The next thing I know, I hear a steady beeping sound coming from beside me. I feel someone holding onto my hand. I want to open my eyes but they feel so heavy. I groan and my eyes slowly flutter open. I take in my surroundings and I realize I am in a hospital room.
The beeping noise is coming from the heart monitor I'm hooked up to and I am also hooked up to an IV. I look to my right and see mama still holding onto my hand, daddy was sitting next to her.
"Mama?" I say weakly.
"I'm here baby girl." She says and gives me a small smile.
"What happened to me?" I ask; the last thing I remember was making myself a tea.
"You fainted." Mama says. "I called for an ambulance and you were brought to the hospital. The doctor said you were severely dehydrated."
I nod then close my eyes as they once again become too heavy to keep open. I don't fall back to sleep, I just try to relax. A few minutes pass and the door opens. I open my eyes and see the doctor walk towards me.
She greets me with a warm smile and says. "Hello Stephanie, I'm Dr. Bailey, how are you feeling?"
"Much better but, I still feel so tired." I reply.
"Your mother says you had been ill for the past few days and you haven't been able to keep any food down. We have you on fluids and I also am going to give you some anti nausea medication so you can eat. We will bring you something light to try and we'll go from there. If everything goes well, we should have you home in a few hours." Dr. Bailey says. "Oh, when you were brought in, we drew some blood for extra testing just to rule out it isn't anything more serious than a stomach bug. We should have the results in a few minutes."
Sometime later, I have finished eating some soup and jello. You know I was starving because that was the best soup and jello I had ever had. It's been twenty minutes and I'm so glad I have been able to keep it down thanks to the anti nausea medicine.
Mama and daddy look relieved and I see them relax. I smile at them then lay back against the raised hospital bed. I flip through a magazine that mama bought and daddy is reading a newspaper. A knock on the door is heard and in walks Dr. Bailey.
"Hello again Stephanie. I have your test results and we have found the culprit of why you've been so sick." She says with a smile. I'm confused, why would she be smiling? I'm sick! That's nothing to smile about.
I reach for mama's hand and hold it tightly preparing for the worst.
"Stephanie...congratulations, you're pregnant!" Dr. Bailey says.
I stare blankly at Dr. Bailey then I blink a few times before I respond. I see her smile falter when I don't respond.
I finally find my voice and ask. "Are...are you sure?"
Dr. Bailey nods and says. "100 percent. A nurse will be wheeling an ultrasound machine in so we can check on the little one."
All I could do is nod and my tears start to fall. I begin to sob and mama hugs me. I bury my face in her chest.
"Could we have a few minutes alone with our daughter?" Daddy asks Dr. Bailey.
"Of course." Dr. Bailey says and here her leave the room, closing the door behind her.
I catch my breath and say. "Why did this have to happen now!? I just got divorced and now...now I find out I'm...pregnant! Oh god! What am I going do!? Should tell Lindsey? No! He has his plate full right now but I don't think I can raise this baby on my own! Oh who am I kidding? This pregnancy will probably just end up just like the others!"
"Stephanie Lynn!" Mama says sternly and she gently holds my head between her hands so I can look at her. "Do not talk like that! Do you hear me?" I nod slowly, she then continues. "You have think positive! You won't have to raise this baby alone. Your father and I will help you. You're not alone Stephanie."
I look at daddy and he nods in agreement.
I sink back into mama's arms and hold her tight. I don't know how to feel at the moment. Should I be happy? No! I've been happy before and it was taken from me. I decide not to get my hopes up so I will take it day by day and hope everything will be okay.
I've finally calmed down and when Dr. Bailey returns, I apologize for my reaction. She waves it off and smiles at me again then she proceeds to perform the ultrasound.
I'm eight weeks and as I stare at my baby on the screen, a small smile appears on my face. When I hear the heartbeat and I am sobbing. A part of me can't help but feel hopeful.
Seeing my baby on screen has changed something in me. I feel stronger than ever and if this baby is to be born, I promise to raise him or her on my own. I promise to be both mother and father to them and love them with all my heart.
