The Courthouse…
Todd walked into the courthouse with Kelly Cramer. Frankie Holden shooting
his father was news. Big new. And his daughter, Starr, was too close to
the Holdens to cover the story. Todd walked through the x-ray machine and
Kelly followed him.
As he walked into the courtroom, he spied his ex-wife, Blair, standing
around Hank. Nora Buchanan and Frankie Holden were sitting at the defense
table.
The courtroom was a bit of a madhouse since the judge hadn’t arrived yet.
Todd and Kelly fought their way up to the closest possible seats.
Blair approached them, “Where’s Starr?”
“At the paper Blair. This is just too painful for her,” said Todd crossing
his arms.
Blair’s face grew cold, “She should be here with me.”
“Cut her some slack Blair. She grew up with Frankie in the house you and
Holden built. Her loyalties are torn. Don’t force your daughter to choose
between you or her stepbrother, all right? It’s just not cool,” said Todd
firmly.
The judge entered and everyone calmed down. The arraignment was under way.
*****
The Manning Estate…
“What’s wrong? River and I came as soon as we got Terri’s call!!”
exclaimed Starr.
“I think I’m cramping…it hurts…” muttered Téa as she struggled with the
pain.
“God…” muttered Starr. Terri clung to her mother.
“Where’s Dad?” asked Starr.
“Terri couldn’t reach him. Court…” winced Téa.
“River, help her. Take Téa and Terri to the hospital. I’ll go find Dad at
the courthouse…” directed Starr.
River nodded his head and delicately picked Téa in his arms.
Terri was frantic and followed River as they proceeded down the stairs.
Starr followed behind them and made River put Téa in his car. Then she got
in hers and headed for the courthouse.
Téa was so scared that she was having a miscarriage but said nothing as she
cried out from another jolt of pain. The last thing she wanted to do was
upset her young daughter further.
*****
The Courthouse…
Starr felt uncomfortable as she bolted into the courthouse. She knew her
mother was upset but she didn’t want to deal with it. Certainly not now.
She anxiously went through the security procedures including the x-ray
machines and went to the courtroom where her stepbrother was being arranged.
As she approached, the doors opened and the crowd filtered out. She spied
her father talking to her mother and Kelly.
“Dad!” she yelled, “Dad!”
He kept on talking.
She struggled through the crow and finally approached him.
“Dad!” she cried.
He turned to face her and looked confused.
“Terri called. River took Téa to the hospital!” she exclaimed.
The color immediately drained from his face and he grabbed Starr’s hand
leaving Blair and Kelly. They struggled through the crowd. He couldn’t
help but feel panicked.
“Why didn’t Terri call me?!” yelled Todd pushing against a wave of people.
“She said she did but you didn’t answer!!” replied Starr.
Todd struggled to take out his cell phone. It was dead. And he was
pissed. The x-ray machine must have fried it. They finally broke the
crowds and raced out of the courthouse.
*****
The hospital…
Todd felt terrible as he ran into the hospital with Starr following him.
Téa and the baby had to be okay. They just had to be!
He ran up to the admission counter and found himself asking a question that
he asked far too often, “Where’s my wife?”
“Your name sir?”
“Manning. Todd Manning. My wife’s name is Téa Manning. M-A-double N - I-
N- G,” he said.
“Daddy!” came a cry.
Todd turned around and Terri whizzed into his arms. River approached them
and Starr reached out to him. They shared a quick hug.
“Where’s your mother? What’s going on?” asked Todd.
“Her doctor is with her now,” said River, “Follow me.”
River walked off and Todd followed holding Terri in his arms.
As Todd walked down the hall he couldn’t help but feel a flood of emotions
flow through his body. First, he couldn’t believe this was happening. They
had been so careful - Téa gave up her job. She took her vitamins. Made her
appointments. How could this happen?
River brought them down the OB/GYN wing and stopped in front of a room,
pointing to the door.
“She’s in there,” he said.
Todd walked up to the window but the blinds were drawn. He handed Terri to
Starr and paused in front of the door before going inside.
The door opened and Doctor Clayton turned around.
“Téa!” cried Todd.
She lay on the bed, her face pale and upset. Her eyes were so scared as
she found his.
“Todd…” she whispered.
Doctor Clayton nodded his head at the two attending nurses and took Todd by
the arm escorting him back out of the room.
Todd was furious that the doctor hadn’t allowed him to stay in the room.
“What the hell is going on?!” yelled Todd, “She was fine this morning!”
Terri snuggled into Starr, her father’s anger frightening her. River put
his hand in Starr’s back and guided her away from Todd and the doctor in
order to give them their space.
“What is occurring appears to be spontaneous. Your wife is cramping badly
but thankfully there’s no blood - yet -“ started Clayton.
“Yet? What are you saying?!” cried Todd, “Is she losing the baby?”
“She’s in the early stages of a miscarriage. However, I think there’s a
good chance we can prevent it…” started the doctor.
“The drugs?! You said you had drugs…” said Todd remembering
the doctor’s words.
“We do. Now I’ve ordered the lab to expedite the results of the amnio…”
continued the doctor.
“Huh? What? Why? Give her the damn drugs!!” cried Todd. He was
incensed. His eyes blazed with fury and he began clenching and unclenching
his fists.
“Todd. You might want Téa to have the miscarriage…” said the doctor
speaking firmly but lowering the tone of his voice so as to deliver the
words softly.
That knocked the wind out of Todd. His voice grew cold, “Now why would I
want that?!”
“Depending on the results of the amnio, Todd. If there is something wrong
- if the amnio reveals there’s Downs or some other genetic…” explained the
doctor.
“That’s enough! I know about the genetic stuff!” spat Todd. A deep
feeling of fear flooded his whole body.
“Look Todd, I’ve got a rush to the lab for the results. They’ve told me
about an hour…” continued the doctor.
“What are you getting at?” asked Todd as his eye’s narrowed.
“We’re stabilizing her now and I think we can hold off about an hour to
wait for the results of the amnio and then you can make the decision about
giving her the drugs,” concluded the doctor crossing his arms.
“What if…she starts bleeding?” asked Todd.
“Then you’ve got to make a decision. If we can administer the drugs before
she starts bleeding, the chances she won’t miscarry are higher,” answered
Dr. Clayton.
Todd cocked his head back. He couldn’t help that awful feeling of
helplessness that filled his body.
“Let me see my wife,” commanded Todd.
“Only for a few minutes. She needs us in there to monitor her condition…”
said Dr. Clayton.
Todd walked toward the door.
“Daddy!” cried Terri.
Todd turned around. Starr was wiping Terri’s tear filled face with a
tissue. Slowly Todd walked up to his daughter.
“You’re not mad at me are you Daddy? I tried to call…” said Terri sadly.
Todd sighed, “No, I’m not mad at you. I know you did everything we told
you too.”
“Will Mommy be okay?” she asked.
“I don’t know…” said Todd. He lightly smiled at her, “Stay here with
Starr. I’m going to see your mother.”
Terri nodded her head and Todd walked into Téa’s room. He paused to study
the scene. Téa looked half out of it. Her eyes were glassy and she was in
a relaxed fetal position. A nurse was monitoring her vitals and Dr. Clayton
was reviewing her chart. Todd walked up to his wife’s bed. He raised his
hand but was afraid to touch her, she looked so delicate.
“I don’t know what to say Téa,” he said.
“I don’t want to lose the baby Todd…” she whispered. He could see how hard
she was struggling in her eyes. Fighting to keep their child alive.
“We’re waiting for the amnio results,” he said gently.
“We never really had this conversation did we?” she muttered.
“Nope. Hang on Téa can you hang on a little longer?” he asked.
She nodded her head, “Yes…I’ll try…”
“Téa if there’s something wrong…if the baby can’t have a full life…aw
God…Téa, I can’t say the words, I can’t…” he lamented. His eyes welled up
with tears.
“Let’s do the right thing Todd,” she moaned.
“Todd, you should go,” said Dr. Clayton.
Todd closed his eyes, choking back the pain. Then he opened them and bent
down kissing her lightly on the forehead before he walked out.
TO BE CONTINUED…
