An hour or so later, and Josie continues to play outside while I finish up cooking in here. I don't have a clue where Alex and Ethan went, I just know that they've been gone for 2 hours about. I look out the window and smile as Josie continues to dance around outside and I laugh to myself turning my attention back to the lasagna. I bend down and put it in the oven then stand back up and look outside the window.
"Josie?" I ask as she just stands there looking straight up.
"Josie!" I scream, my heart jolting to a stop as she falls to the ground just as the front door opens. I scream running outside and over to her.
"Josie! Josie!" I shout trying to get her to wake up.
"What's wrong Olivia!?""
"She just- she just fell!" I shout
"Josie, baby girl. Josie look at me." I say staring down at my pale baby girl. Her eyes don't open though.
"EMS is on the way." Alex says as Ethan runs over to us.
"Oh my God." He says as I continue to hold Josie.
"Baby, baby wake up for mommy." I whisper tears blurring my vision.
"Josie, baby." I sob feeling for a pulse. Slight relief fills me as I feel one and continue to hold her.
I finally, what feels like forever later, hear the sirens wailing in the distance.
"Josie." I sob out shaking her.
"Josie. Josie please." I whisper as the sirens close in on our house.
"Olivia, Olivia they're here." Ethan says trying to move me away from my daughter as the medics try to get to her.
"Don't touch me!" I scream but he yanks me away anyways as they finally get a hold of her.
"How long ago did she fall?"
"Ethan let me go!" I screech as Alex rushes over to us as the medics lift Josie onto a stretcher. He talks to them as they lift her into the ambulance.
"Josie! Josie baby." I sob fighting against Ethan. I get hits and punches, but he doesn't loosen his grip on me. Deep down I know he's trying to help me but this is my baby.
"Ethan let me go!" I scream
"Olivia! Olivia you have to calm down." He says trying to catch my attention.
"That's my baby!" I shout falling against him as the ambulance speeds away.
~~~
Three hours later, I'm sitting in the hospital waiting room with Alex on my left side, and nothing about Josie being shared with me. Ethan walks back into the room and over to me, handing me a coffee.
"Thank you." I whisper as he sits down beside me and Alex's phone starts to ring. He quickly answers it and walks out of the waiting room while I pull the blanket up higher on me.
"I'm sorry I hit you." I whisper taking a sip of the coffee.
"Don't be, I understand." Ethan says.
"But you were just trying to keep me out of the medics way." I say rubbing my arms and he nods, "I was, but I also understand." He says and I nod as Alex walks in.
"I really hate to do this, but they need me in the office, it's an emergency." He says and I hold my hand up to him.
"It's okay Alex, go."
"Okay, call me as soon as you get some answers." He says and I nod as he leaves the hospital and it's just Ethan and I.
"Do you have to go to?" I ask as his phone sounds and he looks at it.
"No. I'm not going anywhere." He says silencing it.
"Thank you." I whisper and he nods.
"Hey, she's going to be okay." He says and I look over at him then back to the clock I was staring at before.
"Olivia." He says and I look back over at him.
"It's going to be okay." He whispers and I force a nod as my eyes start to tear up again.
"Hey, come here." He says and I lean against him sobbing as he wraps his arms around me. He rubs my back and hushes me, but never lets me go. I need this right now.
"She's all I have left." I breathe out.
"It's going to be okay." He whispers and I want to believe him, God I want to believe him. This time of year however, has only ever brought me pain. Like I said earlier, I gave up on hope and miracles three years ago when I lost my husband, and now, and now I might lose my baby. I can't- I can't handle that.
"Olivia Matthews?" I instantly move away from Ethan and stand up as the nurse walks over.
"Is she okay?"
"She's stable. You can go see her if you like." She says and I nod then look over at Ethan.
"You too." I say gently and he smiles taking my outstretched hand as we follow the nurse.
We walk down the hall past a good amount of rooms before finally reaching Josie's. As soon as we walk in I run over to her, saddened by the needles in her little arms and the heart monitor set up just beside her.
"Mommy!" She exclaims and I nod sitting beside her and taking her hand in mine.
"Hey baby, I'm here. Right here." I whisper feeling Ethan move behind me.
"Ethan." She says with a little grin and he nods squatting down beside me and brushing hair out of her face.
"Hey there tiger." He says
"Miss Matthews, if I can please talk to you out in the hall." The nurse says and I nod slowly standing up.
"Mommy?" Josie asks and I turn back to face her.
"I'll be right back baby, just stepping outside. Ethan will stay with you." I say and she nods as I walk out of the room. The nurse shuts the door then turns to face me.
"I'm just gonna say it Miss Matthews, her liver is failing. Fast."
"No Doctor Theodore said she had a month atleast."
"Yes initially, were just unsure as of now. Her levels are dropping and her liver is quickly fading."
"Well what- what can we do?" I ask
"We're going to keep her on bed rest in the hospital. Give her some fluids and liquids; keep a close eye on her."
"How long is she going to be here?"
"Hopefully only a few days. Hopefully the medications will help her and we're going to keep her on a low sodium diet."
"Well can I stay with her?" I ask and she nods, "of course you can." She says and I nod bitting my nails.
"Is she- is she going to be okay?" I ask and the nurse looks at me sadly, "for now yes, but I can't tell you long run right now."
"And what's her status on the transplant list?" I whisper and she shoots me another sad look. That's NOT what I need right now.
"We're still looking. There just hasn't been a match yet." She says and I force myself to nod.
"Is she going to make it to Christmas?" I whisper
"You've just got to hope and pray Miss Matthews."
"That wasn't a yes." I say and she sighs, "it wasn't a no either. Go in and be with your daughter. Either I or another nurse will come in to check her fluids and levels in the next few hours or so." She says and I nod.
"Okay." I squeak out and she nods then walks away.
~~~~~~~~~~~
