Settling Down [KJ Apa]

Chapter Sixteen

They always talk about a mother's intuition if something's wrong with the kid, and I'd always written it off. But I knew something was wrong the minute I woke up this morning. 

After being woken up by the little one the past few days, I couldn't feel anything. I shoot up, softly rubbing my belly, but it just doesn't feel right.

"KJ..." I whisper as I reach out a hand and pat his back.

Keneti softly purrs, turning on his back. He has a sleepy smile on his face while his eyes are still closed.

"Good morning, George." He smiles as he opens his eyes.

His smile soon disappears though, as I had kept my hand at the same place while panic is slowly creeping over my body.

"What's wrong?" Keneti asks, sitting up.

"I don't feel her." I say quietly, looking down as I push the upcoming tears away.

"What-- What do you need me to do?"

"Can you get Lili?" I plead as my voice cracks.

Keneti nods quietly and gets up, leaving the room after putting a shirt on.

I know what is going on. Deep down I don't want to believe it, but I know. Because I've been through this before.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when Lili rushes into the room. She looks worried, probably as worried as I am, since I told her all about last year.

I open my mouth, but I can't get a word out. Instead I grab her hand, squeeze it tightly, as tears stream down over my cheeks.

"We need to get her to a hospital." Lili speaks up before calling out Cole to start the car.

It all becomes a blur when Keneti picks me up in his arms and carries me down to the car. Even the drive to the hospital just doesn't stick.

It's only when Keneti carries me into the emergency room all senses come back. Some nurse rushes him to put me on a bed and he does so. While I leave the comfort of his arms, he grabs my hand and squeezes it once.

Lili walks up to the bed and grabs my hand.

"We're all here for you, Georgia." She whispers.

The doctor comes in and Lili starts explaining what is going on.

"... She's been through it before, so we rushed over here as soon as she indicated she couldn't feel her kick anymore."

"Okay. Well, Miss Brown. Let's check out what's going on." The doctor says while a nurse wheels in the ultrasound machine.

"Could you lift your sweatshirt, please?"

I nod and lift the fabric off my belly. The doctor puts some lube on the transducer and presses it against my skin. He traces it from left to right, top to bottom, searching for the one thing to prove my suspicions wrong. But the frown on his face is speaking volumes.

"I'm so sorry, Georgia."

_______

I'm so sorry, Georgia.

I'm so sorry...

So sorry...

The words keep echoing in my head and I keep hoping it's some bad dream I have trouble waking up from.

But I'm not dreaming. This is my reality now. Again.

I'm pulled out of my train of thoughts when the door opens with a rather brutal force, only to reveal Lili and Cole arguing. They stop once they see me looking at them.

"We tried to locate some chocolate chip cookies, but this hospital has nothing like that at all. It's an abomination." Lili rambles as she plumps down in the chair next to my bed.

"You're overreacting, Lil." Cole counters her, "We found some, but you just didn't like the taste of them."

"Can I at least try a bit before y'all eat them yourself?" I ask, my voice hoarse from either crying or screaming without sound.

"Sure."

Cole hands me one of his leftover cookies. It's not that bad though, crunchy enough but not enough flavor I guess.

"So, what's going to happen now?" Lili asks worried.

"Doctor said a nurse will be coming in about 10 minutes to induce labor and then it'll be like a normal child birth." I sigh, "I'm glad I don't have to be alone."

"Of course, sweetie!" Lili exclaims, reaching her hand out, "We'll always be here for you."

"Hey, Lil? Could you get me some water maybe?"

"Yeah, sure."

Lili quickly leaves the room, leaving Cole and I alone. I wonder where Keneti has been, but I don't ask. My heart's been broken enough in the past few weeks.

"Cole, can I ask a favor?" I speak up.

Cole, who's been leaning against the edge of the window, looks up at me.

"Depends on which kind of favor." He lopsidedly smiles.

"Could-- could you take pictures while, you know? See, last time we had the option of having a photographer in the room and we didn't take it. I still kinda regret it. And I know you have your cameras in the car, so..."

"Of course, Gee. It'll be an honor."

"Well, you say that now." I grin weakly.

Cole moves from his spot at the window to the end of my hospital bed. I pull my right leg up a little so he can sit easily.

He's about to say something when the door swings open again. While expecting the nurse to finally come over, it's Lili with Keneti right behind her. I know Cole wants to tell me something, but I can only focus on how awful Keneti is looking.

"I've got your water." Lili slowly says as she puts the bottle on the table next to the bed.

"We are going to get my camera equipment from the car. Lili, would you join me?"

"Yes!"

They leave, but I keep my eyes on Keneti. They're sunken and just sad. He takes Cole's previous seat on my bed and drops his head against my stretched out leg. I reach over and entangle my fingers with his hair.

"I'll be okay, Keneti." I tell him softly.

"I know." His voice cracks, "You deserve more than all the pain you've endured already."

"Hey..."

I pull his hair a little, causing him to look up to me.

"Pain is a part of life. And I don't need anything else than you right by my side right now."

He huffs with a ghost of a smile on his face, "I was really looking forward to meet the little princess."

"Yeah... Me too..."

We stare at each other in a comfortable silence. Nothing else had to be said in that moment. Just the two of us. And me getting lost in his eyes for the millionth time.

I don't even hear the door open until a nurse walks in and pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Are you ready, Miss Brown?" The nurse asks.

"Yeah..."