The Baby Project [#Wattys2018]

Chapter Seven ~ Life Unexpected!

"The results of all the tests and labs show..." begins Dr. Santiago as I glued my feet to the floor in anticipation of the results. Begging her to continue. You have some nerve, Maddie. Why are you doing this? Listen here lady, don't do this to me. Speak. Use your words. This is agonizing.

She opens her mouth to speak when the intercom above us pages: 'Dr. Santiago. Dr. Santiago. You are needed in OR 3.' Her pager also goes off as she glances at it. The look on her face seemed genuinely concerned as it becomes disheveled before dashing out the door like a bat out of hell. Leaving us to wallow in our fear. The doors swing back and forth before slamming shut.

It was only us.

My legs were wobbly beneath me as I slugged over to one of the chairs before collapsing in one. This was it. She's going to walk back through those doors and deliver what I already knew to be true.

John paces back and forth as Jake holds my hand while we wait some more. Today is the day when my life ended. I thought losing my son was tragic, but now I have him back and he possibly has cancer. John and Jake had an idea what was going on, but now the truth is going to send me straight to hell. Shocked off of their feet.

Staring unphased at the wall with anxiety rising among us all as we patiently awaited the deaded results. Luke nudges me and I peered up at him.

"Hey we're going to stretch our legs. If anything happens, text us. I don't trust John as it is and this is still partly my fault." whispers Luke before he pulls away and sneaks off with the rest of the group; leaving me with the terrible twos.

It was silent soon after they left. We fidgeted in our seats as we sat there waiting. Waiting for something to happen. You could hear the humming of electricity running through the ceiling and the wall. I guess we have time to take in everything that has happened. To process everything before the final nail seals my fate. Both John and Jake were sitting in tethered seats that were in serious need of some TLC. The room was bland - lackluster in color. A splash of a soft blue or sage green or even yellow would surely liven this place in. Inhaling loudly, I could smell the stale coffee brewing in the far right corner of the room.

All of a sudden after a few minutes of silence, I'm yanked back to reality when John snaps. "Jackson was perfectly healthy before you came along, buddy! What did you do to my son?" John was standing tall as he got all up in Jake's face.

Pushing away from the table, Jake flashes John a cold-stone expression before replying. "Maybe if you weren't off day-drinking and being an asshole you would have been noticed that Jack has been exhibiting these symptoms for a few days now. Maybe he's sick because he has to deal with your stupidity and alcoholism. Or maybe it doesn't have to do with any of us. You ain't the sun, buddy. Focus should be on making sure the child is okay. " Then Jake crosses his arms as he slinks down to the other end of the table.

John appalled asked, "So swoop in and steal my girlfriend is the answer?"

Jolting up from my seat, I throw my hands down on the table. "Sorry to burst your bubble buddy but I was never your girlfriend. Can't steal something that was never yours to begin with. Now will the two of you shut the hell up. My son could have cancer. He could die. Much bigger problems than who is the bigger ass. So if you want to be little whiney bitches - leave."

Both John and Jake stare blankly at each other. Shifting my focus back to Jake who was trying to hold it all together.

"I shouldn't have kept up with this lie all these years. If I care about you ... if I care about you I should've told you. Last time we spoke had to be around the beginning of eighth grade at a party or something. Rosie, I almost didn't show up today because I didn't want to deal with him. I didn't want to hurt you." somberly says Jake as he pushes the tears back.