Llanview General,
The Chapel…
Somehow, whenever Todd found himself forced to spend time in this hospital
he always found himself coming to this small chapel for peace and quiet. To
think. Only now he didn’t know what to think about. He glanced at his
watch. It had only been twenty minutes since he had seen his wife.
He knew the longer they held off giving Téa the drugs she needed to prevent
the miscarriage the more likely she would. Not again. Damn it, not again!
The last time she was pregnant they didn’t have one those amnios and Terri
turned out fine.
The door opened and his daughter, Taylor, walked in. He could tell she had
been crying. She said nothing as she walked up next to him and sat down
close to him.
“Where are the boys?” he asked.
He couldn’t look at her. Taylor resembled Téa in her features and to look
at her now would remind him of his wife.
“With Starr in the waiting room,” she answered.
Silence grew between them but still, Todd refused to look at her, instead
he kept his focus straight ahead on a bare cross hanging on the wall.
“I don’t want mom to lose the baby,” said Taylor reaching for his head. He
allowed her touch.
“I don’t either,’ said Todd.
“I don’t understand…dad. Can you make her stop?” asked Taylor, “Starr said
there were drugs…”
“It’s complicated Taylor…” sighed Todd.
“If you can stop mom’s pain by telling the doctor to give her these drugs,
you should…” said Taylor trying to find his elusive eyes.
“Taylor…I’ve got to wait…” he said.
“For what?”
“For the amnio results,” answered Todd.
“Why?”
“Damn it Taylor - if the boy has something wrong - Downs or some other
genetic chromosome thing, the amnio will tell us and we’re both agreed if
that’s the case…then we’ll let the miscarriage happen…” Todd choked on his
words, horrified at the thought.
“I see,” she said, “Mom’s not going to die, is she?”
“I hope not…” said Todd staring at the wall.
“She’s my best friend, dad. I don’t want to lose her…” admitted Taylor to
her father.
With that, the tears that had been welling up in his eyes finally escaped
down his cheeks. He trusted his daughter enough to show her his tears.
“She’s my…best friend too Taylor,” he said, his voice shaking.
“Dad, when did you know for the first time you liked mom?” she asked.
“Ah…I guess it was when an Irish terrorist invaded our home. She stood up
for Starr with her life and that’s when I knew she was special,” he
answered.
“When was the first time you told her you loved her?” asked Taylor.
Todd took a deep breath, “My office at the Sun. She didn’t believe me. We
were having problems but we worked them out.”
“Did you fall in love with Mom at first sight?”
“No Taylor. We were…together for close to a year before I realized I was
in love with her. That I needed her. That I wanted her,” he explained with
a heavy voice, “That I didn’t want her…to ever leave me…”
Taylor grew silent.
“Why all the questions Taylor?” he asked.
“I just wanted to know how long it took you before you realized she was the
one for you…” said Taylor.
“A while,” he simply said.
Maybe that’s what she needed to do. Wait a while.
“Damn it!!” yelled Todd looking at his watch. Thirty minutes had gone by.
He stood up.
Taylor did too, “Dad? What are you doing?”
Finally, an emotional Todd looked at his daughter, “I need your
mother Taylor. She is the most important person in my life. I can’t sit
around in here knowing she’s in another room in such pain.”
“Dad?”
“I’m gonna’ tell that damn doctor to give her the drugs now!”
said Todd. He raced for the chapel door. His conversation with his
daughter had moved him greatly and he was going to do what he thought was
the right thing - stop his wife’s pain.
Todd frantically raced into his wife’s hospital room. She looked worse -
drained. The nurses couldn’t wife the seat off her brow fast enough.
“Give her the drugs,” said Todd looking the doctor in the eye.
“The amnio results aren’t back yet,” said the doctor.
“I don’t care…” said Todd.
“No, Todd…we have to wait…” muttered Téa. Her voice was racked with pain.
“I can’t wait Delgado. Not with your own life at stake. I need you,” said
Todd emotionally.
“Can’t we…wait Todd?” she asked.
“Your wife wants to wait…” said the doctor.
“No, damnit! Téa’s hardly in her right mind now and since I’m her husband
I want you to give her the damn drugs!!” exclaimed Todd.
“Todd!” cried Téa.
He softened and approached her, lowering his voice, trying to be delicate,
“Let them give you the drugs Téa? Please? I need you…the kids…need you.”
She did nothing at first as she thought about it and then slowly she nodded
her head ‘yes’.
Dr. Clayton sighed but prepared to administer the medication.
*****
Outside Téa’s hospital room…
Todd paced the hall waiting for news of Téa’s condition. Trevor had his
back leaned against the wall as he studied his father. All his own feelings
of disgust had risen up within him but he fought them down. His father’s
obvious love and concern for his mother was apparent and while his father
was a complicated man, Trevor knew he was trying his best. He remembered
Tyler’s words from the other night…
”…Our parents are together and I like that…”
Trevor did too.
An orderly walked past them and into Téa’s room. Todd paused and studied
the door.
“You think there’s news on mom?” came a voice.
Todd turned around and saw the twins staying at the waiting room door.
“I don’t know,” said Todd.
Starr, River, and Terri walked into the hall. The doctor walked out of the
room. He held up a piece of paper.
“Todd, we got the amnio results back,” he said.
Todd’s family gathered around him.
“Well?” asked Todd, “Is my boy all right?”
Finally Doctor Clayton cracked a smile, “Your son…is fine. He’s perfect.”
“Ahhh…” said Todd letting out a deep, relaxing breath. He ran his fingers
through his hair. Starr lightly patted him on his back.
“What about the hemo?” asked Trevor. He crossed his arms and kept his
guard up.
“Your brother is a lucky boy. The gene didn’t pass to him. He doesn’t
have it,” confirmed the doctor.
Todd eyes became moist, “And Téa? Did the drugs work?”
“They appear too. The cramping has subsided. She’s weak. She’s drained.
But she’s still pregnant.”
“Mom’s gonna’ be all right?” asked Tyler.
“For now,” said the doctor.
Todd looked at his kids and smiled. Each one was an unique blend of
himself and the woman he loved. He was proud of his whole family but right
now he couldn’t be prouder of his wife.
“Can I see her?” he asked.
“Not yet. Maybe In an hour or two okay?” said the doctor, “We need to
monitor her and be able to respond quickly. Why don’t you spend the
time…with your family?”
“Sure Doc, sure.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
