Blainsville

8) Official Outbreak

John

I decided since Jess and Lindsey were going out to go down to the office. I had to do two ultrasounds for Mr. Beckham who had a very young wife, Andrea and a young couple in their thirties by the name Mr. and Mrs. Werther. Or should I say Mrs. and Mrs.? The fact that all these men were coming in for ultrasounds was starting to freak me out. No matter what I never came to a conclusion as to how it was happening. So today I was going to go full investigation mode. I needed to check the water supply maybe it had something to do with it? I would check the soil and pH level maybe something was amiss? I got into my office around twenty minutes after paying a visit to the water irrigation plant with a small sample that's when I'm met with Jimmy. He looked as if he had been crying his eyes out it must have been the hormones. "Hey there, Jimmy. What's up?" I ask hanging my jacket up on my coat rack. He looks as if he's having trouble trying to tell me the issue after a couple seconds he finally talks, "I want to get rid of it." He mumbles, "Come again?" I say, "Twins. I want you to abort the twins." I glance down he's wearing a shirt that's a bit bigger than I'm used to on him. "Um... I don't know, Jim. Have you even spoke with Diana? I mean how does she feel about it?" He scoffs and crosses his arms, "Oh, trust me she's not happy about it. She wants custody if I don't succeed in aborting them. I just I cant go through with this... I'll be a laughing stock of the whole town. You have to help me do something. I'm not asking you, John I'm telling you. Get rid of them." I shake my head not wanting to get involved. But the look on his face one of anger and disappointment I knew he meant business, "Come on back, James." Was all I managed to say.

Diana

I made it to Jess's house and knocked on the door. No amount of make up could hide the fact my heart was breaking. Jess answers the door after a few times then again I could hear Lindsey right behind her, "Hey there. Long time no see, oh god what's the matter?" It was obvious I had a break down it took all my strength not to kill Jimmy. "It's Jimmy, its just... Its us." Jess took my hand and led me to the kitchen table, "We aren't going anywhere till you get this off your shoulders. Talk to me, Diana. What happened?" The famous line of the subject. If I told her about the twins she would be ecstatic but if I told her I wasn't the one who was pregnant it would raise more questions; questions I wouldn't be able to completely answer. Then again what did it matter? Maybe if I told her the actual situation she could give Jimmy a better perspective then I did. "You remember how I kept telling you Jimmy was really sick? How he kept throwing up and nauseated all the time?" She nods handing me a pink mug with her in it. "Yeah... Is something wrong with him? Is it serious?" She seemed more worked up then I thought. "Not per say serious. I mean it's great, fantastic even; its just he's so fucking stupid and stubborn. He doesn't get it... He will never get it." I find myself putting my face in my hands; fresh tears falling. "No tears, Ana. Come on, talk to me. What about Jimmy?" That's when I have no choice to let the cat out of the bag, "We're having a baby. Well not a baby but babies." Jess stops whatever she's doing and quickly turns to wrap her arms around me. "Oh my God! That's amazing! After all this time, congratulations! How far along are you?" If I just said it out loud she would probably faint or at least have an awkward stare. "It's not exactly me who's having them..." I scratch the back of my head, "So it's a surrogate? Do I know her?" Here it goes, here goes nothing, "Jimmy's pregnant. He's almost nine weeks with twins." Well she didn't faint but she also isn't speaking. This is the most intense, awkward silence I've ever encountered. Jess grabs her mug of tea and takes a seat that is after twenty seconds of trying to feel for her chair. "Oh. Oh, oh, oh! So it's not you that's um; new. How again did this um happen?' Is it some kind of experiment? Or..." Remembering that it's Jimmy who beats life and not me only makes me want to cry more and harder. "Don't cry, Diana. I'm sure you'll figure something out. I mean you should be happy right? These are tears of joy aren't they? I mean yay you're having twins it's just that you're not the one that's pregnant. I'll admit I was not expecting to hear this." That only makes me wanna cry harder. "Of coarse I'm happy! I'm fucking ecstatic! I've never been so happy in my life. Its just not fair why he gets to experience the process. The bonding, the growing, the holding that baby for the first time and thinking the world is at peace. Why dont I get that, Jess? Why dont I get to be that happy? It just makes me feel like I'm less than a woman." Jess puts her hand on mine, "Look at me, Ana hey look at me. Youre not a failure. Youre not less than any woman just because you cant have kids. You arw just as strong willed, beautiful and talented as any. Don't ever think just because you arent able to perform more than you can do. I mean youre a talented writer, you are an awesome aunt to Lindsey. I mean essentially you're already a perfect mom. Dont let this slow you down or get to you." I sniffle a bit and wipe the tears from my face, "You know you're right. We're having twins and I'm finally going to be a mother..." Jess nods and pulls me in for a hug.

John

I have Jimmy follow me into an empty room the same back room he was in a week ago. "I dont know how I'm going to do this honestly, Jim. I mean I've never had to perform an abortion before yet alone on a guy so this is way out of my league. Are you really sure you want to do this though?" Jimmy turns away hes thinking but obviously not too hard, "Yes, I want to do this. I want them out of me. Now god Damn it." He was getting irritated. I was trying as best as I could to stall him fir two reasons: one, I had no idea if abortion was possible considering what was happening in itself. I was asked to do them before and havent had a problem but the fact that it was a man the dangers were endless. I was more afraid that if I attempted to overdose the fetuses on drugs it would kill even Jimmy. Secondly, I wasnt pro life but I wasnt against it either. I mean I have two daughters well had two now its just our youngest and the prospect of another baby was out of the question. I couldn't handle another loss, "Well if I'm gonna do this I need to do another ultrasound to examine their positions cause I don't want to really hurt you. If you'll just lay back I can get this over with." Jimmy lifts his shirt like last time and you can obviously tell he was expecting with the slightly protruding belly. Part of me was going to live the rest of my life regretting what I'm about to do. I put some gel on the wand and turn toward Jimmy. We don't speak while I'm browsing around looking for the fetuses, "Alright so they're right where they usually should be. I'm not really certain about how to approach this. I'm gonna have to listen their hearts to see if they're viable for this drug. I can abort them but because you dont seem to have a uterus the babies seem to be latched to your lower intestine. Normally that would be a massive mistake one in which I surgically have to remove one or both but that would mean half of your lower intestine goes with them." I turn on the machine and two very fast, very strong heartbeats make an appearance. "You see the real problem with this pregnancy is even if I do abort them theres a possibility you'll die too. Therefore I have no choice but to leave them be." Jimmy sits up quickly not bothering to wipe his stomach, "So that's it then? You're basically telling me I'm fucked either way? Boy, that sounds fair real fucking fair. Thanks a lot John no; really thank you." I cant stand it I can feel the anger rising thats when I go off, "Jimmy, listen god damn it! I cant fucking abort these twins cause doing so risk killing the host. Until I find out an answer to this whole mysterious bullshit I'm at a loss. Even if I get an answer its against the law in this state to perform and major medical procedure without consent from both parties. The simple stupidity that you came here asking; no commanding I do this is just selfish... James, its a whole other level of fucked up. Imagine if the shoe were on the other foot."
"Oh you mean if this were normal?! Guess what Johnny boy, its none of this is fucking normal!" Jimmy retorts back, "You're not listening! Don't tell me if Diana did the exact same thing you're wanting you wouldn't be the least bit I don't know pissed? Do you even care about them? Do you really even understand how special and important discovery this has made you? I mean Jimmy you're part part of something bigger; much bigger being pregnant and all. Its not just you." Jimmy stops pacing a moment and stares me dead on the look in his eyes is one of fear. I've seen that look before in every first time parent. "What do you mean its not just me? Are there others? Others in my same condition?" I nod. "I'm trying all I can to figure this out but running on empty. Jimmy, if you live through this even carrying twins to term you wouldn't be the first in this town. Its almost all men; mainly around your age, different times but not a single one of them is having doubles. I'm not saying you're the missing link or anything but the solution to the same problem well it could be in you. Its an outbreak right now out there, James. I think you alone might be the key." I could tell that he still wasn't too happy but once he realized that whatever he decided to do would spell death his mind began to change. Suddenly his hand flew to his stomach, "Anyway I look at it I don't make it do I?" He whispered. The hardest part of being a doctor or hell even a nurse was the blank statement; you're going to die I'm so sorry. James glances down at his stomach and he just stares at it for what feels like an eternity, "So what you're telling me is I'm stuck like this? The only thing keeping me alive are the babies?" I nod slightly it was fucked up but true, "I'm sorry... I'm so fucking sorry. I'm sorry guys or girls... I'm such a horrible fucking person. What the hell am I even doing here? I was never here, John. This stays between us, alright? Only us." He quickly concludes scrambling out the door. No matter how many guys in town go through this process I'm thankful as hell that I don't have the mood swings.