasture is looking a little sad." Anne laughed and Jessica joined in.

As they approached the the driveway to the house Jessica felt sick to her stomach. The big wooden sign over the archway was swaying in the wind. Small drops of rain fell on the windshield and Jessica held her breath. They neared the house the large barn becoming visible in the clearing of the yard.

Hearing the truck pulling in the driveway Danny stood from the kitchen table and stepped out of the screen door to the porch.

Jessica could see a familiar truck parked in front of the house, a black dodge, she could faintly see someone standing on the porch. It looked like a man, very familiar, tall, sturdy built. One hand rested on his hip as the other supported his weight over his head as he leaned on the white pillars of the porch. Could it really be him? Jessica you're seeing things, it must be the drugs. He wouldent have stayed. She closed her eyes trying to adjust her visions threw the rain soaked window. When she opened them again he still stood there watching her it seamed. She could feel a chill rush threw her body and she let out her breath.

"Stop the truck." She whispered.

"What?" George asked not sure he heard her correctly.

"George stop the damn truck." She yelled this time. The truck stopped still a good forty yards from the round clearing where the black truck was parked in front of the house. Jessica took a deep breath never taking her eyes from the man on the porch. Her heart rushed, pounding in her chest, as her right hand gripped the door handle pulling it away from the door panel. A soft click echoed in her ears as the overhead light clicked on above her signaling an open door. She pushed the door away swallowing hard as her black toms met the cold rocks below her.