RAISING SUMMER

SHE'S FREAKING OUT

"Oh my God why does this always happen to me?" I sobbed.

"Calm down Jane, everything will be okay." Lucy soothed me.

"How are you calm that just came out of you?" Luke watched mortified in the corner.

"Jane, you need to get me to a hospital."

"Um hm." I whimpered.

"Okay?" She asked.

"Yeah." I nodded nervously.

"You okay?" She asked again.

"Yeah." I calmed down. "Where's Mark?" I asked as Lucy hunched over in pain.

"He left to go get ice." Lucy answered.

"It's okay I can get you in the car." I sighed, grabbing my keys.

"Luke stay with the kids." I yelled while walking Lucy outside to my car.

I started the car and started to call Mark repeatedly. My mind kept racing back to Rachel. My best friend, my person, the only one I had left. And how similar this was. Tears welled in my eyes. I blinked frequently to get clear vision. The hospital wasn't far and Mark wasn't answered. My hands started to tremble the more I thought about everything.

"Jane?" Lucy called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Everythings going to be fine." I took a deep breath. "We're almost there." I answered.

I raced through the parking lot parking closest to the front to the emergency entrance. I draped Lucy's arm around my shoulders so I could help her walk. As I walked her to the front where the nurses sat her down in a wheelchair.

"Jane, please don't leave me." Lucy whined.

"I won't, I'm right here, I'm going to wait for Mark." Her hand was pulled from mine as she was rolled back to the maternity wing. Moments later a frazzled Mark raced in.

"Where is she?"

"They are already in the back waiting."

"Jane, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" I nodded in an answer before he ran through the hospital.

***

LUCY'S POV

Mark raced through the door.

"Oh my God baby I'm sorry I'm late."

"It's okay I'm okay." I reassured him. "Look, I need you to do something for me." I asked.

"Anything." He nodded.

"Give me your phone. I need to call Luke, Jane needs him." I explained.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"She's freaking out." I shouted. "Something's wrong I can tell even if she won't say anything.

"She said she's fine." He remembered.

"Women almost never say what they mean, haven't you learned that already." I explained. "And she's too prideful to admit that she needs him." I explained.

"Lucy you shouldn't meddle." He argued.

"Somethings wrong, she needs him, Luke will know what to do." I huffed. "Now if you don't hand over your damn phone I'm going to tell the nurses not to give me an epidural and I'm going to crush every single bone in your hand." I threatened as he handed over the phone. I dialed Luke's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Luke?"

"Yeah, Lucy?"

"I need you to go get Mrs. Fultcher. She lives next door to me. She will watch the kids and Summer if you tell her I'm in the hospital." I directed him.

"Why is something wrong?" He asked.

"It's Jane, something's wrong. She needs you."

"What hospital are you at?"

"Anderson West?" I answered.

"That's why, I'm on my way."

***

JANE'S POV

I sobbed in a utility closet. I knew this feeling all too well. Every minute that took place here changed my life. The moment I became an orphan, the moment I was taken in by my best friend. The moment I lost Rachel, the moment she let go of my hand. The moment she handed me Summer, and closed her eyes. The moment it all changed. Everything has changed.

I remember all the erratic beeping watching them trying to revive my parents. My mother dying minutes after her arrival. My brother being unplugged after being announced brain dead. My father dying from surgery complications. I watched everyone trying to resuscitate my mother in front of me. I held her hand the entire time in the ambulance and then as we entered the hospital trauma room. She flatlined as they wheeled her in my grip on her hand loosened. They had just let me in to see my dad after his surgery. I held his hand and rested my head close to his heart so I could hear it like I did when I was a kid. I slept next to him for an hour before I woke up from the machine's continuous tone.
I remember when they pushed me out of the room. Mr. Barrett pulling me away from my father and Mrs. Barrett sobbing. Rachel and Luke stared at me heartbroken and confused. I remember breaking away from Mr. Barrett and Mrs. Barrett. Them calling after me.
Until I found this same utility closet.
An hour later Luke and Rachel found me sitting in the utility closet alone in tears. They sat with me silently, and held each of my hands.

And now I was all alone. I watched as the door opened and closed quickly. I glanced up as Luke stood in the dark utility closet.

"I can't?" I cried as he stooped down to the floor.

"I can't, I can't breathe." I let out broken sobs.

"It's okay I'm here." He wrapped his arms around me. "Just breathe." I rested my head against his chest as he stroked my hair.

"I see them everywhere." I sobbed.

"I know I do too." I looked up at him and he looked at me.

"Look at us." I took sharp breaths.

"Still a mess."

"You're still crying in utility closets." He teased me.

"I can't lose anyone else." I sobbed.

"I know."

"What's going to happen to us?"

"We'll figure it out.

"I was wrong, please stay." I sobbed.

"Okay." He intertwined his hand in mine. My eyes never broke away from his deep pools of emerald green. His gentle warm hands wiped a tear from my cheek, and held my face in his hands. As he inched closer the smell of cedar wood intensified as his lips softly clashed with mine. I gave in my hands wrapping around his neck. My icy cold skin warmed as I touched his skin. I intertwined my lips with his as he gently pushed my head back into the wall. His hand gracefully inched up my back. The struggle to breathe had never been so intoxicating.

We parted to catch our breath.

"Let's go home." I pleaded as his nose and forehead were resting against mine.

***

We stopped by Mrs. Fulcher's to pick up Summer who was fast asleep. We placed her in her crib. Luke handed me a big t-shirt of his before he helped me into bed. He turned off the light before I grabbed his hand and sat up.

"Luke?" I asked.

"Yea." He turned.

"Could you stay? Just until I fall asleep." I begged.

He nodded. He lifted up the comforters and laid down next to me. I rested my head on his chest, as he draped one arm around my waist. As I drifted to sleep listening to the familiar beating in his chest.