No One But You

56. Complications

Madison

The amount of pregnant I am is overwhelming. 

I'm not even at nine months and I'm already suffering, not to be dramatic or anything. I have a couple months left in my term but the food cravings, back pain, and nausea is really getting to me. 

I waddle through my house, making my way to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. It'll most likely be disgusting, yet somehow satisfying in the same. I've been really into pickles lately with a side of ice cream and I could not explain why for the life of me. I wish I could stop it, but the baby wants what the baby wants. 

I huff as I open the cabinet, thinking about my life recently. 

I'm supposed to be done with school in May but that's on hold right now. I've convinced my professors to let me do take home assignments and to work from home. They've all been super understanding about everything, but I can't help but feel like I'm taking advantage. Perhaps it's just my emotions getting to me, but nonetheless I can't help the feeling from haunting me. 

On the bright side I get to see Mary, Veronica, and Chrissy nearly every day. Veronica and I are each others stand in partners. We go to our doctors appointments together and anything else relating to our babies. Recently we've been looking through magazines and picking out cribs and decorations we want for our child's room. I think that's my favorite part. It makes it all seems so official. Well that and the growing bump on my stomach. 

I pull out some crackers from the cabinet and decide to just eat them dry. They're plain, but they hit the spot. As I munch on them, I pad over to the couch where I plant myself. Three crackers later and someone is coming through my front door. 

"Hello!" Mary yells in a sing song voice. 

I smile as I turn to face her. She grins and comes toward me, taking a seat next to me on the couch. I had given the girls keys to my house in case of an emergency. So now 8 people, including Rog and I, have keys to the house. 

"How are you?" I ask my friend. 

"I'm really well! I think I found the perfect location to get married," she sighs. She shuts her eyes, probably imagining the place in her head. "Hear me out," Mary says, opening her eyes and sitting up right to look at me. "South of France. Flowers everywhere. The wind blowing softly and doves flying above us,"

I crack a smile. "That was very poetic of you," I comment. 

"Doesn't that sound beautiful though?"

I laugh slightly and nod. "It does. It also sounds expensive," 

Mary shrugs. "Freddie's been vague about the whole thing so I've only been left to my imagination. I think that would be my dream wedding," 

"The one in France?"

She nods. 

I put one of my hands over hers. 

"We'll make your dream wedding happen, yeah? We can't just not," I tell her. 

She grins. "Thank you, love," she tells me. "Have you and Rog thought about where you'll tie the knot?"

I roll my eyes and pop another cracker in my mouth, eating it before answering. 

"Last we talked, Rog suggested either at a concert venue or car show," I say, snorting a little. 

"God, he's something else," Marry giggles. 

"I don't really need anything big. I wouldn't mind a small little something but I think Roger wants to party," 

"The boys will look for any excuse to drink and dance," 

I shake my head. "Two of them are going to be dads. I mean, how will they survive?" 

Mary laughs and runs a hand through her blonde hair. "They need us, that's how," she says. Her eyes then go wide as if she just got an idea. "Do you want to go to dinner? That new restaurant opened and I heard its wonderful,"

I look at my crackers. No, Maddie, you need real food. 

"Do you mind if I shower first? Being pregnant has made me gross," I ask. 

Mary nods and leans back in the couch, getting comfortable. 

"Take your time! I'll wait here," she says with a warm smile. 

I return it and quickly stand up, padding to the kitchen to put my crackers away and then back to my room. I gather some clean clothes and head to the restroom to wash up. 

I step into the shower once it heats up and let the water cascade down my body. I showered yesterday but it feels like I haven't washed in days. I know I'm not dirty but I constantly feel like I am and I can't stand it. 

I sigh heavily and lather shampoo and then conditioner into my hair. As it's rinsing out, I look down and notice the water slopping around my feet has a pink hue to it. My eyebrows furrow as I bend down slightly, looking for the source. My shampoo and conditioner isn't pink, neither in my face or body wash. 

That's when I see it. 

Blood trickles down my legs, fading as it reaches the water in the tub. My heart drops and I grab the wall to steady myself. Something's wrong. Bleeding just doesn't happen during pregnancy like this. 

"Mary," I say, my voice sounding quieter than I meant it to. "Mary!" I yell louder. 

As I hear her come running down the hall, I turn the water off and quickly grab a towel to cover myself up at least a little bit, although that isn't my biggest concern right now. 

Mary barges in the bathroom, concern covering her face. 

"I'm bleeding," I tell her. "The baby. I - I don't know what to do,"

My breath hitches in my throat and my eyes well with tears. I'm about to have a panic attack and I don't know how to stop it. 

Mary comes over to me and reaches out, helping me out of the tub. Her eyes flicker to the blood in the tub and the spots I'm leaving all over the floor. Without hesitating, she begins to help me get dressed, all while somehow not exposing me. 

I feel numb right now. How could something be wrong? I wasn't in pain. I didn't harm the baby. I did everything I was supposed to. What could have happened? 

"I'm going to take you to the hospital, okay?" Mary says to me, her voice shaky yet steady. I nod. "Then I'll call Roger,"